No. 8 Trailblazers ride first half run to physical win over Southwestern Illinois

VINCENNES, Ind. – The No. 8 Vincennes University Trailblazers returned to the home floor Saturday afternoon for another Region 24 contest, this time welcoming the Blue Storm from Southwestern Illinois College into the Physical Education Complex.

The Trailblazers battled early with the Blue Storm and were able to ride an 8-0 scoring run late in the first half to a big 75-58 victory over Southwestern Illinois.

The game got off to a very physical start, with both offenses struggling early to get the ball in the basket, Vincennes was the first team to break away with eight straight points to take a 22-12 lead midway through the first half.

Southwestern Illinois would answer back and get back within four before Vincennes closed out the first half of action on a 14-3 scoring run to take a 36-21 advantage into the locker room at the break.

Vincennes' defense caused SWIC problems all first half, allowing just 21 points on eight made field goals and holding the Blue Storm to just 28 percent shooting from the floor in the first half.

Coming out in the second half, Vincennes would quickly grow their lead to 20 before the Blue Storm rallied back to get within 12 at 45-33.

This would be as close as the Blue Storm would get for the rest of the game however as Vincennes responded by outscoring SWIC 14-6 to get the lead back to 20.

The two teams traded baskets down the stretch of the second half, with the Blue Storm putting together a late 5-0 run but were unable to erase the deficit as Vincennes comes away with the 75-58 victory over Southwestern Illinois College.

"I thought the first half was what I thought it would be," VU Hall of Fame Head Coach Todd Franklin said. "Really physical grind. They were going to run some clock, a lot of actions and a lot of screening. Trying to ware us down and trying to get us into a slugfest. And you've just got to handle it. You've got to fight through it, you've got to play the whole possession defensively and you can't let down late. I thought for the most part in the first half we did a really good job with that. We held them to 21 points in the first half. Offensively they were trying to be physical and knock you off your spot if they can. You've got find a way to get the ball moved and swung."

"We struggled finishing," Franklin said. "Dayton really struggled. He's a really good player, he was struggling tonight to finish. During the early part where the game was like four or six points, he had several of those mid-range shots that he usually makes and he was like 0 for 4. I thought Bryan came out and hit a couple of buckets low early. But we left some things on the table."

"But it's hard, they were being physical, tough and they are plugging," Franklin said. "They were very focused and locked in. They knew what they wanted to try to do to win this game. They had them ready. But we kind of held them in that position where we weren't hitting it well but we were grinding and then we got a couple of big shots from Travelle. We hit a couple of gaps and he hit a couple of threes. Darstin came in and made a couple of plays at the end of the half and now you've put together a little bit of offense and because our defense had been solid, we weren't turning it over a ton, you look up and you're up 15."

"Then I thought it was very key in the first five minutes of the second half to make sure that we either sustained or moved forward and if we did I thought we would be in pretty good shape," Franklin added. "We did. We went from 15 to 20 and then it bounced between 12 and 20 for the rest of the game. We didn't want them to be able to make a move and get back into the game. I thought our guys did that and then after that it got tough because they were going to get into the lane and bridge you. When your guys are posting in the middle of the lane and they have a whole bridge going, it's tough. I thought that we lost Chambers on the block two or three times. We know he's going to go to the block, he doesn't shoot at all and he's going to score on his right shoulder every time. I was really disappointed that we allowed that to happen. That was the one area that I was really disappointed in."

"I thought that they out-physicalled us going to the glass once we had a lead that was big enough where our guys thought we were winning," Franklin said. "We're still playing hard but we didn't play with enough urgency when they were going to come in there hard. They were just going to slam and by physical. I thought once we got up 18 to 20, it just kind of stayed there and that was why. But we maintained it and in those games it's difficult and I thought we did a good job overall."

"This is a very good game for us to learn from," Franklin added. "It was very much a physical, grind it type of game, which you are going to see in the playoffs. We played at 4 p.m. Our first game of the District Tournament is probably going to be an afternoon game. And then these home games when you are playing at 4 p.m., it's very much like a National Tournament game. Because you are on site, you don't have to travel. But it's about how you get yourself ready to play those mid-afternoon games that you might have to do once or twice at the National Championships with the whole season on the line. I don't love these afternoon games but the one good thing about them is we are learning how to duplicate that and hopefully for us that is very important. We plan on that being something that is important to us and something that we are used to. We're used to the shoot around time being at 10 a.m.. We're used to turning around and trying to play our best ball at 4 p.m. and to play in a game that was a grind it, National Tournament style of game, right now is probably helpful to us."

The Trailblazers were led offensively Saturday afternoon by freshman Travelle Bryson (Anderson, S.C.) who played his way into the starting lineup, getting his first start of the season and capitalizing with 14 points and six rebounds for Vincennes.

Sophomore and 2024 NJCAA All-American Lebron Thomas (Bishopville, S.C.) continues to move the VU offense efficiently, closing out his fourth double-double of the season with 14 points and a season-high 14 assists to go along with five steals in the game.

Sophomore Hussein Elmaraghy (Cairo, Egypt) also earned a starting role Saturday afternoon, finishing the game with 10 points and a team-high seven rebounds.

