VINCENNES, Ind. - Reeva Hammelman knocked down a jumper and hit a pair of free throws in back-to-back possessions to help get the Vincennes University women’s basketball team rolling Saturday evening.

The latter gave the Lady ‘Blazers a 12-10 lead over visiting John A. Logan with 4 minutes, 4 seconds left in the first quarter. VU never relinquished the lead in an 86-66 District P win over the Lady Vols.

With the win, the Trailblazers improve to 13-5 overall and 7-1 in district play.

“We changed our style of play completely and it helped,” VU coach Harry Meeks said. “We were able to get after it and get some layups which makes your shooting percentage look a lot better.”

The Trailblazers defense forced the Lady Vols into 29 turnovers for the game.

VU led 26-15 after the first quarter before pushing the advantage to 50-28 at the break.

A long jumper from Jhala Henry gave the Trailblazers their largest lead of the game at 66-37 with 1:50 left in the third.

Then Logan started to chip away.

The Vols would eventually pull to within 79-66 with 3:20 left in the game before VU scored the final nine points of the game.

“I thought our defense played pretty good the whole game except for when they went on that run to cut it to 13 points,” Meeks said. “But I know the history of Logan and they are always good and they are a team that is never going to quit.”

The Trailblazers used balance scoring in the win as seven players scored between seven and 16 points.

Henry led the way with 16 points, while Hammelman and Jaynice Stovall added 14 and 11 points respectively.

Ivanda Hudjakova added nine points and a game-high 12 rebounds, while Nickelle O’Neil, Jocelyn Thompson and Cristina De La Cruz all came off the bench to score eight points apiece.

Freshman Grace Yocum got her first collegiate start as Fess Hawkins missed the game to attend a funeral.

Ten of the 11 Trailblazer players scored in the game.

“That is what we need every night,” Meeks said of his balanced scoring. “Balance is important and you need to have it spread out all over the whole sheet.”

VU also shot 51 percent from the floor (33 of 65).

The Trailblazers’ game on Monday at St. Fair has been cancelled due to possible inclement weather.

VU returns to the court Wednesday at Southeastern Illinois.

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LINK to VU Online Newsroom, click HERE
LINK to VU Athletics, click HERE

TRAVIS DAVID, Assistant Sports Information Director
812-888-6831 office, vuathletics@vinu.edu
MARCIA MARTINEZ, University Life Reporter & Sports Information Director
812-888-4164 office, 314-599-1519 cell, VUNews@vinu.edu, mmartinez@vinu.edu

VINCENNES UNIVERSITY, Department of University Relations, www.vinu.edu/news/newsroom