FREELAND, Mich. -- Trine's Will Dixon has been named the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association's Men's Basketball Player of the Week, the conference announced today.
Dixon (Indianapolis, Ind. / Zionsville) averaged 26 points and six assists per game in leading the Thunder to a pair wins that allowed the team to clinch the No. 3 seed in the MIAA Tournament. Dixon scored 27 points on 8-of-18 shooting, dished out six assists and came away with three steals, including a key swipe in the final minute, to lead Trine to a 71-66 victory over Olivet on Wednesday. Dixon followed that up with a 25-point effort that saw him hand out six assists to just one turnover in a 79-62 victory over Albion on Saturday. This is the second time Dixon has been named Player of the Week this season and the sixth time in his career.
Last week's performances gave Dixon 1,784 career points, four shy of passing Ian Jackson (2009-13) for fifth on the program's all-time list. A strong performance in Friday's MIAA Tournament Semifinal could land the senior in the top four in team history. Jared Boll (1995-2000) ranks fourth all-time with 1,807 career points.
Dixon was also recently recognized as a member of the CoSIDA Academic All-District VII Men's Basketball Team. The team honors the best student-athletes in the nation for their combined performances athletically and in the classroom. In addition to being a two-time All-MIAA performer, Dixon carries a 3.50 GPA in a demanding chemical engineering program.
Dixon concluded the regular season as the MIAA's leader in assists at 4.7 per game. He accomplished that feat with an efficient 2.2 assist-to-turnover ratio. The senior averaged 5.4 assists per game in conference play to lead the rest of the league by more than half an assist per game.
Trine takes on Calvin in the MIAA Tournament Semifinals Friday, Feb. 24 at Hope College's DeVos Fieldouse. Tip-off is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. The winner advances to the MIAA Championship game to face regular-season champion Hope or No. 4 seed Alma.