The Snow College men's basketball team put on a shooting masterclass in the first round of the NJCAA Division I Men's Basketball National Tournament as it defeated Trinidad State College 128-86 Sunday afternoon.
 
The Badgers entered the tournament as the No. 9 seed, the highest ranked team to not receive a first-round bye. They met the Trojans, who were the 24 seed and the Northwest Plains District Champions to open day two of the tournament.
 
A dunk from Sean Felts on the first possession of the game set the tone for the Badgers. The Trojans responded with a 7-0 run to take the lead, the first and only time they'd hold the lead all game.
 
A pair of offensive rebounds leading to a tip in from Brock McClure preceded four consecutive 3-pointers from Snow College. Two triples from Felts sandwiched 3-pointers from McClure and McCaden Adams and the Badgers took a 16-11 lead just five minutes into the action.
 
Six straight points from Keagan Caton off the bench helped contribute to an 11-2 run. A layup from Aaron Bliss capped the offensive burst and Snow College held a 24-13 lead with 11:39 to play in the opening period.
 
The Badgers continued to get whatever they wanted offensively. Buckets from McClure and Felts were followed by a 3-pointer from Adams and the Badgers stretched the lead to 17 points.
 
Snow College's size posed myriad problems for the Trojans on both sides of the floor. In addition to a pair of threes, Felts, who stands a shade under seven feet, scored a trio of shots in the paint while grabbing seven rebounds in the first 20 minutes.
 
The Badgers, who are 10^th in the nation in rebounding, were plus-10 in the rebounding battle in the opening period.
 
After Trinidad trimmed the lead to 12 points, four different Badgers scored as part of a 9-0 run. Caton finished off the run with a layup as Snow College double up the Trojans 42-21 with four minutes to play.
 
Caton buried another triple moments later before Sam Sivulich connected from beyond the arc in the final seconds of the first half to give the Badgers a 54-32 lead at halftime.
 
As a team, the Badgers shot 58 percent from the field and 69 percent from beyond the arc in the opening period. They assisted on 18 of their 21 made shots and committed just four turnovers.
 
Trinidad came out firing in the second half. Three straight layups trimmed the lead to 16 points, but a 3-pointer from Felts settled the Badgers into the final stanza.
 
Over the first seven minutes, the Trojans increased the tempo and were able to secure some quick points at the rim. They cut the deficit to 11 points with 13:34 to play. The Badgers immediately responded with a pair of buckets from Felts. Caton hit a 3-pointer before Adams became incandescent from deep.
 
Adams sank back-to-back triples, pushing the lead back to 22 as part of a greater 13-0 run. Another deuce from Adams at the midway point of the second half preceded three more triples from the sophomore as the Badgers eclipsed the century mark for the 10^th time this season. Adams finished his day with three free throws to give the Badgers a 109-77 advantage.
 
Snow College cruised over the final minutes to earn the 128-86 victory – the highest scoring total from the team all season. They did so behind 58 percent shooting from the field and 18-27 from beyond the arc. It's the most 3-pointers the Badgers have made in a game this year and the most since making 19 in a victory against Utah State University Eastern Jan. 23, 2025.
 
Adams led all scorers with 30 points on 10-13 shooting. He made seven of the Badgers' 18 3-pointers as he recorded his third 30-point game this season. He also grabbed five rebounds and dished four assists.
 
Felts recorded his fourth double-double of the season, finishing with 27 points and 12 rebounds. McClure also recorded a double-double – his 15^th – as he scored 14 points and grabbed 11 boards.
 
As a team, the Badgers handed out a school record 42 assists in the victory. Sam Sivulich recorded a career-high 13 assists to aid in the win.
 
Snow College now advances to the second round of the tournament and will take on 8-seed Butler Community College Tuesday at 11:00 a.m. MDT. For video streaming and live stat information, visit snowbadgers.com.