Keydets Run to First Win 104-89 over South Dakota State

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Keydets Run to First Win 104-89 over South Dakota State

COLUMBUS, Ohio- Career-highs for junior Reggie Williams and senior Fred Robinson helped VMI cruise to their first win of the season, a 104-89 victory over South Dakota State in the seventh-place game of the BCA Classic, held at the Value City Arena in Columbus, Ohio.

Williams collected 21 first-half points on his way to 36 in the contest, the fifth-highest total by a single player in Keydet history. Robinson continued his breakout campaign with his second career-high total in the three-game tournament, posting 24 points on 8-of-15 shooting, including 7-of-13 from beyond the arc.

"I was very pleased with today's effort," said VMI head coach Duggar Baucom. "We forced 33 turnovers and took 16 more shots than they did, and good things will happen with those numbers. So much of what we do is predicated on making shots, and we were able to do that today. Fred really gave us a lot of energy today, and Reggie had a huge game. He did a great job on the boards and was able to work to get good shots. He was pressing a little bit in the earlier games, but looked great today."

South Dakota State (0-3) jumped out to a 5-0 lead to start the game, but that was the largest the Jackrabbit advantage would get for the rest of the day. In fact, after a layup by Kai Williams put SDSU up 10-9 with 14 minutes remaining in the half, the Keydets went on a merciless 20-0 run over the next five minutes, establishing a stranglehold on the game that they never relinquished.

The first-half lead would swell to as large as 24 at the six-minute mark, as a three-pointer by Robinson put the margin at 42-18. The Jackrabbits never got any closer than 15 for the rest of the half, as the halftime margin read 58-42.

SDSU scored the opening six points of the second half, cutting the advantage to ten points before the Keydets answered with an 8-0 run of their own, killing the Jackrabbits' best rally of the second half. The rest of the way, the lead would get no closer than 14, as the Keydets rolled to their first win of the season.

Turnovers were certainly the story, as an inexperienced SDSU backcourt was forced into 33 turnovers on the day, including 20 steals by the Keydets. Those turnovers led to 31 VMI points, while the Jackrabbits converted VMI's 15 turnovers into 15 points.

The Keydets regained the marksmanship they flashed in earlier exhibitions, shooting 43% from the field on 39-of-91 shooting, while the numbers were much better from beyond the arc, with VMI converting 15-of-47 attempts for 32%. Meanwhile, SDSU shot only 10% on 2-of-20 shooting, while they made 48% of their shots from the field. The Jacks won the rebounding battle 59-37, but 14 VMI offensive rebounds did lead to 14 second chance points for the Keydets in the win.

Following Williams and Robinson in the scoring column were sophomore Travis Holmes with 16, while senior Matt Murrer was the fourth Keydet to score in double figures, doing so with 10 points.

Williams recorded his second double-double of the tournament, as his 36 points were accompanied by 11 rebounds, three steals and three assists. Robinson also posted a career-high in steals with six, while also collecting four rebounds and three assists. Other highlights included freshman Adam Lonon with seven assists against only one turnover, while sophomore Chavis Holmes had seven points, five rebounds and three steals.

"I thought we played really unselfishly today," said Baucom. "Everybody was able to get into the game and get good looks, and that really led to us having success today."

Leading the charge for SDSU was senior Andy Kleinjan with 23 points, while senior Jose Frias had 20 points, 12 rebounds and six assists in a well-rounded effort. Freshmen Kai Williams (17 pts., 10 reb.) and Blake Yackley (13 pts., 6 reb.) also posted solid numbers in the frantic affair.

The Keydets return to action on Wednesday evening, as they host Virginia Intermont at Cameron Hall at 7 p.m.
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