LEXINGTON, Va. - Senior forward Matt Murrer scored 25 points and grabbed nine rebounds and junior forward Reggie Williams added 21 points to lead VMI to a 102-88 win over UNC Asheville before a crowd of 3,721 at Cameron Hall Saturday afternoon.
VMI won its second straight game and swept the regular season series against the Bulldogs for the first time. The Keydets raised their overall record to 12-15, 5-6 in the conference. UNCA fell to 8-17, 3-7 in the BSC.
With his 21 points, Williams, who entered the game with a 28.6 points per game scoring average which tied him for the lead in Division I, set a new Big South single season scoring mark moving past Coastal Carolina's Tony Dunkin who scored 759 points in the 1992-93 season. Williams now has 764 points this year.
The Keydets also got 20 points and seven assists from sophomore guard Travis Holmes and 16 points from senior guard Fred Robinson.
For the second straight game, VMI broke open a tight game in the final minutes of regulation to post the win.
UNC Asheville guard K.J. Garland hit a pair of free throws with 7:25 remaining to pull the Bulldogs within two points, 83-81. But the Keydets responded with a 19-7 run for the remainder of the game to post their largest conference win total in a season since joining the Big South in 2003-04.
Travis Holmes started the decisive run with a free throw at the 7:25 mark and added six more points in the spurt including a follow-up layup which pushed the lead to double-digits, 94-84, with 2:50 left. UNCA cut it to 95-88 on a Joey Harrell free throw, but the Keydets answered with seven straight points keyed by another jolt of Travis Holmes energy. The sophomore who leads the country in steals nailed a jumper and followed with a steal and assist that led to a Williams dunk. VMI finished the run by hitting three of four free throws to close out the game.
UNC Asheville placed four in double figures scoring as junior guard Bryan Smithson scored 23 points and hit five three-pointers, including four in the second half that kept the Bulldogs within striking distance. Also scoring in double figures were Garland (21), Vincent James (12) and Reid Augst (10).
The Keydets forced 25 turnovers and converted them into 33 points while UNCA could generate just six points off VMI's 16 turnovers. The Bulldogs held the rebounding advantage, 53-45, and were led led by Harrell with 14.
UNCA built a 40-26 lead in the first half following a pair of free throws by Harrell at the 8:46 mark, but the Keydets outscored the Bulldogs 26-6 for the remainder of the half to assume command 52-46 at the break. Robinson sparked the run with early seven points to trigger the comeback.
VMI will travel to Radford to face the Highlanders Wednesday night at 7:00 p.m. UNC Asheville will host High Point Wednesday night at 7:00 p.m.
Game Notes:
---VMI won its fifth Big South game, the most by a VMI basketball team since joining the conference in 2003-04.
---VMI now has 12 wins, the most since the 1998-99 team that went 12-15.
---The Keydets swept the regular season series from the Bulldogs for the first time and only VMI's second series sweep of a BSC opponent.
---Reggie Williams now stands 15 points from moving into 7th place on the Big South career scoring chart. Williams now has 1,697 career points.
--- Matt Murrer moved into 24th in career scoring at VMI and now has 1,094 points.
VMI head coach Duggar Baucom -
"Our guys just made plays at the end when it mattered. They stepped up and made some big shots and got some loose balls. We didn't shoot the three real well today, but we found a way to score and found a way to get it done so I am proud of them.
"Points off turnovers was pretty big. To create live turnovers where they actually turn into baskets, that's important and I credit the guys."
"We are not the most intimidating bunch to look at, but when they all play together, good things happen, and what a crowd today."
