tatum vs. j&w
Nathanial Barbee, VMI Athletic Communications

Men's Basketball

VMI travels to USI and Mizzou for first road trip

LEXINGTON, Va. – After a dominant 122-58 season-opening victory Monday night against Johnson & Wales, the VMI basketball team will take its first road trip of the season to the central time zone to face the University of Southern Indiana and the University of Missouri this weekend.
 
The Keydets will face the Screaming Eagles Friday night at 8:30 p.m. EST in Evansville, Indiana,  before a quick turnaround to head to Columbia, Missouri, for a showdown with SEC power Mizzou Sunday at 4:30 p.m. EST.
 
Broadcast Information
VMI vs. Southern Indiana (Friday, 8:30 pm)        Watch on ESPN+ | Live Stats
VMI vs. Missouri (Sunday, 4:30 pm)          Watch on SEC Network | Live Stats
 
Freshman Mario Tatum, Jr. led the Keydets with 23 points Monday night versus J&W while redshirt sophomore Walker Andrews contributed a career-high 22. Juniors TJ Johnson and Tan Yildizoglu recorded their first career double-doubles en route to the 64-point victory, which tied for the seventh largest margin of victory in program history.  

About Southern Indiana (0-1)
The Screaming Eagles opened the 2025-26 season Wednesday night in Indianapolis where they took on perennial power Butler and suffered an 88-58 defeat to the Bulldogs.
 
Kaden Brown – a Grand Valley State transfer – led the team with 13 points on the night while Trey Thomas and Cardell Bailey both accounted for 11 points. Ismail Habib also earned double figures during the game with 10 points.
 
Triton College transfer forward Tolu Samuels led USI with six rebounds throughout the contest.
 
USI features an almost entirely new roster this season with all but three players transferring in from other programs.
 
About Mizzou (1-0)
The Tigers opened the season Monday night at Howard in Washington, D.C. and left with a comfortable 88-67 victory to begin the year with a win. Mizzou will face Southeast Missouri (SEMO) Friday night in Columbia before hosting the Keydets Sunday afternoon.
 
Shawn Phillips, Jr. led the team with 16 points at Howard while Jayden Stone contributed 13.  Jacob Crews also finished in double figures with 10 points on the night.
 
Senior Mark Mitchell was one of 50 players nationwide named to the Oscar Robertson Trophy Preseason Watch List and was also listed on the Preseason All-SEC Team. Anthony Robinson II was named a team captain alongside Mitchell during the summer.
 
Mizzou defeated Big 12 power Kansas State by a 100-91 score in an exhibition a few weeks ago. The Tigers were picked to finish seventh in the Preseason SEC poll by the league's media, its highest prediction in eight years.
 
 
 
 
 


 
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Players Mentioned

Walker Andrews

#14 Walker Andrews

G
6' 1"
Redshirt Sophomore
TJ Johnson

#44 TJ Johnson

F
6' 7"
Junior
Tan Yildizoglu

#30 Tan Yildizoglu

G
6' 4"
Junior
Mario Tatum, Jr.

#2 Mario Tatum, Jr.

G
6' 3"
Freshman

Players Mentioned

Walker Andrews

#14 Walker Andrews

6' 1"
Redshirt Sophomore
G
TJ Johnson

#44 TJ Johnson

6' 7"
Junior
F
Tan Yildizoglu

#30 Tan Yildizoglu

6' 4"
Junior
G
Mario Tatum, Jr.

#2 Mario Tatum, Jr.

6' 3"
Freshman
G