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TRINITY INTERNATIONAL TROJANS (3-10) vs. KUYPER (Mich.) COUGARS (5-10)
Tuesday, January 6 | 6:00 p.m.
Van Dixhorn Arena | Deerfield, Ill.
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TRINITY INTERNATIONAL TROJANS (3-10) vs. NORTHLAND INTERNATIONAL (Wisc.) PIONEERS (0-8)
Friday, January 9 | 4:00 p.m.
Van Dixhorn Arena | Deerfield, Ill.
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TRINITY INTERNATIONAL TROJANS (3-10, 1-5 CCAC) vs. HOLY CROSS SAINTS (6-9, 1-4 CCAC)
Saturday, January 10 | 3:00 p.m.
Van Dixhorn Arena | Deerfield, Ill.
Game Notes | Twitter Updates | Live Video & Stats
Season Stats: TIU | Holy Cross
Quick Notes
• The Trinity International Trojans kick off the New Year with a three-game homestand this week, hosting a pair of NCCAA Division II foes in Kuyper (Mich.) and Northland International (Wisc.), before stepping back into conference play on Saturday against Holy Cross.
• All three games will be available live online, at TIUSportsNetwork.com.
• The Trojans will look for their second straight win on Tuesday, after a ten-point win at Indiana-Northwest, 89-79, on December 20.
• Sophomore Thomas Amrine led the way against the Redhawks, scoring 24 points while matching a career-high with six three-poitners in the win. Five Trojans in all finished in double figures as TIU closed out 2014 with their third win of the year.
• Kuyper are on a two-game slide, and are coming off a 90-82 home loss to Wilberforce (Ohio). Northland International are still looking for their first win of the year, and haven't played in over a month; the Pioneers dropped two games at the Moody Bible (Ill.) Tipoff on Dec. 5-6. Holy Cross takes on Calumet St. Joseph in CCAC action before coming to Deerfield, and will look to snap a four-game losing streak.
• The Trojans are averaging 72.9 points per game, good for 6th in the CCAC. Holy Cross ranks just behind Trinity at 7th in the league, with 71.3 points per game. Defensively, the Trojans offer up a conference-high 81.7 points per game to their opponents, compared to the Saints' 71.5, good for the 6th-best defense in the CCAC.
• Senior center Nate Ball was named CCAC Player of the Week on Nov. 5, after leading the Trojans with 16.0 points and 8.5 rebounds over two games at the Judson Classic. On Nov. 25, Ball recorded the team's first double-double of the season, with 19 points and 12 rebounds against No. 2 Cardinal Stritch.
• Senior Paul Badgley had a career night against No. 19 St. Xavier on Dec. 3; the Rushville, Ind. native scored a career-high 13 points off the bench, while also setting career highs in field goals, field goal percentage, rebounds, assists, and minutes.
Series History with NIU & Holy Cross
• Trinity International matched up with Northland International for the first time last season, splitting a pair of matchups with a win on Nov. 1, 91-74, and a loss a week later, 87-80 on Nov. 8.
• Both Trinity and Holy Cross have picked up four wins over the past eight meetings between the two sides, with Holy Cross taking the last two games.
• The Saints won the last time they came to Deerfield, taking a 90-78 win in the quarterfinals of the CCAC Tournament on Feb. 18, 2013.
Last Time Out vs. Northland Int'l
• The Trinity International Trojans had four players in double figures, as the team overcame a slow start to earn a 91-74 victory over Northland International (Wisc.), opening up the 2013-14 season at the LaQuinta Classic on Nov. 1, 2013.
• Sophomore wing James Glass helped lead the second-half run, scoring 15 of his game-high 22 points after the break. Sophomore Sam Salem pitched in with 17 points in the second half, finishing with 19 points on the night. Justin Peeples (14 pts.) and Thomas Amrine (13) also reached double figures in the win.
• In the rematch a week later, freshman Andy Stauffer earned his first career double-double, with 14 points and 10 rebounds, but the Pioneers got their payback, defeating the Trojans 87-80, in TIU's second game of the Ohio Christian Tip-Off Classic.
• Junior Nate Ball led the team in scoring, with 19 points. The Galena native picked up his third double-double in the first four games of the season, pulling down 13 rebounds, including ten off the offensive glass. Justin Peeples and Thomas Amrine also pitched in with 13 points apiece.
