No. 1 VU Grinds Out Region 24 Win Over Wabash Valley

VINCENNES, Ind. — The No. 1 Vincennes University Men's Basketball team withstood a physical Region 24 test Saturday afternoon, defeating Wabash Valley College 69–60 inside the P.E. Complex to remain unbeaten at 20–0 overall and 7–0 in region play.

The game unfolded as expected in league play, with Wabash Valley bringing sustained physicality and defensive pressure throughout the afternoon. VU carried a narrow 34-30 advantage into halftime and was unable to create full separation until the closing stretch, as the Warriors shot 50 percent from the field and mixed defensive coverages, extended their zone pressure, and attacked the glass aggressively.

After the game, NJCAA Hall of Fame Head Coach Todd Franklin, now in his 16th season leading the Trailblazers, noted the challenge of region play and the reality of facing opponents at their most prepared. "At this time of year, you're in region play and you're going to get everybody's best shot," Franklin said. "They had a week to get ready, they've played a very good schedule, and they're tough and physical. That wasn't a surprise to us."

Freshman forward Lorenzo Malagnini led all scorers with 19 points on 7-of-12 shooting, adding six rebounds to anchor the interior. Sophomore guard Jalen Calloway followed with 14 points and four assists, while freshman guard Drae Vasser contributed 11 points and a game-high seven assists. Sophomore forward Prince Ojukwu chipped in 10 points and eight rebounds, providing key effort plays around the basket.

VU was effective getting the ball inside, scoring 32 points in the paint, but struggled to capitalize consistently at the free-throw line, finishing 17-for-34 from the stripe. Franklin pointed to that as a key reason the game remained tight. "If you go 17-for-34 from the foul line against a team that's playing that hard and physical, it's going to be hard to get away from them," he said. "If you hit any kind of percentage today, it's a whole different deal."

Despite the missed opportunities, VU found ways to create separation through effort plays and interior production. The Trailblazers generated key second-chance opportunities, especially late, scoring 19 points off 20 offensive rebounds, leaning on timely finishes to blunt Wabash Valley's momentum. Franklin credited Ojukwu for delivering pivotal plays down the stretch. "I thought Prince was really good late," Franklin said. "Not just big baskets, but keeping plays alive. He had three or four tremendous offensive rebounds — those are killers when you're trying to hang in a game."

Franklin also noted growth in multiple areas across the rotation, including improved resilience from Vasser after a difficult start. "Drae fought it pretty good after a rough beginning," Franklin said. "He had some turnovers early, but he battled through ball screens all night and hit shots when we had to have some separation."

The head coach added that continued development in the frontcourt remains a focus moving forward, highlighting positive minutes from Michael Ephraim despite missed opportunities. "I thought Big Mike gave us some good things," Franklin said. "He blocked a couple shots and gave us valuable minutes. He just needs a little more confidence finishing plays, but he's moving forward."

With the win, VU reached the 20-win mark without a loss, but Franklin emphasized that improvement — not record — remains the priority. "We're not going to win championships if we don't get serious about certain things," he said. "We found a way to fight through it today, but there's plenty we have to get better at."

VU will return to Region 24 road play next, traveling to Southwestern Illinois College on Wednesday, January 28 for an 8 p.m. ET tip.

Hear more from Coach Franklin by clicking here.

Join the Journey

As always, fans can keep up with the Vincennes University Men's Basketball squad all year long through a number of ways:

• X (formerly Twitter): @VUTrailblazers | @VincennesMBB
• Facebook: Vincennes University Athletics
• Instagram: @VincennesUTrailblazers
• Youtube (live & on demand content): BlazerVision
• Website: https://govutrailblazers.com