Presbyterian College used a career night by Walt Allen (London, Ky.) to battle with VMI for 39 minutes but a scoring drought at the end proved too much as the Blue Hose men's basketball team lost a heartbreaker to the Keydets, 80-74, in action at the Templeton Center.
Allen posted career-highs in points with 19, as well as rebounds with 15 in PC's 18th loss of the season (12-18, 6-11). VMI improved to 16-12, and 9-8 in the Big South.
After a back and forth battle the first 10 minutes of the second half, the score was knotted up for the fifth time at 56-56 with 10:21 on the clock. VMI scored seven unanswered and led by seven, 63-56 at 8:33 before PC fought back with a 9-2 run to tie the game at 65-65 with 4:30 remaining.
Both teams traded baskets and with 1:13 to go, the game was knotted up for the ninth and final time. VMI scored the game's final six points, off a three-pointer by Austin Kenon and three free throws by Ron Burks, and held off PC for the 80-74 decision.
VMI and PC combined for just 27 points the first 10 minutes of the first half as the Keydets led 15-12 with 10:20 on the clock. Offense on both sides began to pick up over the next six minutes with a total of 32 points going on the board as the Blue Hose inched closer to the VMI lead and even took it away briefly off a jumper by Khalid Mutakabbir (Suwanee, Ga.) to go up 30-29 with 2:47 ticks left before intermission.
The Keydets used an 11-0 run, sparked by five points from Stan Okoye and a three-pointer by Austin Kenon, who had 13 points on the night, to take the 40-30 lead with just 13 seconds remaining. Pierre Miller (Warner Robbins, Ga.) hit one of his three three-pointers at the buzzer to cut the margin to seven and PC went into the locker room trailing 40-33.
Kenon and Nick Gore paced VMI with 13 points, with Michael Sparks following with 12 points and a team-leading six rebounds. Allen finished the night leading PC in points and rebounds, posting his fourth career double-double and second this season. Mutakabbir had 14 points on the night while Miller ended with 13.
Presbyterian College shot 53.7 percent from the field, compared to 41.0 percent for VMI, but could not match the Keydets' three-point barrage as they went 13-for 30, to PC's seven-for-18 night. VMI had a good night from the charity stripe as well, hitting 17-of-19, including seven-of-eight during the final two minutes. PC was nine-for-nine for the game.
Presbyterian College held the edge in rebounds 35-27, but had 13 more turnovers, 20-7, which resulted in a 29-11 margin in points off turnovers for VMI.
The Blue Hose host Liberty in their final game of the year Saturday, Feb. 26 at 7:30 p.m. It is part of a doubleheader as the women take on Gardner Webb at 5 p.m. Prior to the men's game there will be a short ceremony honoring senior Allen, who will be playing his final game at Templeton Center.
