VMI Closes Out Basketball Season With 69-61 Win Over High Point

Men's Basketball VMIKeydets.com

VMI Closes Out Basketball Season With 69-61 Win Over High Point

LEXINGTON, Va. ? VMI freshman forward Reggie Williams hit eight of 11 shots from the floor and scored 19 points to lead VMI to a 69-61 win over High Point Saturday afternoon at Cameron Hall.

The Keydets, who defeated the Panthers for the first time in the five game series, finished the year 9-18 and 3-13 in Big South play. VMI will not participate in next week's Big South Tournament.

High Point dropped its third straight game and finished the regular season (12-17, 7-9 Big South). High Point's first round opponent will not be determined until the completion of conference play Saturday night.

Sophomore guard Matt Coward scored 11 points and dished out six assists for the Keydets while junior forward Preston Beverly grabbed eight rebounds.

High Point was led by junior guard Mark Wilson with a game-high 11 points while Landon Quick added 14 points for the Panthers.

The game opened with a couple of early ties before the Keydets reeled off a 12-4 run capped by a Beverly lay-up at the 11:19 mark to put the Keydets up, 16-8. The lead grew to as much as 12 point in the first half on two occasions ? the latest at the 3:05 mark with Matt Murrer hit a lay-up to give VMI a 28-16 advantage.

The Panthers closed the opening half with a 7-0 run to cut the VMI lead to 28-23 at the break. High Point picked up where it left off early in the second half and closed the gap to 33-31 when Arizona Reid hit a put-back lay-up with 16:34 left.

VMI answered with a 11-5 run to push the margin back to eight points, 44-36, but the Panthers roared back to take their first lead on Wilson's three-pointer from the right wing to give High Point its first lead of the day, 57-56, with 4:24 remaining.

The HPU lead was brief; however, as VMI's Fred Robinson converted a lay-up 31 seconds later to put VMI up for good.

The Keydets hit seven of eight free throws in the final minute to hold off the Panthers, who had their last rally turned aside when, trailing by five with 33 seconds left, Wilson had a lay-up wiped away by an charging foul.

The Keydets converted 21 of 24 free throws for 87.5% and registered seven blocks, including a career-high five blocks by senior center Tim Allmond who was playing in his final VMI game.

VMI HEAD COACH BART BELLAIRS ? “I think everyone who went out there today contributed. We had some high expectations this year but we didn't quite have the chemistry ? we had a key injury. But Tim Allmond was huge in this game. He played tremendous ? he was a go-to guy and hit some pressure free throws. Sam Mielnik is the epitome of VMI ? what the young man lacks in talent he just plays so hard and he's so coachable and such a great person. It's a great way to finish the season.”
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