Stan Okoye scored 27 points, including seven of the Keydets' 15 points in overtime, to lead VMI to the 78-70 win over the Presbyterian College men's basketball team in action this afternoon at Cameron Hall in Lexington, Va.
PC, now 6-6 in overtime games in its Division I history, drops to 7-6 overall and 1-2 in the Big South. VMI improves to 6-7, 1-2.
VMI scored five unanswered to start overtime and led 68-63 with 4:02 remaining. PC cut the margin to three with a jumper by Josh Johnson but a dunk by D.J. Covington took the lead back to five with 3:17 to go. That would prove to be the last field goal for the Keydets as VMI connected on eight-of-eight free throws, including four straight by Okoye, to keep PC from getting any closer and take the 78-70 overtime victory.
VMI, which led by as much as 10 in the second half, held a 59-50 lead with 5:43 remaining and looked to take over but Presbyterian College outscored the Keydets 14-2, which included clutch three-pointers by Khalid Mutakabbir and Johnson, and took its first lead, 63-61 with 1:52 left in regulations, since early in the first half.
The PC offense stalled down the stretch and the Blue Hose couldn't convert a field goal and free throws to put the game away. Gabriel hit the game-tying jumper with 23 seconds remaining. The Blue Hose had the ball at the end but missed the game-winner to send the contest to their first overtime game of the year.
In a fairly closely contested first half, VMI led PC by three, 22-19, with 7:08 to go before intermission, before the Keydets went on a 12-1 run to take the 14-point, 34-20 lead. One of Pierre Miller's four three-pointers in the first half ended the field goal drought for PC at the 4:06 mark.
Miller would throw up another three-pointer, while Josh Johnson would add one of his own as part of a 10-0 PC run to cut the margin to four, 30-34, with 1:36 on the clock. VMI scored the next five of six points, off a three-pointer by Jordan Weethee and free throws by Stan Okoye, to head into the locker room up 39-31.
Leading the Blue Hose was Mutakabbir with his 24 points, just one shy of his career-high. Johnson posted 14, with Al'Lonzo Coleman adding 13. Miller had 12 points, all off of three-pointers. Coleman led PC in rebounds with eight, with Miller close behind with six.
VMI was led by Okoye with 27 points and nine rebounds, followed by 17 points from Keith Gabriel.
PC held the 35-29 advantage in rebounds, including a 13-1 margin on the offensive boards. PC had five more three-pointers, 11-6, but also had two more turnovers, 18-16. VMI scored 26 points off those turnovers, compared to just 11 by the Blue Hose. PC was 11-of-18 from the charity stripe, while VMI was 20-of-23, including a perfect eight-for-eight in the extra period.
PC next takes on Liberty in Lynchburg, Va., Jan. 2 at 7 p.m. While the Blue Hose own a 6-5 mark over the Flames, they have only won once away from home, a 74-60 decision back in 1978. PC defeated Liberty in last season's finale at home, 73-66, for the first win in five tries.
The game can be heard on WLBG 860-AM and www.GoBlueHose.com. John Avery will call all the action with the pre-game show starting at 6:30 p.m.
