Brooks Miller on Common Sense Defense and Trine's Winning Formula (EP344)

In this week's basketball coaching conversation, Trine University men's basketball head coach Brooks Miller joins The Basketball Podcast to share insights on common sense defense and Trine's winning formula.

Brooks Miller just completed his 13th season as the Head Coach of the Trine University Men’s Basketball program and has 24 combined years of collegiate basketball playing and coaching experience. Miller has compiled an overall record of 226-116 at Trine including a 131-69 record versus Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) opponents.

In 2024, Miller led the program to its first ever NCAA Division III National Championship behind a 29-4 record. The 29 wins is a record for the school’s most wins in a season. It is now back-to-back seasons that the program has crossed the 20-win mark after going 22-4 overall last season. Coach Miller has also guided the Thunder to MIAA Championships in 2019, 2021 and 2024. Trine swept both the MIAA regular season and MIAA Tournament Championships in 2021 finishing conference play undefeated with a 17-0 mark during a COVID shortened season.

Miller’s career at Trine University has been highlighted by being named the 2020-2021 NCAA D3 National Coach of the Year by both Hoopdirt.com/Just Play Sports Solutions and Basketball Times Magazine. In March of 2024, Miller was again named NCAA DIII National Coach of the Year for the second time receiving those accolades from D3Hoops.com, the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC), as well as being named the Eddie Robinson CollegeInsider.com National Coach of the Year for NCAA DIII.

Miller worked as an assistant men's basketball coach for three Hall of Fame coaches that amassed seven National Championships throughout their careers.  Miller began his collegiate coaching career working for BCAM Hall of Fame Coach Ed Douma (one National Championship) whom he previously played for at Hillsdale College. In 2007, his career took him to Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas, where he served as a graduate assistant coach to Naismith Hall of Fame Coach Bob Knight (three National Championships) and was involved with on-campus recruiting and player development. In 2009, he became the Head Assistant Men’s Basketball coach and National Recruiting Coordinator at South Plains College in Levelland, Texas for Junior College Hall of Fame Coach Steve Green (three National Championships). While at South Plains, Coach Miller coached and or recruited nine players that would transfer on to NCAA Division I universities.