Second half struggles drop No. 6 Trailblazers in Region Quarterfinals

INA, Ill. – The No. 6-ranked Vincennes University Trailblazers opened postseason play Monday afternoon in the quarterfinals of the 2025 NJCAA Division I Region 24 Men's Basketball tournament.

The Trailblazers earned the No. 1 seed in the tournament and faced off against the No. 8 seeded Blue Devils of Kaskaskia College from Centralia, Ill.

Vincennes overcame a slow start and looked to be rolling at halftime but a big second half surge by the Blue Devils allowed Kaskaskia to battle all the way back and take a 61-56 victory over the Trailblazers.

VU got off to a slow start Monday afternoon, trading baskets with the Blue Devils early with Kaskaskia holding the early 11-8 edge over the Blazers.

Vincennes would get going offensively and use a big 15-2 scoring run to take a 23-13 lead midway through the first half.

Kaskaskia would battle back but were only able to cut the VU lead down to eight at the break with Vincennes leading 34-26 at halftime.

The Blue Devils looked very aggressive coming out of the locker room in the second half, opening the period by outscoring VU 13-4 to take a 39-38 lead.

Vincennes would regain the lead at 45-43 before Kaskaskia responded with a 12-1 run to take a 55-46 lead.

VU kept fighting, scoring six straight to cut the deficit to four in the final minutes of the game and had multiple opportunities to tie the game late.

Unfortunately the shots would not fall for the Trailblazers late as Kaskaskia closed out the game at the free throw line, taking this quarterfinal matchup over the Blazers 61-56.

Freshman Travelle Bryson (Anderson, S.C.) would finish the game with another double-double, finishing with 10 points and 10 rebounds.

Sophomore and 2024 NJCAA All-American Lebron Thomas (Bishopville, S.C.) led the Trailblazers offensively Monday, scoring 11 points off the bench and dishing out a pair of assists.

Sophomore Bryan Akanmu (Paris, France) was the third VU scorer in double figures, getting the VU offense going early and ending the game with 10 points, eight rebounds and three assists.

Sophomores Hussein Elmaraghy (Cairo, Egypt) and Ali Sakho (Toronto, Ontario) finished their day with seven points and seven rebounds for Elmaraghy and six points and four rebounds for Sakho.

The Trailblazers will now join the rest of the NJCAA in looking to secure one of eight at-large bids to the 2025 NJCAA Division I National Championship tournament in Hutchinson, Kan.

VU will find out their fate during the NJCAA Division I Selection Show Sunday, March 16 at 8 p.m. eastern, which will be streamed live on the NJCAA Network at njcaa.org/network

The Trailblazers will look to make their 12th trip to the NJCAA National Tournament in the last 13 season, an NJCAA record.

VINCENNES BOX SCORE

VINCENNES (56): Christian Andrews 0-4 2-2 2, Bryan Akanmu 5-12 0-0 10, Travelle Bryson 4-13 1-4 10, Dayton Williams 1-3 2-2 4, Hussein Elmaraghy 3-6 1-3 7, Meyoh Swansey 2-5 0-0 4, Jalen Calloway 0-0 0-0 0, Michael Cooper 0-2 0-0 0, Lebron Thomas 3-11 3-4 11, Ali Sakho 3-6 0-0 6, Kenaz Ochogwu 1-4 0-2 2, Team 22-66 9-17 56.

Kaskaskia – 26   35 – 61

VU (26-4, 16-1) – 34   22 – 56

Three-point goals: VU 3 (Thomas 2, Bryson). Rebounds: VU 43 (Bryson 10). Assists: VU 13 (Andrews 3, Akanmu 3). Steals: VU 5 (Cooper 2). Blocked Shots: VU 4 (Andrews 2). Turnovers: VU 17. Personal Fouls: VU 14. Fouled out: None.