LEXINGTON, Va. - VMI basketball will close out the month of December Sunday with a road contest at USC Upstate at 2 pm. The game marks the final non-conference game of the year before resuming Southern Conference action against Furman January 1. It will be the Keydets' first visit to the Upstate campus in program history and the schools will be meeting for the second time in as many years after the Keydets claimed the initial meeting of the series last November at Cameron Hall. The Keydets (5-8) enter the contest having won three of their last five games, but fell in their last outing at Virginia Tech, 64-55, on December 21 at Cassell Coliseum.

The game will be broadcast on ESPN+.
 
Last Time Out: Virginia Tech 64, VMI 55 - Dec. 21, 2019
Despite trailing by as little as six with under a minute to play, the VMI basketball team's rally came up a little short as host Virginia Tech escaped with a 64-55 victory over the Keydets Dec. 21 at Cassell Coliseum.VMI (5-8, 0-1) trailed by a 26-18 count at the half but fought valiantly in the second half and scored 37 points in the second to never allow the Hokies to pull away. The Keydets were not granted a single free throw in the entire 40 minutes of competition, marking the first time that has happened in a game since Southern Conference realignment in 1954. VMI also committed 22 turnovers, a season high, after averaging only 11.1 per game on the young season. For the fourth consecutive game freshman Travis Evee led the Keydets with 20 points for the afternoon as he converted five threes, matching the five he scored against Stetson two weeks ago. Fellow freshman Kamdyn Curfman also matched his season high of six three-pointers as he last accomplished the feat against Idaho back on Nov. 15. He finished with 15 points during the game. Hunter Cattoor led Virginia Tech with 14 points on the afternoon while Isaiah Wilkins finished with 13.
 
Last Meeting with USC Upstate: VMI 78, USC Upstate 72 - Nov. 14, 2018
Freshman center Jake Stephens scored a career-high 20 points and the Keydets iced the game from the free-throw line as VMI defeated USC-Upstate 78-72 in non-conference play. Stephens had 12 first-half points as the teams were tied at 31 entering the second half. VMI led 68-64 with less than 1:30 remaining on the game clock when junior Garrett Gilkeson drilled a three-pointer to put the Keydets up seven. The Spartans were forced to foul in the game's final minute, and VMI responded by making 7-of-8 from the free-throw line to seal the win. Sophomore guard Bubba Parham sank all four of his attempts down the stretch, scoring 12 of his 14 points in the second half to go with a game-high seven assists. Stephens
was nearly perfect from the floor, hitting all four of his three-point attempts and 6-of-7 overall in just 20 minutes. Greg Parham posted 12 points, and Myles Lewis had eight points and a game-best eight rebounds. Tyler Creammer added eight points and six rebounds and Sarju Patel nailed 3-of-4 three point attempts and finished with 11 points.
 
A win over USC Upstate would:
--Be VMI's second victory in as many years over the Spartans.
 
SERIES HISTORY: VMI vs. USC Upstate
This will be the second meeting between VMI and USC Upstate in basketball. VMI
knocked off the Spartans, 78-72 last year at Cameron Hall.
 
THREE-BALL REPORT
VMI rebounded from a one-game dip in three-point shooting in its last outing against Virginia Tech by knocking down 13 three-pointers against the Hokies December 21. One game earlier against Ferrum, VMI hit a season-low 24.1% (7 for 29) after entering the game on a scorching pace. The Keydets knocked down a season-high 17 three-point shots in the 98-32 win over Goucher Nov. 26 and have hit 10+ threes in six of the eight games. VMI still ranks first in three-point shooting in the SoCon averaging 11.4 made threes per game.
 
NO FREE THROWS AT TECH
For the first time in program history since Southern Conference realignment in 1954, VMI did not attempt a free throw against Virginia Tech Dec. 21 and set a new single game mark.