Mt. Vernon proved they can win big two weeks ago (they won by 22) and on Friday they proved they can win the close ones too. They sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 54-51 victory over the Carbondale Terriers. Given the Rams' advantage in MaxPreps' Illinois basketball rankings (they are ranked 52nd, while the Terriers are ranked 357th), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
Mt. Vernon was led to victory by Cale Maurer and David Barnes. Maurer dropped a double-double on 13 points and 13 boards, while Barnes posted 11 points and eight rebounds. Barnes is on a roll when it comes to boards, as he's now pulled down eight or more in the last three games he's played.
Rams
| 01/17/25 vs Carbondale | 54-51 |
| 01/04/25 vs Cahokia | 66-44 |
| 12/20/24 vs Miller Career Academy | 59-42 |
| 12/13/24 vs Centralia | 50-41 |
| 12/07/24 vs Alton | 57-53 |
| + 12 more games |
Mt. Vernon pushed their record up to 10-5 with the win, which was their 17th straight at home dating back to last season. As for Carbondale, they are on a ten-game losing streak that has dropped them down to 6-12.
Mt. Vernon has already played their next match, a 49-43 victory against O'Fallon on the 18th. As for Carbondale, they will be taking part in a tournament against Champaign Central at 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday. Champaign Central is strutting in with some offensive muscle as they've averaged 60 points per game this season.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
