team-rafters 2025-26
Nathanial Barbee, VMI Athletic Communications
58
JWU Charlotte M-30245 0-0,0-0 C2C
122
Winner VMI M-741 1-0,0-0 SoCon
JWU Charlotte M-30245
0-0,0-0 C2C
58
Final
122
VMI M-741
1-0,0-0 SoCon
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
JWU Charlotte M-30245 15 43 58
VMI M-741 58 64 122

Game Recap: Men's Basketball |

Keydets open season with dominant win over Johnson & Wales

64-point margin of victory ties for seventh highest in program history

LEXINGTON, Va. – The VMI basketball team opened the 2025-26 season with a dominant 122-58 victory over visiting Johnson & Wales University (N.C.) Monday night at Cameron Hall.
 
The 64-point margin of victory ties for the seventh-highest margin of victory in program history to match the 98-34 win over Goucher back on November 11, 2018.

Juniors TJ Johnson and Tan Yildizoglu recorded their first career double-doubles in the win. Johnson logged 19 points and 10 rebounds while Yildizoglu registered 10 points to go with 11 assists.
 
 
Game Summary
The Keydets (1-0) made quick work of the Wildcats by opening the game with an 18-0 lead before J&W made a three-pointer at the 13:07 mark to end the VMI run. Junior Tan Yildizoglu made the first basket of the season on a fastbreak following a Wildcat turnover and Linus Holmstrom converted the first VMI three-pointer of the year to give VMI an 11-0 advantage during the run.
 
The Keydets gradually built their lead the remainder of the half to go into the break with a 58-15 advantage.
 
The Wildcats (0-1) showed fight in the second half and scored 43 points to VMI's 64 as the Keydets utilized different lineups throughout the course of the game to give all healthy team members playing time and gametime exposure.
 
VMI freshman Mario Tatum, Jr. made his presence known in his rookie debut to lead the Keydets with 23 points as he went 5-for-7 from three-point range. Redshirt sophomore Walker Andrews scored 22 points as he also made five treys, and junior TJ Johnson was close behind with 19 points during the contest. Jaylen Pazon (12), AJ Clark and Tan Yildizoglu (10) also scored in double figures.
 
 
Key Stats
*VMI took advantage of 19 J&W turnovers to yield 30 points in transition
*The Keydets earned 21 second-chance points on the night and had 22 points on fast breaks to just six for the Wildcats
*The VMI reserves were in full force to account for 70 of VMI's points
* Antonio Perkins led the Wildcats with 17 points by hitting three treys and going 6-11 from the field
 
Up Next
The Keydets will use the week to prepare for road games at Southern Indiana Friday night and SEC opponent Missouri Sunday afternoon
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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