aj clark vs. mercer
Cate Wilson

Men's Basketball

Keydets return home to face Western Carolina

LEXINGTON, Va. – The VMI basketball team returns home after a two-game SoCon road swing to face Western Carolina Wednesday night at 6 p.m. at Cameron Hall.
 
Broadcast Information
Watch on ESPN+  |  Live Stats | Game Program

Quick Hits
* The Keydets are coming off a 91-66 loss on the road at Chattanooga this past Sunday, a game delayed by a day due to weather in the area. VMI pulled to within 18 points late in the second half but could not mount the comeback as the Mocs made enough plays down the stretch to keep the Keydets at bay
* The Keydets are one of the best free-throw shooting teams in the league and rank second in the SoCon at 74.1 percent
* VMI runs a high-scoring offense that ranks fifth in the SoCon in points per game at 77.0 ppg spurred by 12.0 offense rebounds a game, fourth-best in the league. On the other end of the court, the Keydets cause turnovers and rank third in the league in steals at 8.2 per game.
* Tan Yildizoglu directs the offense and averages 4.5 assists per game, third-best in the league
* TJ Johnson ranks fourth in the league in minutes per game at 31.4. One of VMI's top defenders, he is averaging 1.5 steals per game to rank sixth in the league.
*  Augustinas Kiudulas ranks fourth in the league in offensive rebounds per game at 2.3 and sixth in defensive rebounds per outing at 4.4. At 15.6 points per game, he is presently eighth in the conference in scoring
* AJ Clark is fifth in the league in steals per game at 1.6 and fourth in assist/turnover ratio at 3.20
* Rickey Bradley, Jr. ranks sixth in the SoCon in minutes per game at 31.0 and 10th in points per game at 14.8. He recently put up a career-high 30 in a close loss to Mercer on January 4.
 
A win over Western Carolina would ...
-- Improve VMI to 7-11 on the season and mark the Keydets' first league win of the season 
-- Snap a five-game losing skid versus Western Carolina
-- Be VMI's 30th all-time win against the Catamounts
 
About Western Carolina (5-10, 1-3)
Similar to the Keydets, the Catamounts have endured an up-and-down season by claiming five wins to 10 losses on the year but did pick up their first conference win of the year Sunday by defeating Mercer, 85-82, at home.  The Catamounts opened conference play with three losses to Furman, Samford and Wofford. Both the Keydets and Cats have a mutual win over Bellarmine this season. Three of WCU's losses this year have come to the likes of P4 members Wake Forest, Florida State and Tennessee.
 
Bernard Pelote leads the Catamounts averaging 13.1 points per game while Cord Stansberry is close behind at 11. 3 ppg. Pelote also leads the squad in rebounding at 7.7 rpg.
  
All-Time Series History vs. Western Carolina (29-41)
In a series dating back to 1978, the Keydets and Catamounts have squared off 70 times on the hardwood with Western Carolina owning 41 wins to VMI's 29. The Keydets look to pick up their 30th all-time win versus the Catamounts and look to end a five-game winning streak by WCU in the series.  VMI's last win over the Cats happened on February 4, 2022, a close 76-69 win at Cameron Hall.
 
Last Time Out: Chattanooga 91, VMI 66 – Wednesday, Jan. 15 – Chattanooga, Tenn.
The VMI basketball team wrapped up an extended road trip with a 91-66 loss to host Chattanooga Sunday afternoon at McKenzie Arena in Chattanooga, Tennessee. With the loss, VMI falls to 6-11 overall and 0-4 in SoCon play while the Mocs improve to 10-7, 2-2 in league action.
 
Augustinas Kiudulas led the Keydets with 20 points during the contest and also finished with 10 rebounds for his third career double-double as a Keydet. Freshman Jaylen Pazon saw significant action during the game as he played for 15 minutes on the floor and took advantage of his time with an impressive showing of 15 points, two rebounds, one assist, a steal and a block.





 
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Players Mentioned

AJ Clark

#5 AJ Clark

G
6' 4"
Sophomore
Rickey Bradley, Jr.

#1 Rickey Bradley, Jr.

G
6' 2"
Junior
Augustinas Kiudulas

#11 Augustinas Kiudulas

F
6' 8"
Sophomore
Tan Yildizoglu

#30 Tan Yildizoglu

G
6' 4"
Sophomore
TJ Johnson

#44 TJ Johnson

F
6' 6"
Sophomore
Jaylen Pazon

#10 Jaylen Pazon

G
6' 5"
Freshman

Players Mentioned

AJ Clark

#5 AJ Clark

6' 4"
Sophomore
G
Rickey Bradley, Jr.

#1 Rickey Bradley, Jr.

6' 2"
Junior
G
Augustinas Kiudulas

#11 Augustinas Kiudulas

6' 8"
Sophomore
F
Tan Yildizoglu

#30 Tan Yildizoglu

6' 4"
Sophomore
G
TJ Johnson

#44 TJ Johnson

6' 6"
Sophomore
F
Jaylen Pazon

#10 Jaylen Pazon

6' 5"
Freshman
G