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Vincennes University

Trailblazers Build Momentum with Road Rout of Shawnee

Trailblazers Build Momentum with Road Rout of Shawnee
Box Score
February 7, 2026

ULLIN, Ill. — The Vincennes University Women's Basketball team delivered a dominant performance Saturday afternoon, rolling to a 91–42 Region 24 road victory over Shawnee Community College to improve to 16–7 overall and 8–1 in region play. The Trailblazers controlled the game from the opening tip, building momentum early and sustaining it throughout all four quarters.

VU jumped out to a 27–13 first-quarter lead and overwhelmed Shawnee in the second period, outscoring the hosts 28–3 to take a commanding 55–16 halftime advantage. The Trailblazers maintained their edge after the break, matching Shawnee's third-quarter output before closing the game with a 19–10 fourth quarter to seal the 49-point win.

Sophomore guard Emani Washington led all scorers with 24 points, knocking down six three-pointers while adding five assists and three steals. Sophomore guard Netala Dixon followed with 15 points and a team-high 11 rebounds, recording a double-double while also dishing out six assists. Sophomore post Dženifera Rieksta contributed 12 points and nine rebounds, and sophomore guard Zion Hayes added 10 points and four rebounds. Off the bench, freshman Selena Wilson chipped in 10 points and eight rebounds, helping anchor a balanced scoring effort.

As a team, VU shot an efficient 50.7 percent from the field and 44.8 percent from three-point range (13-of-29), while finishing with 24 assists on 37 made field goals. The Trailblazers dominated inside with a 44–18 advantage in points in the paint, controlled the glass 59–26, and forced 15 Shawnee turnovers, converting those into eight points. Defensively, VU limited Shawnee to 23.1 percent shooting and just 2-of-15 from beyond the arc, while holding the homestanding squad to three second-chance points.

First-year Head Coach Nyla Johnson credited her team's focus and depth in the victory. "We won by a big margin, but I'm proud of how our team stayed focused through some adversity," Johnson said. "Our freshmen played significant minutes, and I thought they did a great job finding ways to impact the game and contribute offensively."

Johnson also emphasized the importance of internal focus moving forward. "We talk about controlling what we can control and staying locked in on our goals," she said. "Now it's about resetting, learning from this one, and building on our momentum as we prepare to see them again on Wednesday."

With the win, the Trailblazers remain firmly in the Region 24 race and will return home to, once again, host Shawnee Community College in back-to-back Region 24 tilts on Wednesday, February 11, at 5:00 p.m. ET.

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: