Second-Half Surge Keeps Trailblazers Perfect in Region 24

VINCENNES, Ind. — The Vincennes University Women's Basketball team continued its unbeaten run through Region 24 play Friday afternoon, earning a 76–65 home victory over Wabash Valley College inside the P.E. Complex to improve to 13–6 overall and 5–0 in region action. The Trailblazers weathered Wabash Valley's pace and physicality before pulling away with a strong second-half performance.

VU set the tone early with a 25–16 opening quarter, but Wabash Valley answered in the second period to take a 36–35 lead into halftime. The Trailblazers regrouped coming out of the locker room, outscoring the Warriors 22–15 in the third quarter, then closed the game with composure and poise in the final frame to secure the 11-point win.

Sophomore guard Zion Hayes led all scorers with a game-high 29 points, attacking the rim consistently and converting 12-of-13 from the free-throw line, while adding seven rebounds. Sophomore guard Netala Dixon followed with a strong all-around effort, posting 12 points, a game-high 13 rebounds, three assists, and three steals to round out the double-figure scoring for the Trailblazers. Sophomore guard Emani Washington chipped in nine points, a team-high five assists, and two steals to help steady the offense.

As a team, VU leaned into its physical identity, scoring 24 points in the paint, winning the rebounding battle 47–32, and converting 29-of-40 at the free-throw line. Defensively, the Trailblazers held Wabash Valley to 30.3 percent shooting, forced 15 turnovers, and limited the Warriors' efficiency despite their ability to push tempo.

First-year Head Coach Nyla Johnson credited her team's composure and ability to refocus after getting pulled into Wabash Valley's pace early. "I have a lot of respect for how hard Wabash plays and how well they're coached," Johnson said. "They force you to play faster than you want to, and if you get caught up in that, they can really run away with a game. I'm proud of our girls for being able to refocus, calm down, and play with poise in the second half."

Johnson emphasized that halftime adjustments centered more on identity than tactics. "At halftime, it was about us," she said. "We talked about their advantages and whether we were playing into them, and I challenged our kids to play our style of basketball. Confidence comes with poise, and I thought they did a really good job of that in the second half."

With the home win, VU now turns its attention to a major road region test. The Trailblazers will travel to face No. 17 Southwestern Illinois College on Wednesday, January 28, with tip-off scheduled for 6:00 p.m. ET. The Blue Storm enter the matchup 20–0 overall and 5–0 in Region 24, setting the stage for a battle of league-play unbeatens.

Hear more from Coach Johnson by clicking here.

Join the Journey

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

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