Game Book: Chattanooga 86, VMI 67

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. - Junior forward Ramon Vila scored 23 points to lead Chattanooga to an 86-67 win over VMI in Southern Conference basketball action Wednesday night at McKenzie Arena.
 
Vila hit 9-of-10 shots from the floor and converted 5-of-6 from the line to extend his double figures scoring streak to 10 straight games.
 
The Mocs raised their overall record to 16-10, 7-6 SoCon, while VMI fell to 7-19, 2-11.
 
The Keydets placed three in double figures scoring and were led by freshman guard Kamdyn Curfman with 13 points. Sophomore guard Connor Arnold dropped in 11 second half points that included a trio of threes while freshman guard Travis Evee chipped in 10 points.
 
Chattanooga led for almost 38 minutes of the contest and was nearly flawless at the free throw line, draining 23 of 24 attempts while controlling the glass with a 39-25 advantage in rebounding.
 
VMI trailed by just a 30-26 count with over three minutes left in the first half before the Mocs closed out the period with a 9-0 burst to take a 13-point lead at the break. UTC outrebounded VMI 22-11 in the opponent half which included seven offensive rebounds that led to 11 second chance points.
 
The Keydets responded by opening the second half with six straight points and trimmed the deficit to 39-32 following a Curfman layup with 17:39 left. The Mocs then embarked on a 21-5 run over the next 6:49 of regulation to break the game open and took their biggest lead of 23 points (76-53) with 4:45 remaining.
 
Joining Vila in double figures scoring were graduate transfer guard Matt Ryan (17 points), guard David Jean-Baptiste (11 points) and forward Stefan Kenic (10 points).
 
VMI was 11-of-29 from beyond the arc for their 13th game of 10+ three-pointers this season.
 
The Keydets return home Saturday to take on ETSU in a 1 pm tip-off at Cameron Hall.
 
VMI Head Coach Dan Earl -
 
"I thought we were dialed in and ready to go and they (Chattanooga) took the fight to us more than we did to them. One of the keys was slowing down Vila and Ryan and we were not able to do that."
 
"We had a little spurt at the start of the second half and made things interesting, but they were able to get to the free throw line and banged in some threes which hurt us. We just have to be tougher throughout."