LEXINGTON, Va. – The VMI men's basketball team outscored visiting Western Carolina University 48-24 in the second half Wednesday night to roll to an 87-61 Southern Conference victory from Cameron Hall. The Keydets are 9-1 at home this season, with the only loss by just two points.

The Keydets trailed by seven points (35-28) late in the first half but finished on an 11-2 run to lead 39-37 at intermission. The Catamounts tied the game at 41 before a 13-0 VMI surge, fueled by eight points by sophomore guard Sean Conway, opened a double-digit lead that the hosts would not relinquish.

VMI shot 61 percent (19-31) from the floor after intermission, including a 7-12 mark (58%) from three-point range. The Keydet defense held Western Carolina to just 24 percent (8-33) shooting overall and 18 percent (2-11) from distance over that same span. For the game, VMI shot 50 percent (31-62).

Senior Greg Parham, the SoCon Player of the Week the last two weeks, scored a game-high 23 points with six rebounds. He drilled 5-of-7 three-point attempts and has scored over 20 points in seven straight contests and nine overall this season. Jake Stephens had 12 points, nine rebounds and four assists while Myles Lewis contributed 10 points, seven rebounds and three blocked shots. Conway nailed four three-pointers and finished with 14 points and Kamdyn Curfman had 10 points, four assists and two steals. Trey Bonham filled up the stat column with nine points, a season-high seven assists, three steals and no turnovers.

Mason Faulkner paced WCU (7-8/0-6 SoCon) with 15 points and six rebounds. Cory Hightower had nine points while Xavier Cork and Tyler McGhie each had eight.

VMI defeated WCU for the fifth time in the last six meetings

The Keydets (9-8/4-4 SoCon) are scheduled to travel to UNCG Saturday for another SoCon game at 7 p.m.

Quotes from head coach Dan Earl:

"I thought it was a tremendous response after halftime. We didn't play great in the first half, but in the second half we were locked in more defensively and we were able to get a couple of turnovers and get out in transition and get some of our shooters Kamdyn Curfman and Sean Conway some shots in transition. Myles Lewis got to the rim - overall a very good second half. We were playing VMI Basketball - active and scrappy on defense and getting out in transition and sharing the ball on offense."
 
"Everyone impacted the game positively with Trey Bonham with seven assists and no turnovers. And DJ Nussbaum had a good impact defensively and was able to score the ball some as well. That's what you are looking for. Guys to continue to improve and stick with it and help the win."
 
"We'll have our work cut out for us (Saturday at UNCG), but if we continue to play the right way, I think good things will continue to happen."