The top three scorers for the VMI Keydets – Rodney Glasgow, QJ Peterson and D.J. Covington – combined for 84 points, led by Glasgow’s career-high 36, to lead their team past the Radford Highlanders 101-88 in Big South basketball action Wednesday night at the Dedmon Center in Radford, Va.
The key moment of the game came early in the second half, when after a Kyle Noreen layup had tied the game at 55-all, Glasgow raced the other way for a hoop of his own to give VMI (9-7, 2-1 Big South) the lead once again, 57-55. That sparked a 17-4 run that gave the Keydets a 13-point lead with just over 10 minutes to play, the Highlanders (12-6, 2-1 BSC) got no closer than nine the rest of the way.
With the win, VMI moved in to a four-way tie atop the Big South North Division at 2-1, and captured its first road victory of the season. Glasgow was the star of the game, as he finished the night 13 of 16 from the floor (81.3%) and a perfect 10 of 10 from the line, and also added five assists and four rebounds against only one turnover. His 36 points surpassed his previous career high of 33, attained earlier this year against Virginia-Lynchburg.
Covington added a double-double of 28 points and 11 rebounds, his seventh double-double of the year, while Peterson chipped in 20 markers. When Peterson scores at least 19 points in a game, VMI is now 9-1 on the season.
The contest was a dogfight early, with neither team leading by more than four in the opening half. There were seven ties and 13 lead changes in the first 20 minutes, with the final swap of the lead coming at the 1:23 mark, when Glasgow buried a two-pointer to put the Keydets in front, 41-40. VMI would take a 45-42 cushion into the break, and would bid to go to 8-0 when leading at the half this season.
Radford came out strong in the second half, however, and retook the lead on three different occasions in the opening minutes of the period. The Highlanders still led, 53-52, after a Peterson basket at the 15:21 mark, but Covington tallied a three-point play 15 seconds later to give the Keydets the lead, 55-53. Noreen scored at the other end to tie the game, and set the stage for VMI’s game-turning 17-4 run.
RU got back within nine with just over seven minutes to play, but eight straight Keydet points, five of which were scored by Peterson, stretched the lead to 17 and put the game away.
VMI finished the night 35 of 68 (51.5%) from the floor and had just four turnovers to 15 for the Highlanders. The Keydets made just three three-pointers in the win, the fewest for VMI in a victory since Jan. 26, 2012, a night when the Keydets also made three triples in breaking a road losing skid at Radford.
Radford was led in defeat by Javonte Green’s 20 points and 13 rebounds.
VMI basketball will return to action Saturday, taking on the Campbell Fighting Camels in Buies Creek, N.C. Game time is set for 2 p.m.
VMI Head Coach Duggar Baucom:
“I told Rodney (Glasgow) after the game that it was as good a point guard performance as I’ve ever coached – as a head coach or assistant. Just spectacular and he just controlled the game throughout. Every play was a smart play. It didn’t matter if they doubled him or whatever, and then he went to the line and went 10 for 10.”
“I’m happy for the guys. They worked really hard in practice the last couple of days. We got on them pretty good after the effort against Liberty. I thought we got something out of them tonight. I was really pleased with the way the guys defended. We really carried out the assignments and did a great job on switching on guys.”
“Well, we know we can win on the road. Campbell will be tough and we know they are good. “There are four teams in the North that are 2-1 and we’ll go against one of those teams Saturday, so we know what’s at stake.”
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