11-12 Bkb Game Notes
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2011-12 VMI BASKETBALL KEYDET BASKETBALL GAME NOTES KEYDET BASKETBALL GAME NOTES KEYDET BASKETBALL GAME NOTES Keydets Open With All-Military Classic; Start Season vs. Citadel Second Time in Five Years for VMI to Open at Air Force Tournament The 2011-12 version of VMI basketball will open its season in Colorado Springs, Colo., where the Keydets will take part in the first All-Military Classic tournament. The first round of games will take place on Friday, Nov. 11, with Army and Air Force opening up the four-team tourney with a 9:30 p.m. ET game. VMI will then face The Citadel at midnight eastern time, with both opening round games to be televised on the CBS Sports Network, with Roger Twibell (play-by-play) and former VMI assistant coach Pete Gillen (color) on the call. The second set of games begins with the third-place contest Saturday evening at 8:30 Eastern. An audio broadcast will also be avail- able for both VMI games via www.wrel.com and www.vmikeydets.com. The Keydets lose just one letterwinner, albeit First Team All-Big South guard Austin Kenon, but bring in five tal- ented freshmen, including shooting guard Brian Brown and forward Jordan Weethee. Ron Burks and Keith Gabriel return to lead the senior class, which also includes Michael Sparks and Wayne Whiting, while last year’s freshman class, led by D.J. Covington and Rodney Glasgow, looks for a repeat performance of its initial collegiate success. After winning its fifth consecutive NCAA scoring title last season, the Keydets will seek #6 this year. VMI averaged VMI 87.9 points per game last year, and no other school has ever led Division I in scoring more than three consecutive years. vs. The Citadel Friday, Nov. 11 - 11:59 p.m. ET Last Meeting with The Citadel (2/24/2003): Ben Rand had 20 points and Radee Skipworth added 11 as VMI outscored Citadel by 10 in the second half Clune Arena and pulled away for the 58-49 win. The two schools have not played since 2003, despite having a rivalry on the Colorado Springs, Colo. hardwood that dates back to 1921. RADIO- 96.7 3WZ Lexington INTERNET- Live Audio and Stats Last Meeting with Army (11/13/2009): Austin Kenon had 24 points, including 17 from the foul line, as VMI defeated Army 93-86 to open the 2009- online at www.wrel.com and 10 season. Ron Burks, Stan Okoye, Keith Gabriel and Michael Sparks all scored in double figures as well. www.VMIKeydets.com. TV- CBS Sports Network Last Meeting with Air Force: The Keydets have never faced Air Force on the hardwood. VMI vs. Army/Air Force A VMI win against The Citadel would: Sat., Nov. 12 - 8:30/10:30 p.m. ET Give the Keydets their fourth straight season-opening win, the first such streak for the program since a run that ran from 1991 through 1994. Clune Arena Colorado Springs, Colo. A VMI win against Army/Air Force would: RADIO- 96.7 3WZ Lexington Give the Keydets a win in their first meeting with the Falcons or their third consecutive win over the Black Knights. INTERNET- Live Audio and Stats online at www.wrel.com and A VMI sweep of the two games would: Give VMI its second straight 2-0 start and an All-Military Classic title. www.VMIKeydets.com. Probable Starters (2010-11 Stats) *=Blocks Per Game, all freshmen stats are from senior HS seasons Pos. # Player Yr. Ht. Wt. Pts. Reb. Ast. Stl. Notes G 1 Rodney Glasgow So. 5-10 170 9.5 2.4 3.9 1.1 17th nationally in assist/TO ratio, BSC All-Freshman Team G 21 Keith Gabriel Sr. 6-4 185 14.2 3.2 1.4 1.7 Ranked 6th in BSC in 3’s per game, 6th in steals per game as well F 11 Stan Okoye Jr. 6-5 205 16.8 8.0 1.7 1.1 Eight double-doubles last year, ranked in VMI’s career top-10 in FG% F 15 Ron Burks Sr. 6-4 215 8.9 4.5 3.3 1.6 Longtime senior leader was 8th in BSC in assists last season C 24 D.J. Covington So. 6-9 235 9.1 5.3 2.3* 0.6 BSC Freshman of the Year, led league in blocks per game (2.3) Off The Bench Pos. # Player Yr. Ht. Wt. Pts. Reb. Ast. Stl. Notes F 2 Quinton Upshur Fr. 6-5 210 14.0 5.0 3.0 N/A Averaged 14 pts, 