Last Time Out vs. Holy Cross
• Junior Nate Ball led the team with 14 points, as the Trinity International Trojans dropped a road CCAC matchup with the Holy Cross Saints, 79-62. The Trojans looked poised to complete a comeback run, rallying to within six points of the Saints in the second half, but struggled offensively and was held without a field goal over the final nine minutes of regulation.
• Taking over the TIU offense, Blake Mann led a rally that helped close the gap midway through the second half. The freshman scored six points for the Trojans during a 9-0 run that saw the lead dwindle to just seven points with 7:41 remaining in regulation. After trading a few baskets, Justin Peeples drew a foul while shooting a three-pointer; the Chicago native knocked down all three free throws, pulling the Trojans to within six points, 67-61, with 6:12 to play.
• The Saints would close the door on Trinity from that point forward; Holy Cross answered with six straight points of their own, and a 12-1 run overall to close out the game.
• Peeples finished with 13 points on 4-of-10 shooting and a 4-of-7 performance from the free throw line. Thomas Amrine also posted double-figures, collecting 11 points on the day.
League Leaders
• Nate Ball is one of the nation's leaders in blocked shots this season, with an average of 2.0 blocks per game, good for 12th in the NAIA. Ball also ranks 15th nationally in total blocks (26), 26th in offensive rebounds per game (3.00), and 38th in total rebounding (7.77).
• Trinity ranks third in the CCAC with 8.0 steals per game, and fourth in blocks, with 3.2 per game. Nationally, the Trojans are 45th in steals, and 46th in blocks per game.
• The Trojans hold one of the best turnover margins in the CCAC this season, averaging 2.23 fewer turnovers than their opponents, good for 2nd in the conference, and 33th in the NAIA.
• Senior Justin Peeples leads the Trojans with 14.3 points per game; Peeples currently sits 14th on the CCAC's scoring list, and is 7th among conference seniors.
• Senior Nate Ball is among the CCAC's best in multiple categories; Ball is second in the CCAC in blocked shots (2.0), ranks 4th in rebounding (7.8 per game), 3rd in offensive boards (3.0), and 7th in field goal percentage (.560).
• Sophomore guard Thomas Amrine is the Trojans' top three-point shooter, with 2.8 made threes each game, which ranks 3rd in the conference, and 36th in the NAIA.
1,000 Point Club
• With his game-high 19 points Cardinal Stritch, Nate Ball recorded his 1,000th career point during his TIU career. The senior enters play this week with 1,052 career points.
• Ball becomes the second active Trojan to join the 1,000-point club, joining fellow senior Dillon Wadsack, who has tallied 1,077 points as a Trojan.
• Dan Dondit (1979-83) holds TIU's all-time scoring record, having tallied 2,499 points during his Trojan career.
Senior-Heavy Squad
• The 2014-15 Trojans feature five seniors on the team, all of which are playing significant minutes.
• Seniors Justin Peeples and Nate Ball are currently the two players averaging double figures, with Peeples collecting 14.3 points per game, and Ball contributing 10.7 points each night.
• Dillon Wadsack, who returns after missing all of last season to injury, has been the Trojans sixth man, averaging 5.9 points per game off the bench.
• Sam Salem has led the Trojans in assists, with 2.3 per game, and has added in 5.8 points per game over 24.2 minutes off the bench each night.
• Paul Badgley has seen action in 11 of 13 games for Trinity International this season, and recently had a career-best game, against St. Xavier on Dec. 3. The Rushville, Ind. native scored a career-high 13 points on 6-of-7 shooting, while also setting new high marks in rebounds (3), assists (2), and minutes played (13).
Trojans in the Polls
• Trinity International has appeared in the NAIA Division II Coaches Poll 21 times in program history, but not since the 1997-98 campaign.
• TIU's last ranking came on Jan. 6, 1998, when the Trojans came in at No. 20.
• The highest ranking in program history was during the 1995-96 season, when Trinity was at No. 3 in the Jan. 22, 1996 poll.
Van Dixhorn Arena Dedication
• Friends, family, and alumni of Trinity International University are welcome to attend the dedication of the new Henry Van Dixhorn Arena, during the TIU Men's and Women's Basketball doubleheader on Saturday, Feburary 7.
• The newly refurbished arena, made possible by the generous gifts from several friends across the Trinity family, including board member Henry Van Dixhorn and his family, was officially opened Friday, October 24th in the Meyer Sports Complex.
• The arena is the largest gathering space Trinity's campus has ever held, with a capacity of over 1,700 in the stands that now surround the brand new court on all sides.
