Blackburn Battles Back but Falls

CARLINVILLE, IL — The Blackburn men's basketball team took on Lyon College and battled throughout but ultimately fell short, 78–67.

The leading scorers for the Beavers were freshmen Evan Jordan and Jaylen Jeter, junior Kamerin Carter, and senior Darius Duff. Jordan led the way with 23 points and five rebounds, while Jeter contributed 15 points, four rebounds, and two assists. Carter added 10 points, and Duff finished with 11 points.

The opening minutes were defensive in nature for Blackburn, highlighted early by Duff's presence in the paint, including a block and the team's first basket to tie the game at 2–2. Despite some early turnovers, Blackburn stayed within striking distance and began to find momentum midway through the first half.

A key stretch came around the 15-minute mark when Carter knocked down a three-pointer, followed shortly by a three from Jordan, giving Blackburn a brief 10–6 advantage and showcasing the team's ability to capitalize on Lyon mistakes. Blackburn's defense also created opportunities, with steals from Jeter, Jordan, junior Camden Nelson, and Duff fueling transition chances.

However, Lyon responded with a sustained run late in the first half. Despite strong efforts from Jordan, who scored both inside and from deep, and Jeter, who provided energy off the bench, Blackburn went into halftime trailing 43–26 after Lyon closed the half with several three-pointers and transition buckets.

Coming out of the locker room, Blackburn showed renewed energy. Jordan scored early, and Duff finished inside and assisted on another Jordan three, cutting into the deficit. Blackburn continued to chip away throughout the second half, leaning on aggressive rebounding and second-chance points. Jeter was especially impactful, scoring on layups, tip-ins, and getting to the free-throw line as Blackburn trimmed the margin to single digits multiple times.

With just over six minutes left, Blackburn pulled within 64–54, sparked by Jeter's tip-in and free throw, followed later by baskets from Carter, junior Payton Cook, and Duff. Blackburn's defensive pressure forced turnovers and created extra possessions, but Lyon consistently answered with timely shooting to maintain control.

In the final minute, Blackburn continued to compete, getting a late basket from junior Kcion Welch and defensive rebounds from Jordan, but the early deficit proved too much to overcome, resulting in a 78–67 loss to the Scots.

The Beavers return home Saturday to take on the Owls of MUW, with tipoff scheduled for 3:00 p.m.