VINCENNES, Ind. - A disappointing loss to Southeastern Illinois last Wednesday left a sour taste in the mouths of the Vincennes University women’s basketball team.

The Lady ‘Blazers took out their frustration on Shawnee Monday evening inside the P.E. Complex with a 95-36 romp of the Saints.

Fess Hawkins scored a game-high 20 points to lead four different Lady ‘Blazers in double figures.

“To this minute I still cannot figure out how we lost that game,” Lady Trailblazers Coach Harry Meeks said of losing a six-point lead with 26 seconds left against Southeastern Illinois last week. “But it happened. And it was nice to see the girls come out and start the game tonight the way they did.”

VU (13-6) scored the first 13 points of the game and were never threatened.

The Trailblazers led 28-7 after the first 10 minutes of play and by a commanding 51-23 at halftime.

“We have been working on getting off to a quicker start and that is what we were able to do tonight,” Meeks said.

The VU defense also led to success on the offensive end.

The Trailblazers came away with 21 steals on the night as they forced Shawnee into 43 turnovers for the game.

Jaynice Stovall led the charge with six steals.

“That is one of our goals is to turn people over,” Meeks said. “We are not a great shooting basketball team so if we can get some steals and get some easy shots off of them out in transition that only helps our shooting percentage. That has been a big point of emphasis all season.”

Eleven different Trailblazers scored Monday night and the team connected on 38 of 78 (49 percent) from the field.

Reeva Hammelman (14), Stovall (13) and Ivanda Hudjkova (11) all joined Hawkins in double figures in scoring.

Diamond Fields scored eight points as the Trailblazers received 32 points from their bench.

Cristina De La Cruz and Nickelle O’Neil both finished with seven points, while Grace Yocum added six points.

“Everyone got to play tonight and they all played significant minutes,” the Trailblazers coach stated. “That’s what they all like so it’s nice to see all the smiling faces in the locker room.”

VU takes to the road Wednesday night at Rend Lake.

“I thought we took a step back last week, but tonight we headed back in the right direction,” Meeks said. “We just want to continue to improve from every game.”


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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