LEXINGTON, Va. – Despite leading by a 38-32 score at the half, the VMI basketball team faltered in the second half to allow the visiting ETSU Bucs a come-from-behind 72-67 victory Saturday afternoon at Cameron Hall.
 
With the loss, VMI (7-20, 2-12) is now 1-7 on the season in games decided by fewer than five points. The Bucs (23-4, 12-2) took advantage of 28 VMI personal fouls and finished the game going 31-35 from the charity stripe, including an 11-11 mark by ETSU guard Daivien Williamson.
 
Several Keydets played well including freshman Travis Evee, who finished the game with 23 points on 7-12 shooting and 5-for-9 from three-point range. It was his sixth 20-point game of the season. Fellow freshman Sean Conway recorded his first career double-double as he finished with 12 points and 10 rebounds with six of the 10 boards coming on the offensive end.
 
VMI played well in the opening half as the Keydets opened the game going 14-30 from the field (46 percent) and converted seven of 18 three-pointers to gradually build the 38-32 lead at the break.
 
Freshman Kamdyn Curfman finished with 10 points on 4-9 shooting while Myles Lewis and Greg Parham both contributed eight points apiece.
 
The Keydets return to action Wednesday night on the road where they will take on Western Carolina at 7 p.m. in Cullowhee, North Carolina. VMI returns home next Saturday with a matchup against UNCG at 1 p.m. at Cameron Hall.
 
VMI head coach Dan Earl:
 
"I thought we battled throughout. ETSU is a very good team. They play very physical and aggressive. We didn't keep them off the foul line as much as we would have liked to and they create contact, but we have to play without fouling. I was proud of our guys for fighting. There was a little stretch in the second half with about 15 minutes left where they really turned up the tempo and they were more aggressive and we were a little passive.
 
"We're much better when the ball is moving and driving downhill and spraying the ball and there was a 3-4 minute segment when that hurt us in the second half. Aside from that, I thought we played hard, just didn't make enough shots in the second half despite some good looks. But I thought we were competing today."