“I wasn’t ready for it at first,” admitted Trice, a key freshman sub on yet another surging University of Wisconsin postseason team. “It was definitely a different physicality of play. The refs made calls differently. There was a lot more hand-checking. The physical play just ramped up. I had to make some major adjustments. It’s not for everybody. You’ve got to have a tough mindset coming into it.”
A quick learner, Trice has maintained a spot in the Badgers' rotation with a ramped-up skillset and a double-dose of toughness. Those trademarks initially were groomed at Wayne, first by football coach Jay Minton and then by his father, basketball coach Travis Trice.
And that savvy court mojo was all on display in a stunning 65-62 upset of defending national champion and No. 1 overall seed Villanova in last Sunday’s second-round NCAA Tournament showdown at KeyBank Center in Buffalo.
That launches eighth-seeded Wisconsin (26-9) against No. 4 seed Florida (26-8) at 10 p.m. Friday (TBS) in the Sweet 16 at Madison Square Garden in New York.
That also makes Trice and Purdue junior Vincent Edwards (Middletown) the last remaining area products still playing in the NCAA D-I men's tournament. Purdue (27-7) plays top seed Kansas (30-4) at 9:40 p.m. Thursday at Kansas City, Missouri (CBS).
Duke (28-9) and Luke Kennard (Franklin) were a preseason favorite to win a national championship. But South Carolina ended Duke's eventful season by landing another second-round upset, 88-81. Now it's a question if Kennard, Duke's leading scorer (19.5), will follow several teammates into the NBA draft or return to the Blue Devils for his junior season.
A 6-foot, 178-pound guard, Trice is averaging 5.8 points, 1.9 rebounds and 1.7 assists for the Badgers. He’s up to 18.6 minutes of playing time, although that was trimmed after two quick personal fouls against Villanova.
LOOKING BACK: Trice commits to Wisconsin
His job is to lock down defensively and provide an offensive spark. If that sounds familiar it should; that’s the role his older brother Travis Trice II played until he became a starter at Michigan State as a senior. That set off a whirlwind family crusade of following the Spartans to the Final Four in 2015, wrapped around Wayne’s Division I state title march when D’Mitrik was a Warriors senior.
“It’s really been the same exact thing as what we went through with Travis,” said D’Mitrik, who hits up teammates and the athletic department for extra tickets most games. “It’s not only my brothers and sisters and mom and dad. It’s also my grandma and grandpa, aunts, uncles and cousins. They’ve been traveling with me everywhere I can think of. That really helps to look at them in the stands and hear their voices.”
Trice also gets daily social media encouragement from former Wayne teammates Ahmad Wagner (Iowa), Xeyrius Williams (Dayton), Trey Landers (UD), Rodrick Caldwell (Bowling Green) and even Kennard.
“I definitely stay in contact with those guys,” said Trice.
Barring injury, it’s inevitable Trice will eventually become a Badgers starter. He’ll have all the required body-shot welts by then.
“(Wisconsin) is known for a toughness and grittiness on the court,” he said, “and when the big lights are on they show up.”
• Second-seeded Illinois (20-14) and 6-10 senior Maverick Morgan (Springboro) host Central Florida (23-11) in the quarterfinals of the NIT at 7 p.m. Wednesday (ESPN2). Morgan averages 10.1 points and 4.1 rebounds.
• Troy Cantrell (Ponitz) of top-seeded Fairmont State (32-2) plays Rollins (24-10) in the quarterfinals of the NCAA D-II men’s tournament at Sioux Falls, South Dakota, at 1 p.m. Wednesday. A 6-7 sophomore, Cantrell is averaging 4.1 points and 3.3 rebounds.
FRIDAY’S SWEET 16 GAME
Wisconsin vs. Florida, 10 p.m. at Madison Square Garden (TBS)
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