Keydets Start Year With a Win

Greg Parham ’21 and Jake Stephens ’22 each scored 25 points as the VMI men’s basketball team defeated the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga 84-79 in Southern Conference play.

The Keydets remain unbeaten in Cameron Hall this season, improving to 6-0. Parham’s point total is a season-high, and Stephens’ final tally was just one short of a career-best. Parham added five rebounds and four assists, hitting 3-of-4 three-pointers while Stephens nailed 4-of-6 from distance and added nine rebounds and three blocked shots.

Kamdyn Curfman ’23 scored 17 points with five assists, and Myles Lewis ’21 finished with nine points and four boards. Sean Conway ’23 compiled five points and seven rebounds.

The Keydets hit 10 threes (10-17), the seventh time in 11 games to reach double-figure treys. Chattanooga held just one lead the entire game, 17-16 at the 10-minute mark of the first half. VMI was ahead 37-35 at intermission and led 13 with three minutes to play before UTC started to chip away. The Mocs cut into the deficit and trailed just 78-74 with 35 seconds left, but VMI sealed the game at the free-throw line (18-23 for the game).

David Jean-Baptist scored a career-high 29 for Chattanooga (9-2/0-2 SoCon), including 19 in the second half. Malachi Smith had 17 points and 10 rebounds while Stefan Kenic had 19 points, eight rebounds and two blocks. VMI snapped Chattanooga’s seven-game road winning streak.

Through 11 games, Curfman was hitting 48.5 percent from 3-point range—which ranks second in the league. VMI continues to shoot three-pointers at a brisk pace and is second in the SoCon, averaging 11.3 three-point goals per game.

The Keydets’ Jan. 6 contest versus ETSU was postponed as was the Jan. 9 game versus Furman. The team is scheduled to face Wofford at home Jan. 13.

This article was first published at vmikeydets.com, where you can find schedules, results, and ticket information.