NASHVILLE –The Trevecca Nazarene University Men's Basketball team (4-2) faced a challenging start to their Gulf South Conference campaign, falling to preseason No. 1 Alabama Huntsville (5-1) in a closely contested game, 88-83.
THE SERIES
With this win, The UAH Chargers improve to 9-4 against the Trevecca Trojans in Men's Basketball.
BREAKING IT DOWN
Trevecca opened the game with energy, racing to a 5-0 lead behind early defensive stops.
However, UAH's Tommy Murr responded in spectacular fashion, scoring the Chargers' first 12 points to keep them in striking distance.
The two teams traded baskets through the opening minutes, with
NaVuan Peterson scoring eight consecutive points to give the Trojans a six-point lead at the 12:36 mark.
UAH retaliated with a 10-2 run, taking their first lead at 25-22 with 9:17 left in the first half. From there, both teams exchanged runs, but Trevecca entered halftime with a slim 39-37 advantage. This marked the Trojans' ninth consecutive game leading at the half, a streak dating back to February 29, 2024.
In the second half, UAH surged ahead with a 15-5 run, taking a 10-point lead within the first five minutes.
Trevecca fought back valiantly, scoring seven unanswered points in just 1:27 to trim the deficit to three.
However, UAH regained control, rebuilding their 10-point cushion and maintaining the lead into the final minutes.
Trevecca mounted a final push, cutting the lead to two after a clutch three-pointer from
NaVuan Peterson, who set a career high with five three-pointers, with 2:04 remaining.
Despite the effort, a three-pointer from Dane Harding and a layup by Luke Burnett pushed UAH's lead back to seven with one minute to play, allowing the Chargers to secure an 88-83 victory.
KEY PLAYERS
NaVuan Peterson led the Trojans with a season-high 25 points, including a career-high five three-pointers, while grabbing eight rebounds and adding a block.
Jalen Page continued his consistent play, tallying 19 points, six rebounds, and five assists.
Jikari Johnson scored 13 points and grabbed four assists, and added two steals and a block, while going 5-of-15 from the field.
Mateo Esmeraldo provided 12 points, five rebounds, and dished out 4 assists in 28 minutes.
THE TEAM
The Trojans shot 47.0% from the field but struggled from beyond the arc, converting just 26.7% (8-of-30) of their three-point attempts. They capitalized at the free-throw line, making 86.7% of their shots. Defensively, Trevecca forced eight steals and scored 23 points off UAH turnovers. Despite trailing in rebounds (31) compared to UAH's 33, the Trojans matched the Chargers in points in the paint with 42. However, UAH's 60% second-half shooting and a 62.5% three-point clip proved decisive.
UP NEXT
The Trojans return to action on Thursday, December 5, when they travel to face Auburn University Montgomery (3-2) in their next Gulf South Conference matchup.
