NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Trevecca Nazarene University Men's Basketball Team (16-6, 11-5 GSC) fought through adversity and held on in a nail-biter against the University of West Florida (5-16, 4-11 GSC), securing a 74-72 victory despite missing key players in their lineup.
THE SERIES
With this win, the Trojans completed the regular-season sweep against the Argos and improved to 2-0 all-time in men's basketball against West Florida.
BREAKING IT DOWN
Trevecca entered the contest without two of its key contributors, leading scorer
Jalen Page and top rebounder
NaVuan Peterson, both sidelined with injuries.
The Trojans however showed resilience early on, jumping out to an 11-4 lead in the first six minutes, with no immediate signs of struggle from the missing pieces.
West Florida, however, found its rhythm and responded with a 24-18 run, taking the lead for the first time since being up 4-0.
The Argos shot a perfect 3-3 from deep while holding Trevecca to just 2-8 from three-point range. As a result, the Trojans found themselves trailing at halftime for the first time in 355 days.
The second half was a back-and-forth battle, with neither team able to gain more than a five-point advantage. Every possession was contested, with physical defense and tough finishes at the rim defining the game. The contest remained tight until the final minute, setting up a dramatic finish.
With 24 seconds left,
Mateo Esmeraldo was sent to the free-throw line, making one of two shots to give Trevecca a four-point lead. West Florida answered immediately, as Elijah Wyche drove to the basket and threw down a dunk, cutting the deficit to two points.
On the following inbound,
Jikari Johnson was fouled and sank both free throws, extending Trevecca's lead to four with just 15 seconds remaining.
The game seemed all but sealed, but with nine seconds left, UWF's Shay Davis was fouled on a three-point attempt and converted all three free throws, making it a one-point game.
Trevecca inbounded the ball again, and this time,
Spencer White was fouled. He made one of two free throws, giving the Argos one final chance to either tie or win the game.
West Florida had two opportunities—first, Wyche's jumper missed, but the Argos grabbed the rebound and found Davis for a potential game-winning three-pointer. His shot rimmed out as time expired, sealing Trevecca's victory.
THE PLAYERS
Jikari Johnson stepped up in the absence of key players, leading the Trojans with 24 points, including clutch free throws down the stretch.
Caleb Terry delivered a strong performance with 15 points and five rebounds.
Mateo Esmeraldo contributed 12 points and seven rebounds and eight assists.
THE TEAM
Despite missing significant contributors, Trevecca showcased its depth. The Trojans shot 47.4% from the field and dominated the paint with 40 points inside. The defense played a crucial role, forcing West Florida into tough shots in key moments, particularly in the closing seconds.
UP NEXT
Trevecca will stay at home to take on Valdosta State on Saturday at 4:00 p.m.
