VMI Basketball Closes Out Regular Season Saturday at Samford
The VMI basketball team will complete its 31-game 2019-20 regular season schedule Saturday afternoon when it faces Samford in Birmingham, Alabama at 5 pm EST. The Keydets and Bulldogs will get to know each other well over the next week as they will also face each other March 6 in the 8/9 seed first round game of the SoCon Tournament in Asheville, N.C. The winner of Saturday's game will snag the no. 8 seed entering the tourney as both teams hold 3-14 conference records.  VMI and Samford met earlier on January 4 in Lexington with the Bulldogs taking a 78-75 decision. The Keydets will look to snap a two-game skid after falling to Chattanooga Wednesday night at Cameron Hall. Saturday's game will be carried on ESPN3.
 
Last Time Out: Chattanooga 71, VMI 64 - Feb. 26, 2020 - Lexington, Va.
Chattanooga took advantage of early cold shooting from the VMI Wednesday evening in a 71-64 Southern Conference victory. The Keydets trailed by as many as 20 late in the second half, but a furious comeback made it a two-possession game in the closing seconds. VMI finished the game on a 19-8 run and shot 60 percent (18-30) in the second half, 82 percent (14-17) from two-point range.  Chattanooga scored the game's first 12 points as VMI missed its first eight shots from the floor. The Keydets were forced to look for other ways to score as they didn't connect on their first three-pointer of the game until 10:37 of the second half, missing the first 15 treys. Freshman guard Sean Conway paced VMI with 15 points and fellow freshman Kamdyn Curfman added 12 points. Matt Ryan posted game highs of 18 points and eight rebounds for Chattanooga (18-12/9-8). Maurice Commander had 15 points and six boards, Trey Doomes contributed 13 points and seven caroms while Ramon Vila had 12 points and seven rebounds. The Mocs held VMI to 16 percent free-throw shooting (4-25) for the game and hit 23 of 35 from the free throw stripe (66%), compared to VMI's 6-of-10 (60%).
 
Last Meeting with the Bulldogs: Samford 78, VMI 75 - Jan. 4, 2020 - Lexington, Va.
Despite a career-high of 22 points and a season-best 10 rebounds from senior guard Garrett Gilkeson, Samford University defeated the VMI men's basketball team 78-75 in Southern Conference play at Cameron Hall. The Keydets trailed by as many as 14 late in the second half and were down 74-65 with just over two minutes to play. Four free throws from freshman Travis Evee and a three-pointer from Gilkeson cut the edge to 75-72. The Bulldogs made one of two free throws with nine seconds on the game clock, and Evee countered with a trey to cut the lead to 76-75 with five seconds left. Josh Sharkey was fouled and converted both free throws to extend the Samford lead to three, and VMI couldn't get off a potential game-tying three-pointer as time expired. Freshman Travis Evee finished with a team-best 24 points, hitting 6-of-9 threes to go with five helpers. Greg Parham had seven points and five assists and Jake Stephens contributed five points, four rebounds and a blocked shot. Tyler Creammer grabbed eight boards. Senior guard Josh Sharkey paced Samford (8-8/2-0 SoCon) with 25 points, 10 assists and three steals.
 
A win over Samford would:
--- Be VMI's first win over Samford since January 21, 2016 (83-76). 
--- Give VMI its fourth conference win of the year, matching last year's total.
 
VMI vs. Samford
This will be 16th meeting between the schools that first met in 1967. Samford leads the series 13-2 and has taken the last ten in the rivalry. VMI's last win in the series came on January 21, 2016 (83-76). 
 
Conway Provides Boost from the Bench
Freshman guard Sean Conway has stepped up VMI's bench scoring over the last two games averaging 14 points and 3.5 rebounds while shooting 11-of-20 from the floor (55%) and 5-of-12 (42%) from three-point range.
 
Gilkeson Tops Century Mark in Assists
With two assists Wednesday night against Chattanooga, senior Garrett Gilkeson reached the 100 assist mark which tops the team this season. Last year, Gilkeson handed out 88 total assists.
 
Three-Ball Report
VMI experienced a one-game dip in its three-point shooting after hitting a season-low 16% (4-of-25)  against Chattanooga. Prior to that, the Keydets drained three-point shots at a high rate by pouring in double figures beyond the arc in the last four of the previous five games. The Keydets hit 14 three's against UNCG Feb. 22 after posting 13 threes in the 74-71 win at Western Carolina Feb. 19. The Keydets are currently third in the nation in 3-pointers made per game with a 10.6 listing. VMI also hit 16 shots from beyond the arc in the January 4 game against Samford for their most against a Division I opponent this season. VMI has hit 10+ threes in 15 total games this season.