ASHEVILLE, N.C. - Junior forward Reggie Williams scored 34 points and scored a key hoop during a crucial 8-0 run late in regulation to help VMI preserve a 102-97 road victory over UNC Asheville Monday at the Justice Center.
VMI secured its first Big South Conference road win in two years, snapping a ten-game skid that dated back to a 67-54 win at Radford on February 14, 2005.
The Keydets won their second straight game and improved to 9-12 overall and 2-3 in the Big South. UNC Asheville fell to 6-14, 2-4 in the conference.
In a tough, gritty contest that saw 12 ties and eight lead changes, VMI assumed the lead for good with eight straight points to take control late in regulation.
Trailing 92-91, sophomore guard Chavis Holmes hit one of two free throws to tie the game for the final time at the 3:24 mark. The Keydets made three key stops on the next three Bulldog trips down the floor and converted all of them into seven points. A Travis Holmes jumper at the 2:44 mark gave the Keydets the lead they would never relinquish, the Williams followed with a jumper at 2:14 and a Fred Robinson trey from the right wing 40 seconds later capped the run to give VMI a 99-92 win with 1:34 left.
UNCA would close to 99-97 on a three-pointer from Donovan Johnson with :24 remaining, but a Williams free throw and Matt Murrer dunk with :06 left put the game out of reach and gave VMI its second road win of the season.
VMI placed six in double figures scoring. Joining Williams were Travis Holmes (17), Murrer (14), Chavis Holmes (13), Robinson (11) and Willie Bell (11). Williams paced the Keydets on the boards with nine while Travis Holmes, who entered the game leading the nation in steals with (3.6) per game, racked up seven thefts to give him 18 for his last two games.
The Bulldogs were led in scoring by Joey Harrell with 21 points while Sean Smith added 16 points and Vincent James scored 15 points.
It was VMI's first win at the Justice Center in four tries and the Keydets snapped a six- game losing streak to UNCA in the series.
The Keydets overcame a 56-39 deficit on the boards and 17 of 30 night at the line by forcing 29 UNC Asheville turnovers and converting them into 32 points. VMI also generated 19 steals.
VMI led 52-50 at halftime, thanks in part to 10 for 29 three-point shooting.
Williams, the nation's second leading scorer averaging 27.9 points per game, collected his tenth 30+ point game this year on 14 of 20 shooting from the field and four of six beyond the arc. He shared assist honors with Travis Holmes as the pair dished out six each.
VMI returns home Thursday to face state conference rival Radford at 7:30 p.m. at Cameron Hall in a game that was moved last week from a 7:00 start time.
VMI Head Coach Duggar Baucom - "It was the first time all year where we had to make a play, and we made it. Tonight we made plays and got huge rebounds, deflections, timely loose balls. Anytime you can get 19 steals on a conference opponent, that's pretty good. We made 36 baskets and got 25 assists, that's sharing the ball. We did a good job attacking the rim and getting to the line in the second half. We didn't convert them all, but if might have been a little wider spread if we had made our free throws. I thought we really attacked when they really got out and guarded at the three-point line."
