LEXINGTON, Va. – Junior Jake Stephens and senior Greg Parham each scored 25 points Saturday as the VMI men's basketball team defeated the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga 84-79 in Southern Conference play. The Keydets remain unbeaten in Cameron Hall this season, improving to 6-0.

Parham's point total is a season-high, and Stephens' final tally was just one short of a career-best. Parham added five rebounds and four assists, hitting 3-of-4 three pointers while Stephens nailed 4-of-6 from distance and added nine rebounds and three blocked shots.  

Sophomore Kamdyn Curfman scored 17 points with five assists and Myles Lewis finished with nine points and four boards. Sean Conway compiled five points and seven rebounds. The Keydets hit 10 threes (10-17), the seventh time in 11 games to reach double-figure treys.  

Chattanooga held just one lead the entire game, 17-16 at the 10-minute mark of the first half. VMI was ahead 37-35 at intermission and led 13 with three minutes to play before UTC started to chip away. The Mocs cut into the deficit and trailed just 78-74 with 35 seconds left, but VMI sealed the game at the free-throw line (18-23 for the game).

David Jean-Baptist scored a career-high 29 for Chattanooga (9-2/0-2 SoCon), including 19 in the second half. Malachi Smith had 17 points and 10 rebounds while Stefan Kenic had 19 points, eight rebounds and two blocks. VMI snapped Chattanooga's seven-game road winning streak.

The Keydets (6-5/1-1 SoCon) travel to ETSU Wednesday for more Southern Conference action at 7 p.m.

Quotes from head coach Dan Earl:
"It was good to get back on the winning side of things. It was good to be at home and keep that streak going. I just thought a lot of guys participated in the win today. We're trying to get whoever gets into the game to positively affect the game. Today we got some really good minutes from Ta'Vonne Bond especially on the defensive end and Trajan Fahl gave us some really good minutes. And obviously, Greg Parham, Jake Stephens and Kamdyn Curfman were tremendous today. Overall, a great team win.
 
"Getting to the line is a big thing for us. We want to get there and we shoot pretty well so, if can get there, that's a good thing. Chattanooga does a good job particularly defending the three-point line and they force you to get the ball down in the paint and I thought for the most part our guys made pretty good decisions."