VINCENNES, Ind. – On the first day of the annual Kiwanis Classic at Vincennes University, the Trailblazers hosted the first of two Top-25 teams this weekend in No. 25 Columbia State Community College.
The Trailblazers battled all game, holding a lead midway through the second-half, before the Chargers came away with the 53-47 win.
Vincennes jumped on top early against Columbia State, with freshman Darrius Davis (Pittsburgh, Pa.) coming off the bench to score four points in a VU 7-0 scoring run to give the Blazers a 9-5 lead.
Columbia State answered back with an 8-0 scoring run later in the first half, as they held on to a narrow four-point lead at halftime.
VU came out of the locker room firing as back-to-back baskets by freshman Brevin Jefferson (Indianapolis, Ind.) cut the deficit to just a single point.
After a three-pointer from Davis and a basket by freshman Ketaan Wyatt (Toledo, Ohio) the Trailblazers held a 36-34 lead with 11:50 to play.
Columbia State would not go away quietly as the Chargers used a 9-2 scoring run to take a 47-41 lead late in the second half.
Vincennes continued to fight on their home floor, with Jefferson consistently keeping the Blazers within striking distance, but the young Trailblazers could not take the lead back as Columbia State finished off the 53-47 win.
"I hope this is a learning experience. I hope what our guys take away from this is attention to detail," VU Hall of Fame head coach Todd Franklin said. "I thought we played really good defense but when we didn't, we fell asleep on a cut that we know is coming or not putting a body on a body. When Columbia State would score, it was usually when we would go to sleep and we have to learn that we're not going to be able to do that."
"The biggest thing that has to be taken from tonight is 'are you going to get in the gym and work'," Franklin added. "We've tried to harp on that all year. We've got a lot of young guys and they're not used to doing that and we've stressed that you've got to get in the gym and work until you own it at game speed."
Brevin Jefferson led all scorers, finishing with 20 points, six rebounds, three assists and three steals.
"Brevin was better tonight. Brevin was more of what he was like the second half of last year for us," Franklin said. "I still think he's got opportunities that he just has to be more confident and attack more. There were chances tonight and he's got to get downhill and see it and not be passive."
"I think on this team, he's got to be more of the alpha dog," Franklin added. "But he was much better tonight and he certainly played a good enough game to be apart of victory. Monday night he wasn't himself, but we expected him to come back and be solid and I think that's what he was tonight. He's got the be the one who initiates earlier and look to be more of the aggressor, instead of waiting and being more passive. But he definitely played well enough to win tonight, we just have to get more guys doing it."
Darrius Davis also reached double-figures for the first time in his VU career, ending with 10 points and a pair of steals.
Ketaan Wyatt ended his day with seven points and three assists, while freshman Thow James Biel (Calgary, Alberta) finished with five points and six rebounds.
Vincennes was led on the glass by freshman Shilo Jackson (Indianapolis, Ind.) who finished with a game-high nine rebounds and three blocks.
Vincennes will return to the floor Saturday, Nov. 6 as the Trailblazers host No. 20 Harcum College on the final day of the Kiwanis Classic at 7 p.m. eastern.
Shawnee and No. 25 Columbia State will get the action started Saturday at 5 p.m. eastern.
"We're playing teams that are really good and we're really young, so us having success right now is difficult," Franklin said. "If you tell me that we shoot 15 for 54 and have a shot to beat Columbia State, we've done some things right. I think we're working hard defensively; we'll fight through things. We didn't turn the ball over as bad tonight, we were down to 14, so we're doing okay there."
"We're trying to move the ball but we have to get where players are improving their skill level and their skill level at game speed," Franklin added. "Had we done that for the last month or two, we probably would have won this game tonight. We shot 15 for 54, if we shot 20 for 54, we're going to win. If we create a little bit better, we're going to get people open because the opportunities were there, against a team that has a really good chance of going to Hutch this year."
"The team we play tomorrow night is maybe another step up," Franklin said. "Harcum is really good and they score easy. We've played two games and we haven't given up 100 points combined. These are grinding type of games because we don't score easy and we're not letting the other team score easy."
VINCENNES STATS
VINCENNES (47): Thow James Biel 2-7 0-0 5, Shilo Jackson 1-2 0-0 2, Trenton Johnson 0-10 0-7 0, Ketaan Wyatt 2-6 2-5 7, Brevin Jefferson 6-15 5-6 20, Devawn White 0-0 0-0 0, Darrius Davis 4-11 0-0 10, Grant Brown 0-3 2-2 2, Deatrick Pashell 0-0 0-0 0, Team 15-54 10-16 47.
Columbia State – 24 29 - 53
VU (1-1) – 20 27 - 47
Three-point goals: VU 7 (Jefferson 3, Davis 2, James Biel, Wyatt). Rebounds: VU 27 (Jackson 9). Assists: VU 10 (Jefferson 3, Wyatt 3). Steals: VU 6 (Jefferson 3). Blocked shots: VU 4 (Jackson 3). Turnovers: VU 14. Personal Fouls: VU 17. Fouled out: James Biel.
