SAN ANTONIO – Despite a 14-game winning streak and a No. 24 ranking in the Division III National Rankings, this year’s Trinity University men’s basketball team is not letting that affect their focus.
The Tigers have learned from last year’s success, which distracted them from finishing the season off strong and ended in a first-round exit of the DIII NCAA Tournament.
“I think we’ve learned from that. I know I did and think they did too,” Trinity University head coach Jimmy Smith said. “None of that stuff really matters; it’s all about just taking care of business in conference and in the tournament and winning our way into the NCAA Tournament and trying to make a run from there.”
The run the Tigers will look start begins with a tough test this weekend. First, they will travel to Houston to face a rival at St. Thomas University, then fly to Colorado Springs to take on Colorado College, two teams that have made things personal for the Tigers.
“I really wanna beat these guys, and I know these guys behind me do as well,” senior guard Jacob Millhouse said. “Losing to Colorado (College) in the conference tournament, we’re prepared for them as well as St. Thomas (University). You know I’ve only beat them once in my career, and so I wanna beat those guys bad.”
“A hundred percent, you don’t wanna finish off your career with still wanting stuff deep down to happen,” senior forward Braxton Barry said. “And we have an opportunity to knock off two teams this weekend that really hindered us last year, with St. Thomas beating us twice and Colorado (College) beating us in the conference tournament. And so now we get to show them what we didn’t get to show them last year.”
The Tigers will look to sweep this weekend’s games and end the regular season on a 16-game winning streak.
