LEXINGTON, Va. – Four of The Citadel basketball team's starting five scored in double figures Saturday afternoon, but it was not enough as the Bulldogs dropped a Southern Conference road game at VMI by a score of 88-79.

Game Information
Final Score: VMI 88, The Citadel 79
Records: VMI (6-14, 1-6 SoCon), The Citadel (6-11, 0-6 SoCon)
Location: Lexington, Va. (Cameron Hall)
Series: The Citadel leads, 58-55

KEY STATS

• The Bulldogs controlled the early going with freshman Fletcher Abee hitting his first 3-point attempt of the game to start the scoring and from there the two teams traded points up and down the court.
• The largest Citadel lead was five points, 22-17 after an Eddie Davis, III jumper, and again after a pair of Kaelon Harris free throws that set the score at 24-19 with 10:36 left in the first half.
• VMI mounted a comeback and took the lead for good with 8:17 left to play in the opening period after Garrett Gilkeson knocked converted a fast-break layup.
• The Bulldogs managed to keep the Keydets from opening up a double-digit lead in the first half, and even pulled to within one point at 41-40 when Davis converted four free throws in a row over two trips to the charity stripe, but VMI stretched the lead back out to six, 48-42 by the end of the half.
• Out of the intermission, VMI added to the lead and secured its first double-digit lead of the game nearly seven minutes into the period when Jake Stephens scored a couple of free throws to set the score at 62-51.
• With 8:28 left in regulation, VMI's lead was 15, 73-58, but the Bulldogs began to slowly chip away at the deficit, pulling to within nine, 77-68 with 5:38 left.
• After VMI stretched the lead back out to 14, 71-85 with 3:12 to play, The Citadel mounted an 8-0 run over the next nearly three minutes to pull to within six, 85-79. The run was spurred by a Derek Webster, Jr. layup and capped by Kaiden Rice's fifth 3-pointer of the game.
• Despite being within striking distance of the Keydets, the Bulldogs stumbled down the stretch, and VMI capitalized to claim the nine-point, 88-79 final score.
• The Bulldogs shot 41.0% (25-of-61) from the field for the game after shooting 46.2% (12-of-26) in the first half.
• In comparison, the Keydets ended the game shooting 41.4% (29-of-70) from the field, including 31.4% (11-of-35) from beyond the 3-point arc.
• VMI scored 14 second-chance points and turned the Bulldogs' 14 turnovers into 21 points.
• Rice led the Bulldogs in scoring with 17 points, including 14 in the first half.
• Harris notched his eighth double-double of the season off 12 points and 10 rebounds.
• Davis was second on the team in scoring with 14 points, including going a perfect 8-for-8 at the free throw line. Davis just missed out on a double-double as he added eight boards.
• Abee was the final Bulldog in double figures with 10 points, including a pair of treys.
• Stephens led all scorers with 18 points and recorded a double-double as he added 11 boards.

NOTES

• With his eighth double-double of the season, Harris moved up into a tie for fourth in program history for double-doubles in a single season. He matches Lew Stallworth's 2018-19 campaign, Mike Groselle's 2010-11 season and Craig Burgess' 1986-87 season.
• The double-double was the ninth of Harris' career, moving him into a tie for 10^th in program history for career double-doubles. He is tied with Demetrius Nelson (2004-09), Kirill Misyuchenko (1995-98) and Tom Slawson (1976-80).
• With his 10 points scored, Abee eclipsed the 200-point mark for the season. He is 57 points away from cracking the top 15 in program history for points by a freshman.

COMING UP
The Citadel will remain on the road, heading up to Chattanooga, Tennessee to face the Mocs of Chattanooga on Wednesday, Jan. 22. Tipoff is slated for 7 p.m. The Bulldogs will then return home for a pair of games against in-state foes Furman (Jan. 25) and Wofford (Jan. 29).

CLEAR BAG POLICY
Fans attending ticketed athletic events at The Citadel this year are reminded of the new clear bag policy that has been implemented. Under the policy, fans will be allowed to bring with them a clear plastic, vinyl or PVC bag that does not exceed 12 inches by 6 inches by 12 inches, or a one-gallon plastic bag (such as Ziploc or Hefty bags). The bags may have a logo on one side that is no larger than 4.5 inches by 3.4 inches. Bags carrying a properly sized logo of other teams or venues are permitted. For more information, please click HERE.

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