VMI Returns Home to Face Wofford in Rematch Wednesday Night
The VMI basketball team will open up the month of February action on Wednesday night against the Wofford Terriers at Cameron Hall in Lexington. It will be the second meeting between the team in 14 days after the Terriers prevailed, 66-54, in Spartanburg, South Carolina on January 22. It will also be VMI's first action in a week after falling closely in overtime at Furman, 74-72, on Wednesday, January 29. The Keydets will play eight games in the final month of the regular season with four home dates and four away games. Wednesday's contest can be seen on ESPN+.

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Last Time Out: Furman 74, VMI 72 (OT) - January 29, 2020 - Greenville, S.C.
The VMI Keydets held a lead for nearly 34 minutes in regulation, but the Furman Paladins forced overtime on a 3-point shot by Jordan Lyons with 7.4 seconds left and went on to prevail 74-72 in overtime in Southern Conference basketball action at Timmons Arena. The Keydets appeared poised for their first win in Greenville since January of 2015 when junior guard Greg Parham hit a lane runner with :47 left in regulation to put VMI ahead, 61-58. On the ensuing possession, Lyons missed a 3-point attempt resulting in a subsequent foul on Furman's Jalen Slawson, but the Keydets twice missed opportunities at the free throw line to make it a two-possession game in the final :36 of regulation. Keydet forward Jake Stephens opened up the overtime with a three-pointer to put the Keydets ahead, 65-62. VMI then went scoreless its next four trips down the floor as Furman wrestled the lead back for good on a 7-0 run capped by a layup by forward Clay Mounce with 1:21 left. The Keydets would later pull within 73-72 on a Kamdyn Curfman 3-pointer with 6.7 left in overtime and went for a quick foul on Furman's Jalen Slawson who would convert just one of two free throws leaving the door open for the Keydets with 5.7 left. VMI worked the ball front court, but could not get a shot off before time expired. Lyons, who poured in 40 points the last time the Paladins faced the Keydets at Cameron Hall on January 1, went inside for most of his production in the rematch and finished with a game-high 26 points. Parham scored in double figures for the seventh straight game and led the Keydets with 19 points while Stephens added 12 points.
 
Last Meeting with the Terriers: Wofford 66, VMI 54 - Jan. 22, 2020 - Spartanburg, S.C.
The Wofford Terriers placed four in double figures scoring and led wire-to-wire in posting a 66-54 over visiting VMI In Southern Conference basketball at Richardson Indoor Stadium. The Terriers notched their eighth straight home win and used a quick 11-1 start from the opening tip to establish a lead they would not relinquish. Down 39-27 at halftime, VMI battled even in the second half but couldn't generate a sustained scoring run to turn the tables. Junior guard Greg Parham scored 16 points and grabbed five rebounds to lead the visitors and tallied in double figures scoring for the fifth straight game. Senior guard Garrett Gilkeson added 13 points and freshman guard Travis Evee tallied 12 points for the Keydets. Terrier reserves Messiah Jones and Tray Hollowell provided the big first half scoring punch to help Wofford take control early. Hollowell canned all four of his 3-point tries to spark the outburst and Jones added seven points and five rebounds before halftime. Jones paced the Terriers in scoring with 15 points and grabbed 10 rebounds including five on the offensive glass and finished with his first career double-double.
 
A win over Wofford would:
--- Earn a split of the regular season series
--- End a 14-game skid with the Terriers
 
VMI vs. Wofford
This will be the 24th meeting between the teams that first met in 1970. Wofford leads the series, 17-6, and has taken the last 14 meetings including wins 95-84 (Spartanburg, SC) and 90-76 (Lexington, Va.) last year. VMI last defeated the Terriers, 69-60 on February 10, 2001 in Lexington. The rivalry paused for 11 seasons (2003-04 through 2013-2014) when VMI was a member of the Big South Conference.
 
Parham Doubles Up
Junior guard Greg Parham delivered his seventh straight double figures scoring game when he led VMI with a conference-high 19 points at Furman January 20. The scoring burst began against WCU Jan. 8, when Parham scored 10 points and made his first start since December 7. The scoring string also includes 16 points against The Citadel Jan. 18 in a game that Parham handed out a season-high nine assists. On the season, Parham has ten double figures scoring games and has averaged 13.1 points over his last seven games.
 
Another Close One
The 74-72 OT loss at Furman January 29 handed VMI back-to-back losses by a total of five points over the last two games and moved the Keydets to 1-6 in games decided by five points or less. VMI suffered three losses by a combined six points over its first five games of the season before breaking through with an 89-84 double-overtime win November 17 vs. UC Davis in the Red Wolves Classic.
 
Stephens Shooting on the Rise
Sophomore Jake Stephens has tallied in double figures in five of his last seven games and is shooting 54.8% (17 of 31) from three-point range.