East Peoria, Ill. - The Illinois Central College men's basketball team (12-6 Overall, 4-1 Region 24, 1-1 MWAC) was looking to rebound on Wednesday night, and having the loss being just two days ago was perhaps a quick enough turn around for those stars to align. With the Lewis & Clark Trailblazers (2-13 Overall, 0-6 Region 24) as the opposition, the Cougars went to work. After a Cougar three-pointer put them up 12 late in the first half, they never looked back, as the lead would never see single digits the rest of the way, and ICC coasted to a 86-43 win. The 86 points scored by coach Tony Wysinger's crew is the most in a home game for the 2023-2024 season. 

As enjoyable as the game may have ended up being, it didn't get off to an entirely conventional start. See, the Cougars were assessed a pregame technical foul, and the Trailblazers knocked down a free throw for a 1-0 lead before the opening tipoff. After that, though, ICC wasted no time making some crowd-engaging plays, with a Payton Cook dunk getting the scoreboard rolling. Azarion Richardson went on a quality run of his own, hitting back-to-back three-pointers for a 10-4 lead, and jumping up for a big block at the 13:15 mark of the first half. 

The Trailblazers were forced to call their first timeout when Tony Mabon Jr. layed one in for a 13-6 lead with 9:09 to go until the half. Mabon knocked down a trey of his own for a 24-15 advantage. The game's first 10+ point lead came when Israel Bennett hit a three with 1:55 until the break, giving the Cougars a 27-15 lead. ICC's momentum wasn't just on the offense, though. Willie Fragher drew a charge with 1:45 on the clock that gave the Cougars one last burst before eventually taking a 31-17 lead into the locker room. 

After adjustments had been made during the halftime break, ICC went right back to their scoring ways, with an Isaiah Donnell layup and a Richardson lop for a LaColis Ashby Jr. bucket giving ICC a 37-20 lead just two and a half minutes into the second half. The game's first 20-point lead came when Richardson fought his way for a tough lay-in and a 45-24 lead. 

Cougar energy went up a notch when Damuzha Moore knocked down a trey with 12:56 to go, prompting some slapping of the floor to engage the defensive side. Briar Cremeens, just officially added to the roster days ago, drove in for a floater and a 54-31 Cougar lead, his first ICC basket made. 

The Cougars worked the ball around for some quality passing, capped by Cody Marcinko hitting a three-pointer to go up 57-32. The ball movement continued, when Cameron Weed threaded the needle to Ayden Grant for a 61-34 lead at the midway point fo the second half. Marcinko lobbed it up for a Moore layup and the game's first 40-point lead with just 3:23 remaining. Buckets from Moore and Weed capped off the aforementioned highest-scoring output at Ramsey Gym of the year. The next most recent mark was when ICC scored 103 points in a sophomore day win over John Wood last season. 

COUGAR STATISTICS
Tony Mabon Jr. | 18 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals
Azarion Richardson | 16 points, 4 assists, 3 steals, 2 rebounds
LaColis Ashby Jr. | 13 points, 11 rebounds, 3 blocks, 2 assists
Damuzha Moore | 10 points
Cody Marcinko | 6 points, 6 rebounds, 2 steals
Ayden Grant | 6 points, 2 rebounds
Isaiah Donnell | 4 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals
Israel Barnett | 3 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals
Amariyae Wilson | 2 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists
Willie Fragher | 2 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists
Cameron Weed | 2 points, 4 rebounds
Briar Cremeens | 2 points, 2 rebounds
Payton Cook | 2 points

WHAT'S NEXT FOR THE COUGARS
@ Spoon River Snappers (2-14 Overall, 0-5 Region 24, 0-3 MWAC)
Saturday, January 27th - 3:00 PM
@ MidAmerica National Bank Gym - Canton, Ill.
Watch Live (Vimeo)