GAME NOTES:  The Snow College men's basketball team will begin Scenic West Athletic Conference play Thursday against No. 4 Salt Lake Community College in Taylorsville.  Tipoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. inside the Lifetime Activities Center.
 
The Badgers are coming off a pair of victories at the Financial Partners Classic Dec. 13-14.  They defeated No. 5 Indian Hills Community College 93-88 before claiming a 115-58 victory against Lake Region State College the following day.
 
Following the two victories, the Badgers soared to the top of the NJCAA Division I Men's Basketball Poll.  This is the first time in program history Snow College has been ranked No. 1 in the poll.
 
Isaac Garrett (So./Pleasant Grove, Utah/Pleasant Grove HS) recorded two double-doubles at the Financial Partners Classic.  He recorded 29 points and 11 rebounds in the Badgers' victory against IHCC followed by a career-high 32 points and 11 rebounds against LRSC. 
 
Due to his strong performance over the weekend, Garrett was named the SWAC and NJCAA Player of the Week. He is averaging 15.4 points and 6.6 rebounds per game on 58 percent shooting.
 
The Badgers rank among the top teams in the nation in several categories.  They are shooting 53.9 percent from the field which is good enough for 4^th overall.  Snow College is also one of the most efficient teams in the country ranking in the top 10 in both offensive efficiency (1.252; 9^th), and net efficiency (0.373; 6^th).
 
SLCC currently owns a 12-3 overall record and is coming off a 1-2 weekend at the Aztec Classic.  They suffered a 103-98 defeat to Dawson Community College and a 92-75 loss against Pima College, which sandwiched a 95-66 victory against Central Arizona College.
 
The Badgers have lost three straight games and 11 of their last 12 to the Bruins.  Their last victory was an 84-83 victory in Ephraim Feb. 9, 2023.
 
LAST TIME OUT: The Snow College men's basketball team ended the calendar year with a pair of victories at the Financial Partners Classic over the weekend in Ottumwa, Iowa.  The Badgers defeated No. 5 Indian Hills Community College Friday before earning a victory over Lake Region State College Saturday.
 
Snow College entered the tournament riding a 4-game winning streak.  Most recently, the Badgers defeated Central Wyoming College in consecutive games.  They earned a 100-50 victory Nov. 30 before defeating the Rustlers 112-48 Dec. 4.
 
The Badgers got off to a good start, scoring 12 of the first 16 points of the game to take an 8-point lead.  IHCC responded with a 3-pointer and a free throw on the next two possessions to cut the lead in half.
 
Snow College then went on a 9-1 run to take a 23-11 lead with 13 minutes left in the first half.  Once again, the Warriors responded with a 10-0 run over the next three minutes to cut the lead to just two midway through the period. 
 
The Badgers were able to fend off the Warriors' rally and build the lead back up to double digits. They led by seven with just over two minutes remaining in the half. A pair of 3-pointers and a layup from Isaac Garrett (So./Pleasant Grove, Utah/Pleasant Grove HS) fueled a 9-1 run to end the half, and the Badgers took a 51-36 lead into halftime.
 
Snow College maintained the momentum in the opening minutes of the second half and led 64-48 with 15 minutes left.  Over the next 3-plus minutes, the Warriors went on a 12-0 run to trim the Badgers' lead to just four.
 
IHCC would tie the game at 70 before taking their first lead of the game, 75-74, with just under seven minutes to play.  The lead teeter-tottered over the next few minutes before the Warriors took an 85-82 lead with 3:40 to play.
 
A pair of layups from Garrett and a 3-pointer from McCaden Adams (Fr./Pleasant Grove, Utah/Pleasant Grove HS) fueled a 7-1 run to give the Badgers a 3-point lead with 1:13 to play.  Both teams missed jump shots on the ensuing possessions, and the Warriors had the ball with 25 seconds to play.
 
The Badgers' defense forced a missed 3-pointer but was unable to secure the rebound and was called for a loose-ball foul, sending the Warriors to the line where they sank both free throws.  IHCC was forced to foul, sending Coleman Ford (So./Provo, Utah/Timpview HS) to the line, where he calmly made both, giving the Badgers a 91-88 lead with six seconds to play.
 
Leading by three, Snow College elected to foul and send the Warriors to the free-throw line.  Both free throws missed as Garrett hauled in the rebound and was fouled.  He iced the game at the line to give the Badgers a 93-88 victory.
 
Garrett led the charge for the Badgers as he finished with a 29-point, 11-rebound double-double on 12-21 shooting and a perfect 5-5 from the free-throw line.  Mark Brown Jr. (So./South Phoenix, Arizona/Bella Vista Prep) added 20 points and grabbed seven rebounds.  Isaac Finlinson (So./St. George, Utah/Dixie HS) recorded 18 points and seven boards in the victory.
 
Following the victory, the Badgers took on LRSC to wrap up the 2-day tournament.  They got off to the best start of the season through the first 20 minutes.  Snow College limited the Royals to just 21 percent shooting from the field in the first half. 
 
The Badgers used an 18-2 run in the first 10 minutes to build a 30-11 lead midway through the period.  They ended up scoring the most points in a first half this season and took a 62-25 lead into halftime.
 
The momentum continued in the second half as the Badgers built their lead.  They shot 55 percent from the field and 44 percent from beyond the arc in the second half as they cruised to the 115-58 victory to improve to 13-1.
 
Garrett followed up his performance against IHCC with another double-double against the Royals.  He finished with a career-high 32 points, 11 rebounds and 5 assists.  Finlinson also recorded a double-double as he tallied 21 points and grabbed 10 rebounds.  This is the second time this season both Finlinson and Garrett have each recorded double-doubles in a game.
 
Chance Trujillo (Fr./Kaysville, Utah/Davis HS) scored 15 points while Kyle Lemke (Fr./St. George, Utah/Dixie HS) added 12 points.  Adams added 11 points while Brown Jr. finished with 11 points, 7 assists, and 6 rebounds to aid in the victory.
 
Following the win, the Badgers have now moved up to No. 1 in the NJCAA Division I Men's Basketball Rankings.  This is the first time in program history Snow College has sat atop the rankings.
 
UP NEXT: The Badgers will continue SWAC play against Colorado Northwestern Community College Saturday in Rangely.  The Spartans are currently 14-1 overall and sit atop the SWAC standings.  The Badgers have won 21 straight games against the Spartans and are 49-2 overall.  Tipoff is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. inside Hefley Gym.  For video streaming and live stat information, visit snowbadgers.com.