Sophomore Bryan Akanmu (Paris, France) got the VU offense going early and closed out his night with eight points and a pair of rebounds.

"Travelle Bryson has played his way into the lineup," Franklin said. "He played like a guy that should be on the floor. He's bringing a weapon with that three-point shot which is really valuable for us and he's doing it without turnovers. He's doing it right now without too many mental breakdowns. He's giving you some rebounding and he's giving you good defense. He's bigger, longer, gets out there and guards. He struggled a little bit the other night against Lincoln Trail playing a pure guard who had some body to him. But these are learning things for him. He did a good job today. That's what we've asked from him and he's playing like a guy that should be starting on a team that's trying to contend for things."

"Hussein has earned his way into the lineup as well," Franklin added. "He's played as our best post player. He's been our best post player for the last three games. He was our best post player at Logan and he was a key to us winning that game. He was our best post player by far the other night against Lincoln Trail and again today. There are still things for him to learn. I thought he got a little tip-toey in the second half instead of driving up through those legs and through the contact and they were physical. But you've got to do that and we'll see what comes from that. But he was definitely our best post player again today. Those two have really emerged and helped us."

"Lebron, I thought, was solid," Franklin said. "I thought he had some chances today to hit a few jump shots and he's going to have to hit them and he can. Get back in the gym here, get going and start knocking some of those down. He was solid with the ball and grinded it out in a grind out game. He had a ton of assists. He had high usage with the ball. Defensively he was pretty solid. Once in a while he will jump around a little bit and get himself out of position but he was pretty solid today and got active with his hands. He had five steals just from good solid activity, not so much from gambling."

"I thought Bryan was better," Franklin added. "Especially early and he did some good things. There are some things that we are going to work on defensively with them coming across there and holding your position against those cross screens. We don't see that a ton. Most of these teams play spread and all over, so it was good for us to play against them today with them doing that and we'll go back and work on it because we don't practice much with it."

"I thought Jalen had moments today," Franklin said. "I thought there were a few moments where he got stuck on some screens. It's going to be physical and a grind, so you can't get stuck on screens because they are going to keep grinding on screens. But I thought offensively he was fine. He hit a couple of shots and looks like he's maintained having confidence on his shot and that's going to be key. We'll get Dayton going here again. He had a big second half. He kind of struggled in the first half against Lincoln Trail and then got going and again today. But he'll get back. He's a really good player. If we get him and Travelle going at the same time, that's what happens. I thought Ali and Kenaz continued. Kenaz has moments, we've just got to keep growing defensively, getting solid. I don't think he's ever done it. But he gave us some things offensively and some plays tonight when he was in there."

"I thought Christian gave us good minutes," Franklin added. "He didn't have as many tonight. But I thought the minutes in the first half where he came in for Lebron and then played with Lebron and I thought he did a nice job. Some games it's going to be more minutes than others. When you're a freshman in the role that he's in, that's just how it is. This team was playing bigger everywhere and we had to match that with it being a grind out ball game."

The Trailblazers will look to keep their 15-game winning streak going and build on this momentum as the Blazers will have plenty of practice time over the next two weeks.

Vincennes will hit the road Saturday, Feb. 15 when VU travels to Ullin, Ill. to take on Shawnee Community College at 4 p.m. eastern.

The Trailblazers won't play again until the following Saturday, Feb. 22 when VU heads to Mattoon, Ill. to face Lake Land College at 4 p.m. eastern.

VU defeated the Saints 89-50 earlier this season inside the P.E. Complex and defeated Lake Land College 102-78 also inside the P.E. Complex.

"We're in as good of a spot as you can be," Franklin said. "Now what are you going to do with it. Now we've got a period in our schedule where we've got one game on Saturday and then we don't play again until the next Saturday. So we've got an opportunity here to really work on our game. You like the rhythm of playing but now we also have an opportunity to go back to work, get our bodies better and really get some individual time. Maybe add a few bells and whistles, go over some things that we saw today. We have an opportunity to do that and we need to take advantage of it."

VINCENNES BOX SCORE

VINCENNES (75): Bryan Akanmu 4-7 0-0 8, Travelle Bryson 5-8 0-0 14, Hussein Elmaraghy 5-10 0-0 10, Lebron Thomas 3-7 8-10 14, Dayton Williams 0-7 6-6 6, Christian Andrews 0-1 0-0 0, Jalen Calloway 2-3 0-0 5, Michael Cooper 3-3 0-4 7, Darstin Onye 2-3 0-0 4, Ali Sakho 1-3 0-1 2, Kenaz Ochogwu 2-3 1-2 5, Team 27-55 15-23 75.

Southwestern Illinois – 21   37 – 58

VU (21-3, 11-0) – 36   39 – 75

Three-point goals: VU 6 (Bryson 4, Calloway, Cooper). Rebounds: VU 27 (Elmaraghy 7). Assists: VU 21 (Thomas 14). Steals: VU 9 (Thomas 5). Blocked Shots: VU 5 (Akanmu 2). Turnovers: VU 11. Personal Fouls: VU 18. Fouled out: None.