By Harry Minium
One of the many things that I'm sorry most Old Dominion University fans missed this season because of the pandemic was the pleasure of watching Austin Trice play in person.
It was one thing to watch the 6-foot-7 power forward from Chicago on TV, but it's so much more fun to see him in person. And crowds were limited this season to 250 or less so most fans never saw him up close and personal.
He leaps off the bench when coach Jeff Jones crooks his finger at him and for the 21 minutes he's averaged per game, is a perpetual motion machine. Trice is one of the best dunkers I've ever seen play at Chartway Arena. He's also one of the most energetic.
And even though he at times makes mistakes on defense, it's clear that ODU would not be the second seed from the East Division heading into this week's Conference USA basketball tournament without him. Trice has averaged 9 points and 6.5 rebounds and has 15 blocked shots.
Jones said he was delighted when Trice was named Conference USA Sixth Player of the Year Tuesday afternoon.
"He's given us a lift," Jones said. "Austin is a different cat. He's got a lot of enthusiasm, a lot of energy.
"For better or worse, you always know when he's in the room. But when he comes into the game, he brings excitement because he's excited. Whenever you bring in that kind of excitement with that kind of athleticism, plus that kind of effort and energy he always has, something is going to happen.
"Most of the time what happens has been very positive. Sometimes we've had to try to get him to channel things a little bit, to calm down. But he's been just what the doctor ordered for us in that spot. He's been terrific as our sixth man coming off the bench."
Trice's road to ODU had a few detours. He attended Wabash Valley College, a junior college in Mount Carmel, Illinois, where he averaged 12.6 points and 12.1 rebounds as a sophomore and was named a junior college All-American.
He then signed with Kansas State, choosing the Jayhawks over Illinois, Oklahoma and New Mexico. Trice showed flashes of brilliance at Kansas State, hauling down 12 rebounds apiece against Kennesaw State and Oklahoma State.
But by the end of his junior season, he was out of the playing rotation and decided to transfer
He sat out a season and caught the eye of ODU coaches last summer, when they signed him.
"We were hoping when we were in the market for an older player, a transfer player, to find someone to come in and be the backup" for Kalu Ezikpe, the 6-8 starting center from Atlanta.
When you add their stats together, ODU's centers average 20.3 points and 13.3 rebounds per game.
"That's pretty good production from that position," Jones said.
"Austin and Kalu are similar in size and that makes it easier. When Austin comes in, we don't have to change a lot."
Trice impressed early this season when he scored 27 points and had 12 rebounds against Virginia Wesleyan, a Division III team the Monarchs dispatched with ease. Ezikpe was in foul trouble against the Marlins, and has had foul issues much of the season.
For the most part, Trice has been consistent, scoring in the high single digits. But when Ezikpe has been on the bench for extended periods, Trice has sparkled.
He had 20 points and 13 rebounds in an 82-81 victory over Marshall on Feb. 5 that in the end, was the victory that allowed ODU to finish ahead of the Herd and claim a bye in this week's tournament.
On Jan. 8, when Ezikpe went to the bench early and scored just two points, Trice came off the bench to score 17 as ODU defeated Florida Atlantic, 71-67.
Trice is not as polished defensively nor as strong as Ezipkpe, but Jones says he's proud of how he played this season.
"By and large, he's been consistent," Jones said. "And by that I mean in every game, he's been excited to play.
"There's a lot to be said for guys who, when they've got ability, when they've got athleticism, that play with that kind of energy. When you're excited to be out there and just want to empty the tank, you can accomplish a lot."
And Trice accomplished everything ODU had hoped for.
Contact Minium: hminium@odu.edu
Minium: Austin Trice Has Been "Just What the Doctor Ordered" for the ODU Men's Basketball Team
