Blackburn Falls to MUW in Hard-Fought Battle

CARLINVILLE, IL — The Blackburn College men's basketball team battled to the final horn but came up just short in an 82–80 loss to the Owls of MUW.

The top performers for Blackburn were freshman Evan Jordan, Jaylen Jeter, junior Kcion Welch, and senior Cayden Paquette. Jeter led the Beavers with 22 points, four rebounds, and three assists, while Jordan followed closely with 21 points, six rebounds, and three assists. Welch added 10 points and led the team with eight rebounds, and Paquette finished with eight points, four rebounds, and one assist.

Blackburn stayed within striking distance early in the second half, using defensive pressure and timely shooting to answer MUW runs. Paquette and senior Darius Duff knocked down key three-pointers to keep the Beavers competitive, while Welch made his presence felt on both ends with steals, rebounds, and finishes around the rim.

Midway through the half, Blackburn pieced together one of its best stretches. Welch converted a layup off an offensive rebound, followed by back-to-back free throws after forcing another turnover. Jeter added a spark with a three-pointer and several strong drives to the basket, trimming the deficit and forcing MUW to stay aggressive offensively.

Despite MUW extending the lead behind second-chance points and perimeter shooting, Blackburn continued to fight. Paquette connected on another three-pointer, Duff converted at the free-throw line, and Jeter added both a layup and a three-pointer to keep the Beavers within reach heading into the final minutes.

Down double digits late, Blackburn refused to fold. Jordan took over offensively, scoring on consecutive possessions with a layup and a three-pointer to cut the deficit to five with under a minute remaining. After another defensive stop, Welch added a tough finish inside, and Blackburn continued to extend the game with aggressive rebounding and defensive pressure.

In the closing seconds, Jeter capped the comeback attempt with a layup at the buzzer, pulling Blackburn within two. However, the rally fell just short, and MUW secured the 82–80 victory.

The Blackburn men's basketball team are on the road to face Spalding university Wednesday evening for another SLIAC matchup.