LEXINGTON, Va. - A 20-4 run midway through the first half gave VMI a lead it would not relinquish, as the Keydets powered by the Presbyterian College Blue Hose, 97-78, in a Big South contest played Thursday night at Cameron Hall.
After PC sprinted out to a 22-8 lead, a Joe Carr three-pointer at the 13:09 mark launched VMI on the spurt that gave the Keydets the lead for good. The run included twelve unanswered VMI points, and was helped by five Presbyterian turnovers.
VMI (8-14, 3-9) was led by Stan Okoye and Austin Kenon in the victory, as each player notched 23 points. The home team's 18 three-pointers tied a season-high, and came after the squad misfired on its first eight treys. The Blue Hose were led by Chase Holmes' 21 points, including 13 in the second half.
The Blue Hose got off to a strong start, going up 22-8 just over six minutes into the contest. VMI misfired on its first six field goals while the visitors shot 8 of 10 to open the game, but Carr's three-pointer at 13:09 reversed that trend. Over the next three minutes, PC was held without a field goal as the Keydets continued to switch between 2-3 and 1-3-1 zone defenses, helping them cut the lead to four, 26-22. Michael Sparks then nailed three-pointers on back-to-back possessions, giving VMI the lead for the first time, 28-26 with 10:16 left in the opening period.
The squads exchanged baskets the next several times down the floor, as the visitors were able to cut the lead to one, 32-31, on a free throw by Travis Smith. That was as close as the Blue Hose would get the rest of the way, as VMI opened an 11-0 run with a Keith Gabriel basket and went up 43-31 at the 4:35 mark. The Keydets closed the half strong, opening up an 18-point margin at the intermission, 57-39, as VMI posted its highest-scoring first half of the season. All told, the Keydets closed the half on a 49-17 run and were helped by 44 points from their bench in the opening 20 minutes.
The Blue Hose climbed back within 16 in the opening moments of the second half, as Walt Allen and Jake Troyli scored on consecutive trips down the floor to help the visitors stay close. Allen converted another basket at the 12:15 mark to make the score, 71-54, but VMI broke the game open for good with a 20-2 run. Kenon accounted for 12 points during the push, as he nailed four three's to help VMI put the contest away. The surge gave the home team its biggest lead of the night and the season, 91-56, with 7:40 remaining. PC closed the game on a 15-0 run to help account for the final margin.
The night saw VMI outrebound PC 32-30, including 10-6 on the offensive end. Okoye led the Keydets on the glass, as he grabbed seven boards on the night. VMI had 55 bench points and forced 19 Blue Hose turnovers, leading to a 31-13 edge in points off those miscues.
The Keydets return to action Saturday, as they conclude a three-game home stand by battling Winthrop. Game time is scheduled for 1 p.m., and any updates to the schedule caused by weather will be posted to VMIKeydets.com.
Quotes - VMI Head Coach Duggar Baucom
"The guys were focused, they did a great job of switching defenses, they were very active and had a lot of energy. I'm proud of them. They showed what we can do tonight."
"Our plan was to keep them off-balance by mixing zones - not letting them get set. I thought Steve (Sargent) did a good job of clogging up the middle and I thought Stan Okoye was back like he can play tonight."
"In the second half, that was the Austin Kenon we all know and love. I told him after the game, 'that was a great display.' He said it was about time. That really got us going. That turned a 17-point game into a 30-point game. I thought Michael Sparks and Joe Carr gave us a lift in the first half when we made that run."
"We got off to such a terrible start the first seven minutes, but we certainly bounced back from that."
