MATTOON, Ill. – The No. 9-ranked Vincennes University Trailblazers bounced back in a big way after Wednesday's defeat, going on the road at Lake Land College and coming away with the 97-69 victory.
VU broke free first midway through the first half Saturday with a 10-0 scoring run to take a 27-13 lead over the host Lakers.
The Trailblazers lead would grow to as many as 20 in the first half as VU headed into the halftime break with a 49-30 advantage.
Vincennes would continue to build on this early momentum in the second half by picking up where they left out by scoring the first eight points of the second half to take a 27-point lead.
Lake Land would get back within 24, but were unable to close the margin, even after a late 8-0 Lakers run, VU pulled away late to pick up a very strong 97-69 road Region 24 victory.
"I just thought we played pretty hard," VU Hall of Fame Head Coach Todd Franklin said. "When we cut harder and move the ball harder we are going to be effective offensively. We are an inside-out team and we are a ball movement team. I think we've worked really hard to cultivate a style and then put the fundamentals and things that are going to fit this team."
"After putting this new team together, it's taken us a little bit of time," Franklin added. "But I think right now, we'll play with some confidence and trust what we do, I think we'll be very successful at the offensive end. When we have our problems, it's because we don't move or cut and trust. Today I thought we did a better job of those things and you see the result."
VU was led offensively by freshman Michael Osei-Bonsu (Bolingbrook, Ill.) who finished with 21 points and 16 rebounds to record his fifth double-double of the season and fifth straight game of recording 13 or more rebounds.
Freshman Kris King (Washington, D.C.) came off the bench to record 18 points, five rebounds and five assists, including hitting three first half three's.
Sophomore Caleb Johnson (N. Preston, Nova Scotia) continued his streak of scoring in double-figures to 20 games after scoring 13 on just six shots, five assists and three rebounds.
Sophomore Trenton Johnson (South Bend, Ind.) came on strong late, scoring all of his 13 points in the second half, hitting five of his six shots, including three three's.
Freshman Ryan Oliver (Antioch, Tenn.) ended his day with eight points, four rebounds and three assists, while fellow freshman Victor Lado (Louisville, Ky.) came off the bench and had a perfect day from the field, hitting both of his shots and all three free throw attempts for seven points.
"We don't look at anybody as a role player or anything else," Franklin said. "We think that they all are capable of doing a job. It's just a continual process of just trying to get better, adapting and becoming that guy that can do it. Today I thought we had more guys step up and do it. My faith in our guys' ability to do things is not a problem. Especially now. I know what they can do and that's what we demand. I thought we had more guys step up and meet that demand today."
"You'll have your cast of characters at the top statistically," Franklin added. "Obviously Michael has a big day with 21 and 16 and those 16 rebounds are huge. I think Caleb had a decent offensive day. Then Kris had a nice day. But the day that will get overlooked will be the day by Ryan Oliver and Trenton Johnson. Not talking about Trenton hitting shots, which was fantastic. But the job they did defensively on Johnny Close, who is a tremendous shooter. Just had 30 against Olney and can do that every time. He didn't have much of anything going the first 30 minutes of the game. He was able to hit some shots after it was already over. But their defensive performance on him was tremendous."
"I also thought we did a better job defensively against the kids inside," Franklin said. "We boxed out better and kept them off the offensive glass better. Those things are hard to quantify sometimes when you are just sitting there looking at it, but I thought we did an excellent job there."
"Then on the other side, Trenton obviously shot the ball and we have needed that from somebody," Franklin added. "We think he can do that. What Trenton has struggled with so far is just getting over that hump on his confidence and things on his career. But that won't make any difference if he gets over that hump now. If he gets over that hump here in the last four games left in the regular season, plus the Region tournament and the National Tournament, that's all anybody is going to remember. Hopefully he's pushed through that wall and we can see a continuation through the rest of the season."
The Trailblazers will return home to begin next week when VU hosts Lincoln Trail College Wednesday, Feb. 15 at the Physical Education Complex. Tip-off time Wednesday is set for 7 p.m. eastern.
Vincennes defeated the Statesmen 83-69 in Robinson in January on 25 points by Caleb Johnson.
"Honestly, I don't care about anybody right now at all," Franklin said. "I don't say that being disrespectful to anybody but I don't care about anybody else. It's all about us. We'll scout the opponents and know what's coming but we don't care about them. We care about us and I believe that this basketball team, if everything plays out the way it's capable of, if the intensity is right and the tenacity is right and the focus is right, these practices are right, I said in my postgame show on the radio, I wouldn't trade my basketball team for anybody in the country."
"If they tell me I can take any team and have to go win a National Championship, I wouldn't trade us for any team that out there," Franklin added. "We've just got to go out, execute and get it done. Maybe we're getting there right now. Maybe we've hit our peak. I'm turning up the heat a little bit and I want them to turn the heat up on each other. Because you make demands of yourself and others right now. That's what we've always done and we don't do it being bad to each other. It's because we care about each other and we are dependent upon each other and we want each other to step up. When everybody does that, that's how we've formed that bond over the years. I think that's all I care about right now and if we can do that, I like us against anybody."
VINCENNES BOX SCORE
VINCENNES (97) – Tasos Cook 1-8 1-2 4, Ryan Oliver 3-7 2-2 8, Caleb Johnson 4-6 3-4 13, Michael Osei-Bonsu 8-12 5-7 21, Shilo Jackson 3-6 0-0 6, Trenton Johnson 5-6 0-0 13, James Locke IV 0-1 0-0 0, Devawn White 0-0 0-0 0, Kale Gaither 1-3 0-0 3, Kris King 6-12 3-3 18, Kent King 1-3 2-2 4, Victor Lado 2-2 3-3 7, Karyiek Dixon 0-0 0-0 0, Team 34-66 19-23 97
VU (23-3, 11-3) – 49 48 – 97
Lake Land – 30 39 – 69
Three-point goals: VU 10 (T. Johnson 3, Kr. King 3, C. Johnson 2, Cook, Gaither). Rebounds: VU 39 (Osei-Bonsu 16). Assists: VU 29 (Cook 9). Steals: VU 2 (Oliver, Jackson). Blocked Shots: VU 1 (Osei-Bonsu). Turnovers: VU 11. Personal Fouls: VU 22. Fouled out: None.