VINCENNES, Ind. (Interstat) — The Vincennes Trailblazers used a dominant first quarter and a significant rebounding advantage to remain undefeated, holding off a persistent Roane State Raiders squad 65-58 in a men’s junior college basketball game Friday night.

The game’s decisive stretch came early, as the host Trailblazers raced out to a 36-24 lead after the opening period. Vincennes, now 10-0, established control by capitalizing on Roane State’s cold start, building a double-digit cushion that the Raiders spent the rest of the game trying to erase. The Trailblazers’ offensive efficiency in the quarter, coupled with immediate defensive pressure, set the tone.

Roane State, which fell to 6-5, chipped away in the second quarter, outscoring Vincennes 34-29, but could never fully close the gap. The Raiders’ comeback bid was consistently hampered by the Trailblazers’ overwhelming presence on the glass. Vincennes hauled in 56 total rebounds, including 20 on the offensive end, compared to just 33 total rebounds for Roane State. This massive 23-rebound disparity led to numerous second-chance opportunities and limited Roane State’s own possessions.

The Trailblazers were led by Drae Vasser, who scored 21 points, dished out 7 assists and grabbed 9 rebounds in a near triple-double performance. Dayton Williams provided a formidable interior presence with a double-double of 14 points and 14 rebounds. Jalen Calloway added 18 points for Vincennes.

For Roane State, Jason Robinson came off the bench to provide a team-high 13 points. Dashawn Hall-Johnson and Jordan Hamilton each added 10 points. Adonai Mussie anchored the defense with 5 blocked shots.

Despite the loss, Roane State’s defense forced 11 Vincennes turnovers and held the Trailblazers to just 34.2% shooting from the floor. The Raiders, however, struggled offensively, shooting 37.7% overall and a frigid 15.8% from three-point range. Their offensive rating of 79.3 points per 100 possessions paled in comparison to Vincennes’s more efficient 92.6.

The most critical phase of the contest was the opening quarter, where Vincennes built its foundational lead. The Trailblazers connected on 8 of 22 three-point attempts in the game, with several key makes coming early to establish momentum. Roane State’s effort never waned, as evidenced by a 7-2 edge in steals and 6-2 advantage in blocks, but overcoming the early deficit and the relentless rebounding of Williams and Alex Montes, who had 8 boards, proved too tall a task.

Interstat’s ELO system had projected Vincennes with an 81.6% probability to win.

Vincennes looks to continue its perfect season on the road Saturday against Columbia State. Roane State returns to action on Jan. 14 at home against Chattanooga State.