LEXINGTON, Va. – Facing its only opponent from the Southeastern Conference this season, the VMI basketball team travels to Columbia, South Carolina, to take on the University of South Carolina Monday night at 7 p.m. at Colonial Life Arena.
Although being played in the state of South Carolina, the matchup is the designated opener for both teams' participation in the Arizona Tipoff slated for this upcoming weekend in Phoenix, Arizona.
SERIES HISTORY
VMI vs. South Carolina
Monday's game marks the 11th all-time meeting between South Carolina and VMI, with the Gamecocks leading the series by a 7-3 count dating back to 1912. VMI won the first three contests, including a 26-13 victory in 1912, but South Carolina has claimed the last seven wins. The schools last played each other on December 28, 2000, an 82-68 Gamecock win in Columbia. The game ended a 60-year hiatus as the schools last faced each other during the 1940 season.
QUICK HITS
* VMI is coming off its first win of the season last Thursday when the Keydets defeated Christendom College by an 87-53 count at home in Lexington. Freshman
Koree Cotton earned a season-high 17 points while fellow rookie
Tyran Cook logged a season-high 13 points off the bench
* Junior
Brennan Watkins earned a career-high 24 points against Richmond last Monday, topping his previous best of 14 points from his freshman year. He also had a single game career-best five treys in the loss
* Traditionally a strong three-point shooting team, VMI is ranked first in the league after two games in three-pointers made (18) and third in 3-point field goal percentage (.367).
A WIN OVER SOUTH CAROLINA WOULD ...
--- Snap a 7-game losing streak to the Gamecocks
--- Be VMI's first win over an SEC opponent since defeating Kentucky, 111-103, on Nov. 14, 2008
--- Be VMI's second win of the season and first road win of year
LAST TIME OUT - November 9, 2023 - VMI 87, Christendom 53 - Lexington, Va.
The VMI basketball team rolled to an 87-53 victory Thursday evening against Christendom College (Front Royal, Va.) to open the 2023-24 home season in Cameron Hall.
A total of 11 Keydets scored on the night, including seven freshmen, and 13 players saw action. Freshman
Koree Cotton netted a game and career-high 17 points, and fellow rookie
Tyran Cook had 13 points and added seven rebounds. Freshman
Stephen Olowoniyi had 11 points and six rebounds as the Keydets' top three scorers were first-year players.
VMI scored the first eight points of the game and finished the half on a 7-0 run to take a 43-19 lead into intermission. The Keydets extended a 57-37 edge with 12 minutes left in the second half to an 68-37 lead after an 11-0 surge.
LAST TIME vs. SOUTH CAROLINA - December 28, 2000 - South Carolina 82, VMI 68 - Columbia, S.C.
