No. 18 Trailblazers continue to roll with big win at McDonald’s Classic

VINCENNES, Ind. – The No. 18 Vincennes University Trailblazers closed out an impressive weekend Saturday night on the final day of the 2024 McDonald's Classic.

The Trailblazers played host to Kennedy-King College from Chicago and closed out the weekend classic with a strong 88-46 victory over the Statesmen.

Vincennes got going early by building a quick 16-8 advantage before taking firm control of the game by outscoring the Statesmen 21-6 to increase their lead to 37-14 late in the first half.

The Trailblazers continued to apply pressure at the defensive end and held the Statesmen to just 20 points in the opening period, taking a 41-20 lead into the halftime locker room break.

VU would put the game in cruise control midway through the second half after using a big 21-3 scoring run to take a 73-34 lead.

The two teams would trade baskets through the final stretch of the game as Kennedy-King looked to cut into the deficit but ran out of time as Vincennes closed out the 88-46 victory over the Statesmen.

"We did a lot of good things tonight," VU Hall of Fame Head Coach Todd Franklin said. "There are going to be some spots where things don't go as great this time of year but I thought our team played well. Some guys didn't at times and sometimes did. It was a little up and down at times but I thought it was a good effort on our part."

"We didn't hit as many threes tonight, that's fine," Franklin added. "That's the way it works sometimes. There were a few times where we got a little bit loose with it but we finished with 13 turnovers so we're continuing the trek down, we had 16 last night and 13 tonight. For this time of year and the pace that we play, if you are somewhere in the lower teens, it's not bad."

"We've got some things that we want to continue to get better at," Franklin said. "But I thought we were pretty good for now. Knowing that that's not good enough for where we want to get to but nobody is. The whole country is in a race and we're starting in a pile and it's who can get somewhere and we got somewhere this week."

"We improved this week and came together a little bit this week," Franklin added. "The key for us is continuing it and we're going to have to by Tuesday because we've got a tremendous battle coming up."

Vincennes spread the scoring out well Saturday night, with freshman Dayton Williams (Louisville, Ky.) being the high man for the Trailblazers with 13 points and five rebounds on the night.

Sophomore Hussein Elmaraghy (Cairo, Egypt) was able to use his size in the low block to finish his night with 11 points and four rebounds, while sophomore Bryan Akanmu (Paris, France) was the third VU scorer in double figures, ending his night with 10 points, five rebounds and three steals.

Sophomore and 2024 NJCAA All-American Lebron Thomas (Bishopville, S.C.) dished out the ball all night, coming away with eight points, six assists and five rebounds.

Freshman Christian Andrews (Asheville, N.C.) matched Thomas for the team-lead in assists Saturday night, coming off the bench to add six points, six assists and three rebounds.

Freshmen Jalen Calloway (Chicago, Ill.) and Travelle Bryson (Anderson, S.C.) each closed out the game with eight points, with Calloway adding four assists and Bryson grabbing a pair of steals.

"I'm excited about the fact that this weekend, we averaged 100 points over these two games and held these two teams down in the low 50s on average and Lebron had 14 points in the two games combined," Franklin added. "I don't most people would have thought that we would average 100 over two nights, playing against Division I teams. This tells you that we've evolved and we've got guys that are stepping up and that's great."

"That was trying to get some things where we got everybody in a balanced effort," Franklin said. "We simplified some things and got some other people involved like I wanted to this weekend. We got Kenaz out there and I think you can see that by March, he could be a load. We got Hussein going. Sometimes when playing time starts to slip away from you, suddenly you can get lower, suddenly your post ups are better. Suddenly you can remember not to dribble that thing and be ready on the catch and score and he was much better. He's a better player this weekend and a much better player tonight."

"A couple of other guys didn't start in the second half," Franklin added. "Well, those guys played better than you. Around here, you better play and then I think they came in a tried to play a little bit harder and got a little bit better in the second half. So we're learning that that's the way we do things and we're responding fairly well to that. We will have to. But I was proud of them. I thought it was a good effort and I think we're evolving but we have to continue it."

"We're a better ball club now than we were a week ago," Franklin said. "I think that's pretty clear if you watch us. We played two good teams last weekend. Last weekend we split against two good teams and that's about where we were. Played two competitive games that could have gone either way. But I think we've gotten better since last week and now we'll see if we can get better by Tuesday."

The Trailblazers will look to keep this early season momentum going as they get set for another tough test on the home floor Tuesday, Nov. 12 when VU hosts Henry Ford College at 7 p.m. eastern.

"Henry Ford is really good," Franklin said. "They are ready to go. Some teams aren't ready to go right now, Henry Ford is ready to go. They are hitting on cylinders right now. They beat up everybody all preseason in all of the jamborees and played really good teams and then came out and put up 130 on the first night. It'll be a good test for us and we're excited about it."

"In general, across the board, it's just that what we say, we mean," Franklin added. "And if they do it, it gives them their best chance. It doesn't guarantee victory but it gives them their best chance. So do what we are trying to tell you and do it with great intensity. I think we are learning and we're getting used to it. I think we're figuring some people out and people are getting a little more comfortable in the right way. You can't be comfortable that I can just stay out here if I don't play real hard and well. They will find out that no, I can't be comfortable with that. I have to be comfortable with keeping my p's and q's out there and competing."

"But we play aggressive version of basketball," Franklin said. "But we also play a discipline version of basketball. We're still in the developmental stages of learning it but I think we're a pretty good basketball team right now and a team that has the potential to be pretty good. We're playing a lot of young guys that are learning. Jalen, Kenaz, Dayton, Travelle. The first weekend Travelle wasn't much of a factor. Kenaz wasn't much of a factor. Jalen wasn't much of a factor. Well all three of those guys are really talented guys but they are young. They weren't young guys that just walked in here ready to go. But they are guys that can get that way and as they evolve to get that way we're going to get a lot better."

"They evolved some this week and we got better," Franklin added. "That's what we are. I just want to see that continue and I want to see us getting hungry and just wanting more and more of it. Really wanting to take it on. I want it, I see it and feel it now. That type of thing. That's where we are and the team will tell me where we really are as we go along."

"But we will have a massive challenge on Tuesday and we'll see how we flip back from this," Franklin said. "You usually don't get this Tuesday night flip. Even during the regular season, it will usually be a Wednesday, so it gives you an extra day to work. Well we don't have that. We play a really good opponent who has been waiting for us for a week. So I'm excited to see how we handle it."

VINCENNES BOX SCORE

VINCENNES (88): Bryan Akanmu 5-7 0-0 10, Michael Cooper 2-6 2-2 6, Jalen Calloway 3-5 0-0 8, Lebron Thomas 2-4 3-4 8, Dayton Williams 3-7 6-6 113, Christian Andrews 2-7 2-2 6, Meyoh Swansey 2-3 0-0 4, Taveon Smith 0-4 0-0 0, Travelle Bryson 4-7 0-0 8, Darstin Onye 1-1 4-5 6, Kenaz Ochogwu 4-6 0-0 8, Hussein Elmaraghy 5-5 1-2 11, Team 33-62 18-21 88.

Kennedy-King – 20   26 – 46

VU (3-1) – 41   47 – 88

Three-point goals: VU 4 (Calloway 2, L. Thomas, Williams). Rebounds: VU 48 (Cooper 10). Assists: VU 23 (L. Thomas 6, Andrews 6). Steals: VU 8 (Akanmu 3). Blocked Shots: VU 4 (Cooper, Calloway, Swansey, Onye). Turnovers: VU 13. Personal Fouls: VU 16. Fouled out: None.