5 rebounds senior season G 3 Brian Brown Fr. 5-11 185 22.3 8.4 N/A N/A Scored 25+ points in eight games last year G 4 Christian Burton Fr. 5-10 170 11.0 3.0 3.0 N/A All-Beach District G 5 Drew Absher So. 5-10 170 2.8 0.2 0.1 0.2 Shot 63% from the field last year in limited duty (10 of 16) G 14 Joe Carr Jr. 6-3 195 1.3 1.1 0.6 0.3 Played just 15 games, but did have 2.25 assist/TO ratio F 30 Nick Gore Jr. 6-6 220 6.0 3.5 1.1 0.8 Tied for fourth on the team in RPG, 1 of 6 players with an assist/TO ratio over 1 G 31 Michael Sparks Sr. 6-4 195 7.0 2.6 0.7 0.7 Third on team in three-pointers made; ranks in VMI’s career top-10 in 3-pt % C 32 Wayne Whiting Sr. 6-7 240 1.5 1.6 0.3 0.2 Tied career-high with five rebounds against Coastal Carolina last year (2/5) C 34 Jarid Watson Fr. 6-7 210 12.0 8.0 3.0* N/A Former AAU teammate of VMI PG Rodney Glasgow F 40 Jordan Weethee Fr. 6-6 220 17.9 9.3 2.0 N/A Had over 1,500 points at High Point Christian in Greensboro, N.C. Media Schedule/Results (0-00) Information Date Opponent (Television) Time/Result Record Key Stats Nov. 11 vs. The Citadel (CBSSN) 11:59 p.m. ET X VMI Basketball Contacts Nov. 12 vs. Army/at Air Force 8:30 p.m./10:30 p.m. ET Wade Branner, Associate A.D./Athletic Nov. 15 Alice Lloyd 7 p.m. Communications (Basketball Contact) Nov. 19 UMBC 6 p.m. Office (540) 464-7515 Nov. 23 at Ohio State 7 p.m. Cell (540) 319-1271 Dec. 1 at Coastal Carolina* 7 p.m. Dec. 3 at Charleston Southern* 5:30 p.m. Fax (540) 464-7583 Dec. 6 at Pittsburgh 7 p.m. Email [email protected] Dec. 8 Central Pennsylvania 7 p.m. Web www.VMIKeydets.com Dec. 10 Milligan 1 p.m. Press Row Phone (540) 463-6725 Dec. 12 at Longwood 7 p.m. Dec. 22 at Old Dominion 7 p.m. Brad Salois, Associate Athletic Dec. 31 Presbyterian College* 1 p.m. Communications Director (Secondary) Jan. 2 Gardner-Webb* 7 p.m. Office (540) 464-7015 Jan. 5 at UNC Asheville* 7 p.m. Cell (940) 642-9865 Jan. 7 at Winthrop* 4 p.m. Email [email protected] Jan. 10 Liberty* 7 p.m. Jan. 14 Radford* 8 p.m. Jan. 19 High Point* 7 p.m. John Stark, Assistant Athletic Jan. 21 at Campbell* 3:30 p.m. Communications Director Jan. 26 at Radford* 7 p.m. Office (540) 464-7514 Feb. 2 UNC Asheville* 7 p.m. Cell TBA Feb. 4 Winthrop 1 p.m. Email TBA Feb. 9 at Presbyterian College* 7 p.m. Feb. 11 at Gardner-Webb* 7 p.m. X VMIKeydets.com Feb. 14 at Liberty* 7 p.m. The official website of VMI athletics, Feb. 18 ESPN BracketBuster TBA VMIKeydets.com, includes pregame Feb. 23 Charleston Southern* 7 p.m. notes, game and season statistics, Feb. 25 Coastal Carolina 1 p.m. postgame notes and quotes and rele- Feb. 27 - March 3 - Big South Championship - Site TBA vant news releases to the VMI Basketball program. The website is updated daily. VMI Seeks Fourth Straight Season-Opening regional semifinals, where they lost in a thriller to eventu- Win: al Final Four participant Kentucky. The Buckeyes return X Big South Network In taking on The Citadel on Nov. 11, VMI will be Jared Sullinger, last year’s Big 10 Tournament MVP and Fans can view live video of all the seeking its fourth consecutive season-opening victory, a one of the top interior players in the country. Keydets’ home games and all Big South streak dating back to Nov. 9, 2007, when the Keydets Less than two weeks after that game, VMI will travel Conference contests, including tourna- lost to Northern Colorado in Colorado Springs. The to Pittsburgh to take on the Pitt Panthers on Dec. 6. Pitt ment action, online via The Big South Keydets have not won four straight openers since a streak was a #1 seed in last year’s NCAA tournament, but lost Network at www.BigSouthSports.com. that ran from the 91-92 season through the 94-95 cam- to eventual NCAA runner-up Butler in one of the stranger Season passes are available for the bas- paign. During this current streak, VMI has lost its second games in recent memory, a 71-70 Butler win in the tour- nament’s third round. ketball season, while fans can watch a game of the year twice, only winning that contest last single game for a cost of $4.95.