Julian Eleby narrowly missed a triple double and Phillip Anglade had a career-high 26 points, but the Chattanooga Mocs used a Duke Ethridge three-pointer to take a five-point lead in the second overtime and held on for a thrilling 86-82 victory over the VMI Keydets in SoCon basketball action Thursday night in Lexington, Va. There were eight ties and 14 lead changes in the double overtime game that neither team led by more than eight.
Eleby and the Chattanooga (21-9, 14-3 SoCon) team traded baskets early in the second overtime, but after the Keydet’s second hoop cut the UTC lead to one, 79-78, he appeared to grab his right calf as if cramping. After a Casey Jones basket widened the lead back to three, Eleby split two free throws and came out of the game.
Greg Pryor then found Ethridge, a 25% three-point shooter on the year, and he drilled a trey with the shot clock running down to put the visitors up five. The Keydets got no closer than two the rest of the way as Eleby and Chapman missed three-pointers in the final seconds, and VMI dropped to 11-17 on the year and 7-10 in SoCon action.
Anglade paced the Keydets with 26 points that included a 14 of 20 night from the foul line, a clutch performance for the career 42% free throw shooter. He added six blocks as well. Eleby, coming off his award-winning effort Saturday against Western Carolina, put up 25 points, nine rebounds and seven assists in the loss. UTC was led by Eric Robertson’s 19 points and Jones’ double-double, 17 points and 10 rebounds.
After hitting 20 or more three-pointers in two of its previous three games, VMI was held to 6 of 24 from long range (25%) and just 2 of 15 after the first half. For the game, the Keydets shot 27 of 68 (39.7%) overall and 22 of 29 (75.9%) from the foul line. UTC hit 33 of 70 from the field (47.1%), 8 of 21 from three-point range (38.1%) and 12 of 24 from the foul line (50%).
In spite of their three-point struggles, the Keydets stayed in the game because of their inside attack. UTC held just a 44-40 edge in points in the paint, and VMI had seven turnovers, a season-low.
Chattanooga jumped ahead early and led by as many as seven, 19-12, in the opening minutes. The Keydets, however, outscored the Mocs 24-12 over the final 10:33 of the first half to set the stage for high drama the rest of the way. That gave VMI a 36-31 halftime lead in a game that saw the Keydets have just one turnover.
VMI stretched its lead to eight early in the second half, but much like the Keydets did earlier, the Mocs battled back and used a 12-3 run to take a 46-45 lead with 12:35 remaining in regulation. VMI would not lead again until Anglade converted a three-point play with 5:22 to go to give the home team a 59-58 advantage. That was part of a four lead change sequence that took place in 1:07 of game action, and when the dust cleared, UTC had the lead, 63-61. Justin Tuoyo scored to stretch the lead to five, but a Tim Marshall three-pointer gave the Keydets life at 65-64.
Jones scored for UTC to make it a three-point game again, and after two missed shots by Eleby, the visitors had a chance to put the game on ice. The VMI defense responded, however, forcing misses by Tuoyo and Jones with under 20 seconds to go to give the Keydets one final chance.
VMI ran a very similar play to the end of the first overtime Saturday at Western Carolina, going to Eleby on the left wing for a three-pointer – and just as it happened Saturday, he drew a three-shot foul. With under a second showing on the clock, he sank all three free throws to send the game to overtime, 67-67.
UTC took a three-point lead with 1:41 left in the first overtime, but a basket by Chapman and two Anglade free throws gave the Keydets a one-point cushion, 73-72. Jones drove the lane and hit a floater to put the Mocs back up, but Anglade, after missing the first, drilled the second of two free throws with 11 seconds on the clock to tie the score, 74-74. Jones missed a buzzer-beater jumper from the right wing as time ran out, and the game headed to the second overtime, where Ethridge’s three-pointer was the crucial blow.
The minutes played statistic was startling after the Keydets’ second straight double overtime game – Eleby played 44 minutes Thursday after 46 Saturday, and Brian Brown played 46 and 47 in the two games.
VMI basketball will return to action Saturday, when the Keydets play host to the Samford Bulldogs at 1 p.m. Before the contest, the Keydets will honor their senior class.
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