Cowley College (Kan.) heads up the Top 25. Southeastern Illinois College, which hosts VU (6-1) on November 25 and visits Vincennes on December 6, was fifth in the first NJCAA regular-season poll. The Falcons also participated in the recent Kiwanis Invitational Classic but didn’t meet up with host VU.

Southeastern Illinois College follows the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith at No. 2, Chipola College (Fla.) at No. 3 and Indian Hills Community College in the fourth slot in the national rankings.Southeastern Community College in West Burlington, IA., received Honorable Mention status in the national poll.

The Trailblazers travel to play the 6-0 Blackhawks on Saturday. VU travels to Mineral Area College in Park Hills, Mo., on February 7. The Cardinals sit at No. 19 in the season’s first rankings.

The next poll will be released Tuesday, November 25.

The complete rankings are as follows:

1.      Cowley County Community College

2.      University of Arkansas-Fort Smith

3.      Chipola College

4.      Indian Hills Community College

5.      Southeastern Illinois College

6.      Northeastern Junior College

7.      College of Southern Idaho

8.      Paris Junior College

9.      Midland College

10.     Vincennes University

11.     Northwest Florida State College

12.     South Plains College

13.     Iowa Western Community College

14.     Salt Lake Community College

15.     Arizona Western College

16.     Blinn College

17.     Hutchinson Community College

18.     Walters State Community College

19.     Mineral Area College

20.     North Dakota State College of Science

21.     Monroe College

22.     Brunswick Community College

23.     Collin County Community College

24.     Miami Dade College

25.     Itawamba Community College

November 18, 2008

VU Dropped a 68-56 Decision at Lincoln Trail College

ROBINSON, Ill. – The Vincennes Trailblazers’ road woes were finally too much to overcome Tuesday night as VU dropped a 68-56 decision at Lincoln Trail College.  The Trailblazers (6-1) shot only seven free throws – none in the first half – as compared to the host Statesmen’s 23-for-27 performance at the line.

Lincoln Trail (3-4) also outrebounded VU 31 to 19. Fifteen of Lincoln Trail’s caroms were on the offensive end. "We let them control everything tonight and, when you're not focused on playing, this is the result,” said VU coach David Ragland. “There’s no excuse. We deserved to lose. "

The loss was the latest in a string of games that VU had to gut out at the end. The Trailblazers escaped with tight road wins at Olney Central and Kaskaskia College earlier in the season and slipped by Allegany College of Maryland at home in the recent Kiwanis Invitational Classic. Johnie Davis came off the bench to lead VU with 14 points. J.P. Olukemi added 11 while DeAntre Jefferson and Cordell Passley each had eight  points. Aaron Weeden led Lincoln Trail with 21 points and Anthony Griffis finished with 20. The Statesmen’s 17-6 run over the final eight minutes of the first hal  put VU in a hole of which the Trailblazers were able to mostly climb out. 

VU trailed 29-26 at half, after leading 20-12 before the Lincoln Trail tear began.  After the break, Vincennes was unable to match Lincoln Trail’s energy level. Griffis picked up in the second half where he left off in the first by sinking the final two of six consecutive free throws and then Weeden followed up with a jumper to put the Statesmen up 37-26. Davis finally got VU’s first points of the half at the 15:33 mark.

A short time later, Cordell Passley hit Davis with a lob pass and Passley hit a jumper to ignite a 7-0 streak by VU. Lincoln Trail called timeout to try to quash the Vincennes run that had pulled the Trailblazers within four. VU was within two at 49-47 with 6:46 remaining, but a Trailblazer turnover led to Weeden scoring again and Lincoln Trail’s Mike Relerford added a bucked to stretch the lead back to eight at 55-47.

The Statesmen were never in jeopardy after that point. The Trailblazers now travel to Southeastern Iowa for an 8 p.m. tip-off on  Saturday.