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Vincennes University

No. 10 Trailblazers Punch Ticket to Region 24 Finals

No. 10 Trailblazers Punch Ticket to Region 24 Finals
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March 11, 2026

INA, Ill. — The No. 10 Vincennes University Men's Basketball team advanced to the NJCAA Region 24 Tournament championship game Wednesday evening with a 81–72 victory over No. 5 seed Lincoln Trail College at Rend Lake College, improving to 30–2 overall. The Trailblazers established control early, building a 30–19 halftime advantage behind a strong defensive effort that limited Lincoln Trail's scoring opportunities and set the tone for the night.

Head Coach Todd Franklin, in his 16th season leading the Trailblazers, said earning a semifinal victory and reaching the championship game represents another significant accomplishment for the program. "It's always good to get a win in the semifinals and move on to the finals," Franklin said. "Thirty wins is a great accomplishment in today's game. Our guys should be proud of that, especially considering the level of competition we play throughout the season."

VU continued to maintain control through much of the second half, building a double-digit advantage before Lincoln Trail made a late push to close the gap. Despite the surge, the Trailblazers remained composed down the stretch to secure the seven-point victory.

Franklin noted that while the team controlled most of the game, the performance had its ups and downs. "At times we looked pretty good, and at times we were a little bit lax," Franklin said. "But overall we controlled most of the game and did enough to get the win and move on."

Offensively, the Trailblazers were powered by their veteran backcourt. Redshirt freshman guard Drae Vasser led the way with 24 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists, while sophomore guard Dayton Williams added 22 points and six rebounds. Sophomore guard Jalen Calloway contributed 20 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists, helping direct the offense throughout the contest. Freshmen forwards Lorenzo Malagnini and Jevon Guess paced the Trailblazers on the glass with 10 rebounds apiece, helping VU establish a strong presence in the paint.

As a team, VU finished with a 57–31 rebounding advantage, including 23 offensive rebounds that generated 13 second-chance points, while recording 20 assists on 31 made field goals. The Trailblazers also dominated the paint by a 42-22 margin, consistently capitalizing on easy opportunities at the rim.

With the win, VU advances to the Region 24 Tournament championship game, where the Trailblazers will face No. 2 seed John A. Logan College on Friday, March 13 at 8 p.m. ET at Rend Lake College. Logan advanced to the finals with an 81–64 victory over Shawnee Community College in the nightcap Wednesday. The two programs split the regular-season series, with VU earning an 87–80 road victory on December 10 before Logan captured a 70–54 win in Vincennes on January 31.

Franklin expects the championship matchup to present a significant test. "Logan is playing very good basketball right now," Franklin said. "It's going to be a tough game and a great challenge for us, but that's what championship games are supposed to be."

The winner of the Region 24 Tournament automatically qualifies for the NJCAA National Tournament, to be held March 21-28 in Hutchinson, Kansas. To view the full Region 24 Men's Basketball Tournament bracket, click here.

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