By Troy Guthrie, Sports Information Director

The Vincennes Trailblazers overcame a slow start and a second-half deficit to pull out a nail-biter victory, 75-73, over Allegany College of Maryland Saturday on the second night of the 48th Annual Kiwanis Invitational Classic.

November 16, 2008

The Vincennes Trailblazers overcame a slow start and a second-half deficit to pull out a nail-biter victory, 75-73, over Allegany College of Maryland Saturday on the second night of the 48th Annual Kiwanis Invitational Classic.

The win was never a certainty as Allegany had multiple opportunities to tie or win the game as time expired on the clock.

Sophomore forward John Freeman led the Trailblazers with 17 points. Freshman guards Donald Stewart and J.P. Olukemi added 16 each and sophomore DeAntre Jefferson had nine points in the victory. Forward Aaron Brackett paced Allegany with 14 points, while Jeff Early finished with 12.

VU seemed somewhat flat from the beginning against the Trojans after blowing out Simmons College 95-67 the previous night. Allegany, however, shot 22-for-40 in the first half and Brackett’s bucket late in the half put the Trojans in front by 13. Allegany held onto an eight-point advantage, 47-39, at the break.

The Trailblazers cut the lead to two at 66-64 with 6:28 remaining and Stewart gave VU the lead, 67-66, about 30 seconds later with a 3-pointer
after a Trojan turnover. Allegany turned it over yet again on its next possession and Stewart scored in transition while being fouled. He hit the free throw to complete the three-point play and put VU up 70-66.

It was a quick spell of relief for the Trailblazers. VU was up 74-70 with two minutes to go when Stewart was off on a trey and Allegany’s Terrence
Green buried a 3-pointer at the other end to prompt a VU timeout as the Trailblazers preserved a 74-73 lead. With just under a minute to go, Brackett fouled out as he bumped Jefferson on a shot. Jefferson made one of two to make it 75-73.

With time dwindling down, Allegany misfired on a shot from behind the arc, but the Trojans’ Ru White gathered in the offensive rebound and tried to
go back up with it. VU forward Daimion Garrett blocked the shot and the ball was knocked out of bounds with Allegany maintaining possession.

After the ball was inbounded, the Trojans got three shots at tying or winning the game, including guard Ryan Burts’ 3-pointer that went in and rattled back out as the clock reached zero.

VU improved to 6-0 on the season. The Trailblazers travel to Lincoln Trail in Robinson, Ill., on Tuesday. The game follows the VU Lady Trailblazers
facing Lincoln Trail.