Kenon scores 29 points, Okoye 26 as Virginia Military Institute beats Gardner-Webb 92-85

VMI defeats Gardner-Webb 92-85

BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. — Austin Kenon scored 29 points, and Stan Okoye added 26 points and 11 rebounds as Virginia Military Institute held off Gardner-Webb 92-85 on Thursday night.

It was Okoye’s seventh double-double in the past 10 games.

Okoye has scored at least 20 points in seven of the past 10 games for the Keydets (8-15, 4-10 Big South Conference), who forged a tie with the Bulldogs for the final berth in the eight-team conference tournament.

Leading 52-45 with 15:26 to play, the Keydets went on a 13-2 run to take their largest lead of the game at 65-47 with 11:59 to play after a free throw by Okoye. The Bulldogs would get no closer than nine until Anton Silver hit a 3-pointer with 29 seconds remaining to cut the gap to 88-80.

Okoye made 10 of 15 field goal attempts and had four of the Keydets six blocks.

Silver led the Bulldogs (7-17, 4-10) with 21 points.