VMI Holds Off Bulldogs 114-105

ASHEVILLE, N.C. ? VMI placed five players in double figures as the Keydets downed UNC Asheville 114-105 in Big South Conference action at Justice Center Saturday night.

The Bulldogs (3-5, 1-1 BSC) were led by a career-high 29 points from Reid Augst. John Williams added a career-best 18 points. Jason Ridenhour posted the first double-double of his career with 15 points and 13 rebounds. Both were career-highs for the junior forward. Sean Smith contributed 17 points. Freshman guard J.P. Primm had a double-double with 14 points and career-high 13 assists. Prim just missed tying the school record for assists which is 14 held by Jeff Lippard in the 1989-90 season.

VMI (6-2, 2-0 BSC) was led by Chavis Holmes with 29 points. Travis Holmes finished with 26 points, seven assists and six steals. Austin Kenon and Keith Gabriel added 17 points each. Michael Sparks came off the bench to contribute 15 points. The Keydets are 6-2 for the first time since the 1976-77 season.

The Keydets shot 59 percent (39-of-66) from the field and 56 percent (15-of-27) from the three-point line. The Bulldogs shot a season-high 56 percent (36-of-64) from the field and 57 percent from beyond the arc (16-of-28). UNC Asheville's 16 made three-pointers is a new school record breaking the mark of 14 set in the 1992-93 season against Winthrop.

The 219 combined points was the most scored in a Big South Conference game involving UNC Asheville. The Bulldogs lost for the first time scoring more than 100 points since the 1972-73 season when they lost to Barber-Scotia 105-102.

The difference in the game was turnovers. UNC Asheville committed 20 turnovers that turned into 32 VMI points. The Keydets had just nine turnovers and the Bulldogs scored just 11 points.

“We turned it over way too much,” commented Bulldog coach Eddie Biedenbach. “We have to do a better job of handling the basketball. Our guys battled hard tonight against a very good VMI team but we let them (VMI) shoot too many open shots. We'll get better and learn from this game.”

The Keydets led for most of the game but were up just two at 64-62 after Matt Dickey knocked down a three-pointer at the 15:21 mark. The Bulldogs were within 76-72 at the 11:27 mark when VMI delivered the knockout blow. The visitors went on a 16-4 run over the next four minutes to lead 92-76. The Holmes brothers combined for 13 points during the run.

The Bulldogs battled back and crept to within eight at 107-99 on a lay-up from Primm with 1:27 remaining. Chavis Holmes scored on a lay-up and got two free throws over the next 30 seconds to seal VMI's third straight win at Justice Center.

In the first half, Asheville jumped out to a quick seven point lead at 10-3 but VMI quickly responded when Gabriel got in the game. He knocked down two quick treys and the Keydets raced to a 29-22 advantage.

The rest of the half had the Bulldogs closing in on VMI and tying the game three times but each time the Keydets would respond and build a small lead. Gabriel had 17 points in the opening half and was 5-of-6 from beyond the arc.

Asheville got a great opening half from Smith with 14 points. He knocked down four treys. Williams had 12 points in the first period, including a resounding dunk to end the first half and allowed the Bulldogs to cut the lead to 54-50 at intermission. Primm had seven assists in the opening half. Ridenhour had a career-best 10 rebounds in the first half.

VMI was 21-of-40 from the field and 9-of-16 from the three-point line in the opening half. The Bulldogs were almost as good as they went 18-of-36 from the field and 8-of-16.

Asheville out-rebounded the Keydets 37-22.

UNC Asheville has a week off for exams and will play next a week from Saturday (Dec. 13) when the Bulldogs host Division II power Catawba at 4:30 p.m. VMI entertains Campbell Tuesday night at Cameron Hall starting at 7 p.m.

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Players Mentioned

Reid Augst

Matt Dickey

J.P. Primm

Jason Ridenhour

Sean Smith

John Williams

University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics