Ready to Play: How COVID-19 Caused Western Michigan to Play at Trine Next Week
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| The MTI Center scoreboard will feature "Broncos" in a week. |
The Western Michigan Broncos released their 2020-21 men's basketball non-conference schedule on Friday afternoon. They will play six non-league games, four away from University Arena. Perhaps the most intriguing game on their schedule is the November 28th road trip to Angola, Indiana. They will stop there to visit the Trine Thunder. How does this happen, that a Division I team travels to a member of the Division III's MIAA? Welcome to scheduling during COVID-19.
Newly enacted restrictions in place by the MDHHS in regards to athletic competition during COVID-19 would not allow Trine to be eligible to travel to Kalamazoo to face the Broncos. This caused Western Michigan and Trine to get creative to make this game happen. For the first time in their history, the Broncos will hit the road to face a Division III opponent.
"We originally planned to host Trine", Western Michigan Head Coach Clayton Bates told me in a phone conversation on Friday evening. "As it became clear that we weren't going to be able meet the required standards to play here, we decided to get creative and play the game anyways, moving the game there. I think in these times, you have to be willing to be creative to give your guys every opportunity to play. It's an easy trip. It's forty-five minutes away, and it gives our guys a chance to take the court, get better and we are certainly glad that it worked out."
Trine Head Coach Brooks Miller echoed the excitement for this game. "I think it worked out great for both teams to just say, let's go down to Indiana and play. I really appreciate Coach Bates for working with me directly on scheduling this game and making it happen. You have to give him a lot of credit, as it takes a lot of communication to get one game scheduled." Miller also gave credit to his assistant coach Nate Frisbie for being involved in scheduling this contest.
"They want to play, we want to play, and it's great that they are willing to come down and get the game in. They're looking to play and get better, and we are thankful for the opportunity that they have provided us to get this game in, especially now at home."
Another new challenge in non-league scheduling has been confirming that teams are testing their student-athletes for COVID-19 to an agreeable standard. Bates confirmed to me that this is something that has also been resolved. "They're testing everyone and meeting our requirements. We are testing to that standard as well, and we appreciate Trine working with us on this."
Miller shared with us some details of his team's thorough testing process. "We have been PCR testing frequently since back in October and we have only had one positive in about 200 tests. Our guys have been doing a great job in making the effort to give themselves the best chance to play. They're extremely committed and it's been a fun group to coach."
"To make sure that we are able to pass the tests and play, we haven't had our entire team together for the 48 hours prior to a test to limit the contact tracing. We have been doing individual workouts with rotating coaches, so it allows us to remove a positive test without shutting down our entire program. You have to give credit to our athletic department and administration for doing everything they can to support our athletes and allowing them to play."
This game was not the only game on the schedule that has been impacted by COVID-19 for either team. Bates shared that WMU has made frequent changes to their schedule, and that his team has been prepared for that. "We told our guys that it's important to be flexible. We have to want to play and do whatever it takes to play. Whatever it takes for us to compete and remain safe and healthy, that's what we will have to do. With COVID, change is constant, and we just have to be ready to adapt."
On the Trine side of the schedule, they too have had scheduling difficulties. They have managed to play three games (including an exhibition), but they have not played since November 13. They have had a handful of games cancelled due to COVID issues. The Thunder will travel to Mt. Pleasant to face Central Michigan in an exhibition on Wednesday prior to their Saturday meeting with the Broncos.
Trine is one of just two MIAA teams that is currently playing basketball, Adrian College being the other. The Thunder have won both official contests so far this season, defeating Adrian and Mt. St. Joseph. They have been led early by Nick Bowman (14.5 PPG), Brent Cox (10.5 PPG, 6.5 RPG) and Aiden Warzecha (10.5 PPG). Last spring, Trine finished 16-12 and their 8-6 record was good for a share of third place in the conference. The Thunder made a run to the MIAA Tournament Championship game before losing to Adrian 80-72.
Western Michigan went 13-19 a season ago, and they parted ways with longtime head coach Steve Hawkins after the season. The Broncos tapped Clayton Bates to take over the program at the end of March. On the surface, Bates may appear to have an advantage to other first-year coaches across the country transitioning through this COVID-impacted offseason. He has been an assistant at Western Michigan for all but two years since 2000, including every season since 2012. Coach Bates is extremely familiar with the coaches, retaining lead assistants Thomas Kelley and Jake Bullock on his staff. He is also familiar with the returning Broncos on this year's team, giving them high praise for the transition. "Our biggest advantage is that we have great young men in our program. They've have been awesome. They have been great to work with and they have bought in and done whatever we have asked them to do. The new players that have come in and joined our program have been terrific. We have really molded together as a team. This certainly made the transition easier for me and my staff."
This will be the first time that a program that is currently a member of Division I has visited Angola for a regular season game since 1996 when then-Division II Purdue Fort Wayne came to town (66-65 Trine victory). The Thunder's most recent competition of any kind against a Division I program was a 116-59 loss to Toledo in 2017.
This is the eleventh straight season that the Broncos have played a non-Division 1 foe in the non-conference portion of their schedule, posting a 15-0 record in those contests. They faced two members of the MIAA a season ago. WMU opened the year with a 76-56 exhibition win over cross-town foe Kalamazoo College. On November 19, they welcomed Alma College to University Arena and defeated the Scots 102-56. It is the first time that they faced a non-Division I school at the opposing team's arena since they defeated Alaska-Fairbanks 88-65 in the seventh place game of the 2004 Top of the World Classic.
Follow the author of this article on Twitter @NBT_Hoops42
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