CONWAY, S.C.- Trailing 79-62 with less than nine minutes remaining in the contest, VMI responded with a whirlwind 34-9 run over the next six minutes to seize control of the contest on their way to a 107-100 Big South victory at Coastal Carolina. The win is the Keydets' seventh in eight tries, and moves VMI to 10-6 overall, 2-0 in the Big South, while the Chanticleers fall to 8-8 overall and 1-1 in league play.
Senior forward Reggie Williams scored a game-high 38 points along with his 12 rebounds, marking his fourth consecutive double-double. Meanwhile, junior Travis Holmes became VMI's 33rd 1,000-point scorer with his 18-point, 10-rebound performance, joining twin brother Chavis Holmes (20 points) in double figures.
During the decisive run, the Keydets turned up their defensive pressure, generating six turnovers after forcing Coastal into only three turnovers in the game's first 31 minutes. Meanwhile, Williams accounted for 23 points over the final eight minutes, willing VMI to their first win in five tries at Kimbel Arena, and only the second triumph against the Chanticleers in nine all-time meetings.
Leading the way for Coastal was Everage Richardson with 26 points and eight rebounds, while senior guard Jack Leasure poured in 21 points thanks to seven three-pointers.
VMI shot 50% from the field (38-76) in the contest, a season-high against a Division I opponent this season. The Chanticleers countered with 51% shooting (41-80) from the field and an impressive 44% mark (16-36) from beyond the arc. While the Keydets shot only 30% (9-30) from beyond the arc, VMI hit 22 free throws on 31 attempts for 71%, while the Chanticleers hit only had only two points from the charity stripe, shooting 22% on 2-9 shooting.
The 17-point deficit overcome by the Keydets replaces an eight-point deficit that the team came back from against Newport News Apprentice as the largest comeback for VMI this season. It is also the team's second win this year when trailing with five minutes remaining.
The Keydets now stand at 4-3 in opposing gyms and are 2-0 to start conference play for the first time since 1998-99, when VMI knocked off UNC Greensboro and East Tennessee State to start their Southern Conference campaign. The team's 10-6 start is also the team's best start to a season in a decade.
The win sets up an early-season Big South showdown with two of the League's hottest teams on Saturday afternoon, as UNC Asheville, winners of four of their last five, visit Cameron Hall to open VMI's home Big South slate at 1 p.m.
