VINCENNES, Ind. – The Vincennes University Lady Trailblazers got to play in front of their home crowd for the first time this season and came out with a big game to win over NJCAA Division III No. 3-ranked Owens Community College 102-68.
The Lady Blazers were aided all night by a double-double from sophomore Brie Miller (Bainbridge, Ind.), the second of her VU career, finishing with exactly 10 points and 10 rebounds in the game.
Vincennes got off to a slow start Friday night, with Owens using an early 9-0 scoring run to take a 10-4 lead.
VU would answer back in front of the home crowd, using an 8-0 run to take the lead back at 17-13 and close out the first quarter holding a 20-17 advantage over the Express.
The Lady Blazers continued to add on in the second quarter, outscoring Owens 8-2 to begin the second period and later using a 10-0 scoring run to break away with a 38-23 lead.
VU would close out the first half on another 10-0 scoring run, heading into the locker room with a big 50-28 lead over Owens.
Vincennes looked to keep their foot on the gas in the second half, continuing to grow their lead in the third quarter to 32 before heading into the final 10 minutes of play holding a 79-50 lead over the Express.
The big lead continued to grow in the fourth quarter, with VU going on a massive 19-8 run to get the lead up to 40 before Owens cut into the deficit with an 8-0 scoring run before Vincennes finished off the 102- 68 victory in the 2023-24 VU Lady Blazers home opener.
VU was led offensively Friday night by sophomore Elikya Baseyila (Paris, France), who came off the bench to finish with 17 points, seven rebounds and four big blocks defensively.
Freshman Karina Scott (Noblesville, Ind.) was the second of five Lady Blazers to score in double figures, ending with 16 points, including making four big threes, while also adding four assists on the night.
Freshman Giavonnie Belton (Indianapolis, Ind.) came off the bench to score in double figures as well, ending with 13 points, four assists and three steals.
Sophomore Brie Miller collected her second career double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds, while also matching Belton for a team-high three steals and two assists.
Freshman Taylor Guess (Indianapolis, Ind.) rounds out the VU double figure scorer, finishing with 10 points, four rebounds and two blocks.
Freshman Darryn Hood (Indianapolis, Ind.) finished with nine points and three rebounds, while sophomore Katrina Litte (Valmiera, Latvia) reentered the VU starting lineup and finished with eight points, a team-high six assists and five rebounds.
The Lady Trailblazers will return to the Physical Education Complex floor tomorrow, Saturday, Nov. 18 to close out the 2023 Lady Blazers Classic against Mineral Area College at 5 p.m. eastern.
The day will begin tomorrow with a matchup of two NJCAA ranked teams in Division I No. 7-ranked Wabash Valley taking on Division III No. 3-ranked Owens Community College at 3 p.m. eastern.
The triple header of basketball action tomorrow at the P.E. Complex will conclude with the No. 5-ranked VU men's basketball team taking on No. 7-ranked Indian Hills Community College at 7 p.m. eastern.
Other results from the first day of the Vincennes University Lady Trailblazers Classic include No. 7 Wabash Valley winning over Mineral Area College 88-70.
BOX SCORE
VINCENNES (102): Taylor Guess 4-8 2-3 10, Brie Miller 5-11 0-0 10, Maycee Lange 1-5 1-2 3, Karina Scott 6-10 0-0 16, Katrina Litte 2-4 4-6 8, Giavonnie Belton 5-9 1-1 13, Makyla Tucker 2-8 0-0 6, Darryn Hood 2-7 3-4 9, Najra Voloder 2-3 0-0 4, Johnai Wimbleduff 3-6 0-0 6, Elikya Baseyila 6-10 5-8 17, Team 38-81 16-24 102.
Owens – 17 11 22 18 – 68
VU (2-3) – 20 30 29 23 – 102
Three-point goals: VU 10 (Scott 4, Belton 2, Tucker 2, Hood 2). Rebounds: VU 47 (Miller 10). Assists: VU 22 (Litte 6). Steals: VU 14 (Belton 3, Miller 3). Blocked Shots: VU 9 (Baseyila 4). Turnovers: VU 17. Personal Fouls: VU 32. Fouled out: Wimbleduff.
