Andrews guides Trailblazers back in the win column over Schoolcraft College

VINCENNES, Ind. – The Vincennes University Trailblazers returned home Wednesday night to the Physical Education Complex where the Blazers played host to Schoolcraft College from Detroit, Mich.

The Trailblazers were able to use a big second half and a big game by freshman Christian Andrews (Asheville, N.C.) to get back in the win column with a big 90-51 victory over the Ocelots.

Vincennes got off to a slow start against the visiting Ocelots, going back and forth with Schoolcraft for most of the first half.

Schoolcraft held the lead for most of the opening 20 minutes of action before the Blazers closed out the first half on a 12-3 run to take a 32-26 lead into the locker room at the break.

Coming out of the locker room in the second half the Trailblazers looked determined to get back in the win column, using a 22-3 stretch to open the game up and take a 59-34 lead.

Vincennes would continue to add pressure on the defensive end and helped put the game away with a 21-3 scoring run to increase the lead to 82-44.

VU continued to battle to the final horn, closing out the scoring with back-to-back threes as the Blazers pulled away late to pick up the 90-51 victory over Schoolcraft College.

"I thought we played pretty good once we put Christian in," VU Hall of Fame Head Coach Todd Franklin said. "Christian and Jalen, those two guys got the energy from the guard position going. We didn't have much energy coming from the guard position early. We weren't initiating, we were just standing. There are actions and reactions that we are supposed to be doing offensively and we weren't doing them. We just played with no energy, no snap, no nothing."

"I didn't change anything strategically, we just changed personnel," Franklin added. "Those guys started to play better. It took us a little while to get it churning but you can see in the last eight minutes of the first half it began. We obviously rewarded those guys that they should be the ones playing to start the second half. We did and it continued."

"Christian was a big part of that," Franklin said. "He's learning out there on the fly. It's not perfect. We're walking him through it as it goes along. But I think the thing tonight with him was that he was receptive to learning and when he would do something we would say 'here's what we are talking about to change this a little bit' and you could tell that he's listening. He's listening and trying to get it and that's what he needed to do."

"I'm probably not going to tell him wrong," Franklin added. "I've been around a long time and seen about all there is to see with it. So I keep telling them 'I'm trying to help you'. And I get frustrated sometimes because they don't take that. Here's what you need to do and you don't do it but there was growth there tonight."

"I thought Jalen Calloway was the same way," Franklin said. "The first minute or two he came in he had a bit of deer in the headlights look to him. I don't know what it was but he got a look of determination on his face after that and from that point on I thought he played pretty well. Again, not perfect. There are things that we're trying to correct on the fly the whole time that need to be corrected to make them even better. But they tried to play hard. Once the ball started moving with some intensity and some pace, we started running our actions and had the actions and reactions all of a sudden, we're getting open shots and we're getting open shots in rhythm and we start making them with energy and flow and everybody gets happy."

"It's amazing," Franklin added. "It's just about doing what you are supposed to with the intensity that you are supposed to. We're usually pretty effective when we do and hopefully, they are learning that lesson because that's what it comes down to. You can see that completely on display tonight. If you ever just want to watch what I'm talking about, that's it. Watch the first 10-12 minutes and then watch from then on. I didn't change one thing strategically. But it was players that started to try to do what we've told them to do with the intensity and the pace that we ask them to and it's amazing the difference that happens from one to the other."

Vincennes was led offensively by an outstanding game by freshman Christian Andrews who came off the bench to set a new career-high with 25 points, four rebounds and four steals.

Sophomore Michael Cooper (Minneapolis, Minn.) scored in double figures for the sixth time this season, ending his night with 13 points, seven rebounds and three assists.

Freshman Jalen Calloway (Chicago, Ill.) was the third VU scorer in double figures, ending his night with 12 points and five assists in the game.

Freshman Dayton Williams (Louisville, Ky.) scored nine points and grabbed five rebounds in the game, while sophomore Bryan Akanmu (Paris, France) ended his night with six points, six rebounds and a team-high five assists.

"The last 28 minutes I thought we played pretty good," Franklin said. "It's that simple. The first 12 I didn't like what we were on offense. Defense we were okay. I thought we tried defensively for most of the night and were pretty solid. Offensively we were just stale. We were stale and we just had a refusal to do what we said to do. I don't really understand that because if I was a player I'd like to play well."

"But statistically, I'm not worrying about it one way of the other," Franklin added. "I just thought we played better the last 28 minutes and the stats follow. As we move the ball better and we swung the ball better. As we play with a better pace and intensity, as our energy got even better on the defensive end, the stats improve, the shots start going in, the ball gets some energy to it. The thing starts going off the play and we see the play and we make the play."

