Keydets Begin Busy Week against Greensboro, Mercer

Watch on ESPN+ | Live Stats | Live Audio | Game Notes | Game Program

LEXINGTON, Va. - The VMI basketball team enters its busiest stretch of the 2020-21 season when it plays four games over the next eight days beginning with Tuesday afternoon's home date against Greensboro College in the Keydet Classic at 5 pm. Two days later, the Keydets begin their Southern Conference schedule by entertaining Mercer in a 7 pm tip at Cameron Hall. VMI closes out the homestand with a Sunday afternoon matchup with Hampton University in the Keydet Classic followed by a December 15 home game against Campbellsville-Harrodburg. All of VMI's next three non-conference opponents will be playing the Keydets for the first-time program history. VMI will be looking to bounce back after taking 16th ranked Virginia Tech into the final minutes of regulation before falling 64-57 in Blacksburg, Virginia on December 3.

Last Time Out: Virginia Tech 84, VMI 77
Despite a second career double-double for senior forward Myles Lewis, the VMI basketball team came up a little short in its upset bid at No. 16 Virginia Tech with a 64-57 loss Thursday night at Cassell Coliseum. Lewis garnered a team-high 13 points and logged a season-high 12 rebounds to help VMI to the near upset as the Keydets led with under 10 minutes to play. Down 30-23 at the half, VMI roared back early in the second half with 13-0 run but eventually lost grip of momentum as the Hokies pulled away for the win. Three other Keydets finished the game in double figures as senior Greg Parham had 12 points, junior center Jake Stephens ended up with 11 and freshman guard Trey Bonham registered 10. The Keydets and Hokies battled to a 45-45 tie with seven minutes to play before Virginia Tech eventually grabbed an insurmountable 59-51 advantage with under two minutes left. Keve Aluma led Virginia Tech with 17 points on the night while Tyrece Radford poured in 13.

Last Time against Greensboro College: First meeting

Last Time against Mercer: January 25, 2020
The VMI basketball team tied the score late in the contest, but fell just short Saturday as Mercer University defeated the Keydets 69-66 at Cameron Hall. The game was tight for the entire second half, and a Jake Stephens layup tied it at 61 all with just under two minutes left on the game clock. Kamar Robertson and Djordje Dimitijevic nailed clutch three pointers for the Bears to make it a six-point game and Dimitijevic sealed the win at the free-throw line. Myles Lewis scored a team-high 14 points, grabbed a season-high nine rebounds with two steals. Dimitijevic finished with 25 points, five three pointers and six rebounds for the visitors.

A win over Greensboro would:
--- Move VMI to 3-0 at home

A win over Mercer would:
--- Be VMI's first win over the Bears since February 18, 2019 (84-71)

SERIES HISTORY
VMI vs. Greensboro College
First meeting

VMI vs. Mercer
This will be the 16th meeting between the teams that first met in 2006. Mercer leads the series, 12-3, and has taken six of the last seven meetings. Last year, The Bears claimed the first meeting, 73-62, in Macon on January 15 and edged VMI 69-66 in the rematch January 25 at Cameron Hall.

LEWIS STAYS HOT
Senior guard Myles Lewis produced his second career double-double when he scored a season-high tying 13 points and grabbed 12 rebounds which also equaled a career best. Over the last two games, Lewis averages 11.5 rebounds and currently is tied for fifth in SoCon in rebounding averaging 8.5 per game.

BONHAM HITS DOUBLE FIGURES AGAIN
Freshman guard Trey Bonham turned in his first double figures scoring game against a Division I opponent when he tallied 10 points and helped fuel VMI's strong play in the second half against Virginia Tech Dec. 3. It was the second time Bonham had reached double figures scoring in a contest as he reached the 10-point mark in his college debut against St. Andrews.

STRONG WITH THE BALL
VMI reversed a statistical trend against Virginia Tech Dec. 3 by turning the ball over a season-low nine times. In the first three games, the Keydets had averaged 20.0 turnover per contest.

PARHAM TOPS 20 AGAIN
Senior guard Greg Parham had a 20+ scoring game in back-to-back games for the first time in his career when he scored a season-high 22 points which included four 3-pointers Dec. 1 against Longwood. That followed with 21 points at Penn State last Saturday. Through three games, Parham leads VMI in scoring averaging 18.7 points per game which ranks 5th in the SoCon.

CONWAY CAREER-HIGH PACES KEYDETS IN LONGWOOD WIN
Senior guard Sean Conway scored a career-high 19 points including 12 in the second half, to lead VMI past Longwood 84-71 Tuesday night at Cameron Hall. Conway also grabbed five rebounds and had three steals on the evening.

CURFMAN ON TARGET
Sophomore guard Kamdyn Curfman drained a career-high tying five 3-point shots in a 17-point effort at Penn State Saturday. It marked the fourth time that Curfman had connected five times from beyond the arc.

VMI PLACES SIX IN DOUBLE FIGURES SCORING
Balanced scoring highlighted VMI's season opening win against St. Andrews Nov. 25 as six Keydets reached double figures scoring including freshman guard Trey Bonham. It was the first time since last year's regular season finale at Samford Feb. 29 that VMI had six tally 10+points in a contest.

NEW OPPONENTS FOR 2020-21
VMI will be facing four new opponents in 2020-21 starting with the season opener against St. Andrew's on November 25. Also facing VMI for the first time this year are Greensboro College, Hampton University and Campbellsville-Harrodsburg.

THREE SHOOTING SPREE EXTENDED?
Keydet fans are hoping for a continuation of last season's formidable shooting from beyond the arc. VMI in 2019-20 ranked second in Division I in three-pointers made averaging 10.9 per game, second only to North Florida. VMI hit 18 three-pointers against Samford in the opening round of the SoCon tournament March 6 and for the season connected on 359 threes – third most on the school all-time list.

KEYDET CAPSULE LOOK
VMI returns 10 players from last year's roster including three starters. The 2020-21 roster consists of four seniors, two juniors, four sophomores, and five freshmen.

EARL ENTERS SIXTH SEASON
VMI head basketball coach Dan Earl enters his sixth season as head coach of the Keydets and is moving into some select company in the Keydet all-time coaching ranks. Earl joins Louis "Weenie Miller (1958-64) and Charlie Schmaus (1976-82) as coaches who reached six seasons at the helm. Only Joe Cantafio (1986-94), Duggar Baucom (2005-15) and Bart Bellairs (1994—05) had longer tenures as basketball head coach at the Institute.

Print Friendly Version