VMI 88, Charleston Southern 83   - Full Details

LEXINGTON, Va. - Julian Eleby scored 27 of his game-high 31 points in the second half and point guards Adrian Rich and Keith Smith combined for 30 markers, propelling the VMI Keydets past the Charleston Southern Buccaneers, 88-83, in non-conference basketball action Tuesday night in Lexington, Va.

The Keydets (2-7), who broke a six-game skid with the win, trailed virtually the entire game until Eleby hit a three-pointer with 7:41 left, tying the game at 63. Rich then scored on VMI's next trip down the floor, capping a 15-4 run and giving the Keydets the lead for good.

Eleby's 31 points were a season high, but it was his 27 markers in the second half that were particularly impressive. It tied John Goode (1980 vs. ETSU) for the third-most points scored by a Keydet in any half of play in program history, and was just three shy of the school record in that category.

Rich and Smith, meanwhile, both set career highs with 15 points apiece. The two combined to go 6 of 6 at the free throw line in the final 39 seconds to help ice the win.

QJ Peterson added a double-double with 17 points and 13 rebounds, the first double-double by a VMI player this season.

Charleston Southern (4-5) was led by Armel Potter's 22-point effort.

CSU started the game hot, opening the contest with an 11-2 run and leading by as many as 12 in the opening half. VMI was able to close the period on a 16-5 run, however, and trailed by one, 39-38, at halftime.

Midway through the second half, CSU looked to be in position to pull away, with a 59-50 lead at the 11:58 mark. The VMI defense tightened, however, and after a Buc basket with 10:44 to play, would not allow another field goal for nearly seven minutes. That enabled VMI to launch the game-breaking 15-4 run and take the lead for good.

For the game, VMI finished 25 of 55 from the floor (45.5%) and 12 of 25 from long range (48%). Perhaps most critically, however, the Keydets were 26 of 30 from the foul line (86.7%), including 17 of 20 in the second half. VMI missed just one free throw in the final 14 minutes of action.

CSU was 25 of 59 (42.4%), 13 of 28 (46.4%) and 20 of 27 (74.1%), respectively, in those categories.