NORTH CHARLESTON, SC - Ben Rand and Radee Skipworth combined to score 43 of VMI's 62 points to lead the Keydets to a 62-56 win over Furman Wednesday in the first round of the 2003 Mountain Dew Southern Conference Basketball Championships. It was the Keydets' first SoCon Tournament victory in five years.
The Keydets (9-19), the fifth-seed from the SoCon North Division, advance to the quarterfinals to play defending champion Davidson, the North's No. 1 seed, Thursday at 6 p.m. The Paladins, the fourth seed from the South, finish the season at 14-17. They entered the Tournament winners of five straight games.
Rand, who produced a career-high in scoring and tied his season high with five three-pointers and was 5-of-6 from long range, gave VMI the lead for good, snapping a 27-27 halftime tie with a triple 29 seconds into the second half. Skipworth scored five points in an 8-1 Keydet blitz which gave VMI its largest lead of the game, 44-33 with 12:08 to play.
Furman was held to a season-low 18 field goals and 31 percent field goal shooting (18-for-58). The Paladins sliced the deficit to five several times in the first half, the last coming on a Guilherme Da Luz three-pointer which made the score 53-48 at 3:34.
After Kenny Zeigler cut the margin to 56-50 with two free throws at the 1:20 mark, the Keydets made 6-of-11 free throws and forced five missed Furman shots to hold on for the victory.
VMI scored eight of the first nine points of the game and led 8-1 at 16:37 of the first half. A 10-4 Furman run, capped by a Karim Souchu layup at 12:48, cut the margin to 12-11. Souchu's three-pointer at 11:29 tied the score at 14-14. A 6-3 Furman spurt gave the Paladins their largest lead of 20-17 with 7:45 left in the first period. The score was tied at 27 at the break.
Skipworth contributed 21 points and six rebounds. Kenny Zeigler led the Paladins with 18 points and 14 rebounds, his fifth double-double of the season. Souchu added 16 points, and Da Luz scored 14.
Souchu ends his Furman career with 2,014 points and is just the fourth player in school history to surpass 2,000 all-time points.
Bellairs, the winningest coach in VMI history, logged his 100th career win at the Institute.
VMI vs. Furman
Postgame Notes & Quotes
Furman head coach Larry Davis: "Obviously, I'd be less than truthful if I wasn't disappointed. We didn't shoot the ball very well. We battled and played hard, but when you shoot poorly from the field and at the free throw line, its not going to get done.
"Over the last five games, we had shot the ball well, which is why he had had our winning streak. Give VMI credit. Their zone was effective and Rand's three-point shooting was probably the difference in the game.
"VMI had nothing to lose. Our guys were ready to play, but if you don't make them, that is the name of the game."
ON HIS SENIORS - "When you have senior players that have delivered in the past, you don't tell them to stop shooting. At tournament time, those are shots that those guys have made in the past. If we play nine more nights, we don't shoot 18 percent from beyond the arc."
Furman senior forward Karim Souchu: "We expected to win and were confident before the game. VMI played great today. We knew Skipworth would score. Defensively, we made some mistakes and didn't shoot the ball well at all.
Furman senior forward Kenny Zeigler: "I don't think we were overconfident before the game. They had a good game defensively. Their coach could have told them that this team (Furman) made it to the final last year."
VMI head coach Bart Bellairs: "I'm really proud of our team. We talked about composure before the game and I think I was the only one not composed. At key times, we did a good job in executing. We beat a very good Furman team tonight.
"As for Skipworth and Rand, they are warriors. We have been so close all year and have overcome a lot of adversity. Now we are using that adversity as motivation. Practice has been very intense.
ON DAVIDSON - "We can't have the score in the 80's or we are in trouble. In the first game, we had a good pace and good shot selection. In the second game, they beat us soundly. That worried me because we had worked so hard before that game.
ON VMI's AFFILIATION WITH THE SOCON - It was very tough decision for our athletic department to make (to leave the conference). We are very proud of our relationship. What quality people are a part of the SoCon. Hopefully, we will continue to play some of the teams in the league.
VMI junior Radee Skipworth: "Tonight feels great. When I was a freshman and sophomore, I had dreams of winning in the tournament. I took it personally when we didn't and put my emotions on my teammates. They are taking it personally now as well."
