76-77 teams

Men's Basketball

50-Year Reunion of ‘76 and ‘77 VMI Basketball teams set for January 17

LEXINGTON, Va. – VMI Athletics announced Monday that the January 17, 2026, home basketball game against rival The Citadel will mark the 50-year reunion of the historic 1975-76 and 1976-77 VMI basketball teams in Lexington.
 
Rooted in VMI Athletics lore as the greatest teams in program history due to their deep and unprecedented runs at the NCAA Tournament, many members of those teams will be present the weekend of January 15-17, 2026 when the Keydets take on Mercer (Thursday, Jan. 15) and The Citadel (Saturday, Jan. 17).
 
The 1975-76 team advanced to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament and the 1976-77 team followed up with a run to the Sweet Sixteen the following year. A special halftime ceremony will take place during The Citadel game on January 17 to recognize the teams' achievements.
 
Tip-off for The Citadel game is set for a 7 p.m. start that night instead of a typical 1 p.m. start for a Saturday game.
 
Led by Head Coach Bill Blair, the 1975-76 team earned a 22-10 overall record and 9-3 mark in the Southern Conference en route to VMI's second ever conference title. The Keydets defeated No. 9 Tennessee on March 13 in the 32-team opening round before taking down No. 17 DePaul in the Sweet Sixteen on March 18, 1976. One game away from the Final Four, the Keydets battled hard but ultimately fell to a No. 3-ranked and undefeated Rutgers team in the Elite Eight in the East Regional Final in Greensboro, North Carolina.
 
Under the leadership of new Head Coach and former Keydet Charlie Schmaus '66, the 1976-77 team earned a remarkable 26 wins to go with only four losses in VMI's best individual season in program history. The Keydets earned a second consecutive Southern Conference championship and defeated Duquesne in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament. Finding itself alongside the likes of North Carolina, Notre Dame and Kentucky in the East Regional, the Keydets would come up short against Kentucky in College Park, Maryland. VMI finished the year ranked No. 20 in the final AP poll, which marked the first time VMI had ever been nationally ranked in basketball.
 
Playing in the vaunted venue affectionately known as 'The Pit' – now Cormack Hall – the teams spurred a 36-game home winning streak that lasted until midway through the 1978-79 season, the longest such home winning streak in school history and longest in the NCAA at the time.
 
Many familiar and legendary names in VMI Basketball program history will be present at the event, including:
 
Curt Reppart '76
John Krovic '77
Will Bynum '77
George Borojevich '77
Ron Carter '78
Dave Montgomery '78
Pat Kelley '78 
Kelly Lombard '79
Harlan Niehaus '79 
Jeryl Salmond '79 
 
Coaches:
Head Coach Bill Blair '64
Asst. Coach Kevin O'Connor
Asst. Coach Pete Gillen
 
 
Be sure to purchase your tickets to the big event through the VMI Ticket Office.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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