2023-11-07 02:45:56
Next Game:
Christendom
11/9/2023 | 7 p.m.
Nov. 09 (Thu) / 7 pm
Christendom
History
RICHMOND, Va. – Despite a career-high 24 points from junior guard Brennan Watkins, the VMI men’s basketball team fell 93-75 at the University of Richmond Monday night, the season opener for both teams.
Watkins, who sat out last year with an injury, scored 13 points in the first half and 11 in the second half, shattering his old record of 14 set at New Orleans Nov. 26, 2021. He drilled five three pointers, also a career high.
The Spiders opened a 25-16 lead with 11:34 left in the first half, but three free throws and a three pointer from Watkins quickly cut the edge to 25-22. Richmond held a 55-36 lead at intermission and the Keydets outscored their hosts 39-38 in the second half.
Richmond’s Jordan King, a transfer from ETSU, netted a game-best 34 points and hit six three pointers.
.@devvballer1 grabs the board and feeds it back to @BNiceW23 for the trey. #RahVaMil #RunAsOne pic.twitter.com/iDUWyGxeVX
— VMI Basketball (@VMI_Basketball) November 7, 2023
“>Tweet #
.@devvballer1 grabs the board and feeds it back to @BNiceW23 for the trey. #RahVaMil #RunAsOne pic.twitter.com/iDUWyGxeVX
— VMI Basketball (@VMI_Basketball) November 7, 2023
Inside the Box Score:
*Keydet senior center DJ Nussbaum also set a career-high with 10 points, and had six points in the game’s first eight minutes
*VMI had six players that made their collegiate debuts tonight
*Freshman Stephen Olowoniyi hit 5-of-8 shots for 10 points and grabbed four rebounds
*Fellow freshman Tyran Cook also had 10 points and four boards
*Sophomore Taeshaud Jackson II corralled a game-high 11 rebounds
*Koree Cotton scored seven points
*Neal Quinn posted six points, 10 rebounds and seven assists for Richmond
Quotes from Head Coach Andrew Wilson:
Opening Statement
We’re going to be a work in progress all season long. When nine of your scholarship guys are freshmen, you have to take this as a learning experience. The good thing is that we have talent and we have depth. We weren’t quite ready for a stage like this tonight, but we’re going to get some more opportunities this year. I’m proud of the way the guys kept fighting and playing the game.
On the play of ETSU transfer Jordan King
I’m just glad we won’t have to see him once more this season. He was as talented of a guard as there was in the Southern Conference. He’s a very talented scorer. There’s never been a shot that he didn’t like. He can shoot it from the perimeter, he can attack off the dribble. He can finish off the rim – he can do it all.
I think we need to go back to the drawing board and shore things up defensively. I’m not sure if our philosophy was the right way to guard these guys tonight. Credit to them – they’re an older, experienced team and it showed tonight. They’ve got a great coach and an established program and we’re going to learn from this.
.@djnussbaum54 matches his career high of 8 points early in the second half. #RahVaMil #RunAsOne pic.twitter.com/DLnMs4NABk
— VMI Basketball (@VMI_Basketball) November 7, 2023
“>Tweet #
.@djnussbaum54 matches his career high of 8 points early in the second half. #RahVaMil #RunAsOne pic.twitter.com/DLnMs4NABk
— VMI Basketball (@VMI_Basketball) November 7, 2023
Next Time:
VMI plays its first game at home of the season Thursday at 7 p.m. vs. Christendom College in Cameron Hall.
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