Alma, Mich. - The 13th-ranked Alma College men's basketball team continued its home winning streak on Saturday (Feb. 13) evening, handing the visiting Trine University Thunder a 69-50 defeat on Senior Night at Art Smith Arena. The Scots, now 18-5 overall and 11-1 in the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association, are now unbeaten in their last 16 appearances in front of a home crowd.
In addition, Alma won its 11th game in MIAA play, establishing a school record for most league wins. The previous mark was 10, held by four other teams. The Scots also recorded their 18th win of the year, the most since the 1941-42 season.
Seniors Scott Nikodemski (Rockford, MIch./Rockford) and DJ Beckman (Shelby, Mich./Shelby) led Alma with 13 points each as the Scots honored their six seniors and two senior student assistant coaches prior to the game. Nikodemski was 6-for-6 from the field and scored Alma's first 11 points of the second half to help pull away for the win. Sophomore Doug Bradfield (Mason, Mich./Mason) contributed 10 points and added two blocks as the Scots held the Thunder (15-8, 5-7) to 34.6 percent shooting from the field.
Will Dixon scored a game-high 23 points to lead Trine, which is in the hunt for the final spot in the MIAA Tournament. Kyle Dodson also added 15 points, while Jard Holmquist netted 10.
The Scots opened the game with an 8-0 run, including a pair of three-pointers by DJ Beckman and junior Chase Fairchild (Rockford, Mich./Rockford) to get the crowd fired up. Trine climbed back with a run of its own, eventually taking the lead at 15-14 with 8:47 left. After trading leads on back-to-back possessions, the Scots finished the half on a tear, outscoring the Thunder 19-4 in the final 6:45. Bradfield scored six points in the run, while junior Trevor Gernaat (McBain, Mich./Northern Michigan Christian/Mid-Michigan CC) his back-to-back threes to end the half.
The Scots came out of the halftime break on fire, with Nikodemski scoring the team's first 11 points to help build an 18-point advantage just under five minutes into the frame. Alma cruised from there to sweep the Thunder in the season series. The Scots out rebounded Trine, 43-24, with Gernaat and DJ Beckman leading the way with seven rebounds each.
Alma is now on the road for its final two regular-season games, visiting Albion on Wednesday, Feb. 17, before traveling to Olivet on Saturday, Feb. 27.
NOTES
• Alma extended its home winning streak to 16 games.
• Alma's 11-1 record in the MIAA is the most wins in league play in school history.
• The Scots' 18 wins are the most for the program since the 1941-42 campaign and tie for fourth-best in program history.
• With three three-pointers, DJ Beckman took over sole possession of second place on Alma's career three-point shooting chart. He now has 220.
• Scott Nikodemski added three steals and now has 115 in his career to rank fifth all time.
• DJ Beckman played in his 99th career game, one of four players in Alma history to accomplish that feat.
• Doug Bradfield extended his single season school record for blocked shots to 58 with a pair of rejections.
• DJ Beckman now has 64 three-pointers this season, a new season-best that ranks sixth all-time.
QUOTES
Head Coach Sam Hargraves
On the game ...
"It's huge to be able to sweep them (Trine) for the season. The win down there was one of our best wins and to validate it here was really nice. They are a great team and have two of the best players in the league. We needed to win to keep pace to get a share of the (MIAA) championship, which is clearly what we all want to do."
On the senior class ...
"They have meant everything. That they were willing to trust in something is so huge and the players that they became and the unselfishness that we were able to establish, it's all because of those guys. Anything we do as coaches isn't going to work if they don't let it work. They just bought in completely and we are starting to reap the benefits of that four-year process."