ANGOLA, Ind. – Jordan Herron and Eric Evans produced the inside and outside scoring plus the defense held Trine to its lowest offensive output of the season equaled an Albion victory in Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association men's basketball action Wednesday night.

Albion secured the No. 3 seed for next week's MIAA Tournament with a 51-41 victory over Trine. Albion, winners of three straight to improve to 14-10 overall and 8-5 against league rivals, will square off against Calvin in its next two games. Albion will travel to Grand Rapids at 3 o'clock Saturday to complete the regular season and the teams will meet again Feb. 26 in the semifinal round of the league tournament.

Trine scored on its opening possession, but the Thunder held the lead for just three minutes. Herron scored five points on a free throw and two baskets as Albion reeled off a 7-0 run and it never looked back.

Evans tacked on nine points as Albion extended a 9-6 lead to 20-8 midway through the first half. Albion led by at least six the rest of the way.

Herron knocked down 5-of-7 shots to finish with 13 points. Evans produced 12 off the bench.

"We were able to score enough points because we made it an emphasis to get the ball inside almost every possession," Albion Coach Jody May said. "We worked our offense from the inside-out. I think Trine is a really good defensive team and if you rely on perimeter stuff you're asking for trouble. Herron got a couple quick buckets to start the game and it set the tone."

One of the keys to Albion's defensive effort was finding a way to limit Thunder center Jared Holmquist to two points. The MIAA's ninth-leading scorer at 15 points per game had averaged 23 in the five games leading up to Wednesday night.

Will Dixon led all players with 14 points, but he was the only Trine player to score in double figures.

"Dixon scored 25 against us the first time (in a 68-65 Albion victory on Jan. 25)," May said. "We made it a point of emphasis to focus on the defensive end and try to shut those guys down."