"I was glad to see Christian hit shots," Franklin said. "He hit shots all preseason. But it's probably not just a coincidence that he started to really make shots in this game when he starts trying to do what he needs to be doing with the kind of pace and intensity that we ask. He wasn't forcing it. A lot of his threes he got as a result of him initiating the offense well, the ball moved, it was snapping around and he ended up being the back end recipient of that. Broke them down, got inside, found him at the back end of it, he was there and he hit shots. I thought he attacked the basket better tonight. He's learning what it takes and he's having to learn when you are a smaller guy what it takes from an intensity level that it requires to finish plays. He's still learning where the passing lanes are. He sees things and he's still throwing the ball through defenses at arm level, that's not going to happen at this level. These guys are long, quick and athletic, so you've got to find the windows to get it to and he did better as the game went on. But he was also receptive to that as we were giving him instruction and you could see 'alright, he's listening' and he's making adjustments as the game went along and that's what all of them need to do."

"The stats I'm not worried about," Franklin added. "I just would like to see us play with snap and energy and everybody dedicated to what we are trying to do and I want that because they will be better players and will have more success, all the good things that they need and want will happen for them better. So that I thought we did better as the game went along."

The Trailblazers will look to keep this positive momentum going as they prepare for another tough test Saturday, Dec. 7 when VU hosts No. 17 ranked Triton College at 7 p.m. eastern.

This game will be Toys for Tots Donation Night at the P.E. Complex, where fans who donate a new stuff animal at the main gate Saturday night will receive free admission into the game.

"We've just got to have another level of pop, snap, here's what we do and how we do it," Franklin said. "We're going to do it right and we're going to do it with intensity and tenacity because it's all going to be required. If you don't do what you are supposed to, you're in trouble. If you do what you are supposed to but you don't do it with the tenacity that's required, it won't work. Then somewhere at the back end of that has to become the confidence. And the confidence will follow. You can see the guys that are doing the things that they are supposed to be doing with the intensity they are supposed to be doing it with, they start to have success. And we are going to need a full 40 minutes of that on both ends."

"I roll that up sometimes and say that as 'we are going to do it in a competitive fashion'," Franklin added. "And that's what you've got to see, 40 minutes of that. We work every day, practice every day to have an idea of the way that we are supposed to play scheme wise on both sides of the floor. The fundamentals the way we are supposed to apply them. So we're not going to do something amazing between now and Saturday. We're just going to see if we can do those things well enough in a competitive fashion to beat Triton."

"If we play really well, I think we can play with anybody," Franklin said. "Then we are going to have to get tough minded in a competitive basketball game at some point that says we're not just going to be here and be close, we're going to win. We're going to fight through and make the play, whatever that little thing is that needs to happen to make that happen and at some point, in time this year I think we will. At some point in time this year I think we'll be a really good basketball team. Will it be Saturday? I don't know. It will need to be Saturday if we're going to win and it will need to be next Wednesday when we play John A. Logan if we're going to win. It will need to be the next Saturday when we go and play at Lincoln Trail. Will we be there and be ready? We could be but it's in these guys' hands. When to they really take it and own it and own it for the entire two hours that we're playing."

"I hoping, trust me, I'm rooting for them to do it Saturday and if they do, I like our chances," Franklin added. "But if we don't, then it could be a long night in here with Triton. They are really talented and long and a long team like that, if you're not sharp, then it gets to be a problem. Against long teams, you have to be sharp and you minimize that length. If you are not sharp, that length, it's always in front of you. So it will be a good test for us. I hope we get a bunch of people out here. We schedule these big time games for those reasons but we'll see where our team is. This year is going to be a different kind of year but it's a different kind of year around the country. I think it's going to be about who gets better. I don't think there's any great team. I think we're in a pile with about 40 to 45 other teams and who is going to be the one learns the lessons, has the intensity, practices the best all year, improves the most over the next two months, hardens up and is that ball club. I don't know how pretty our record will be but I think that we can be a good ball club and we'll need to be a good ball club on Saturday."

VINCENNES BOX SCORE

VINCENNES (90): Bryan Akanmu 2-3 2-2 6, Michael Cooper 3-9 5-6 13, Kenaz Ochogwu 3-4 2-2 8, Lebron Thomas 1-5 3-6 5, Dayton Williams 3-6 3-3 9, Christian Andrews 8-10 6-6 25, Meyoh Swansey 2-5 0-0 5, Jalen Calloway 5-9 1-2 12, Taveon Smith 1-2 4-4 7, Darstin Onye 0-0 0-0 0, Ali Sakho 0-0 0-2 0, Hussein Elmaraghy 0-1 0-0 0, Team 28-54 26-33 90.

Schoolcraft – 26   25 – 51

VU (7-3) – 32   58 – 90

Three-point goals: VU 8 (Andrews 3, Cooper 2, Swansey, Calloway, Smith). Rebounds: VU 30 (Cooper 7). Assists: VU 22 (Akanmu 5). Steals: VU 11 (Calloway 4). Blocked Shots: VU 2 (Calloway, Elmaraghy). Turnovers: VU 13. Personal Fouls: VU 20. Fouled out: None.