LEXINGTON, Va. (Interstat) — Cayden Vasko scored 26 points and Wofford used a dominant first-half defensive performance to build a commanding lead before holding off a second-half rally from Virginia Military Institute for an 81-67 victory in a Southern Conference men’s basketball game Wednesday night at Cameron Hall.

The Terriers (16-8, 8-3 SoCon) led by as many as 22 points in the opening period, stifling the Keydets’ offense for long stretches. Wofford took a 44-27 advantage into halftime, limiting VMI (6-18, 1-10) to just 27 points on 34% shooting from the floor in the first 20 minutes. The Terriers’ early surge proved insurmountable despite a spirited comeback attempt by the home team after the break.

Vasko, a 6-foot-6 junior from Lowell, Indiana, was the catalyst throughout, adding five assists, a block and six rebounds in 36 minutes. His performance marked a significant offensive resurgence after being held to five points in Wofford’s previous game, a loss to East Tennessee State.

The Keydets, fueled by TJ Johnson’s game-high 25 points, emerged from the locker room with renewed energy. A 15-5 run to open the second half, capped by a Johnson 3-pointer, cut the deficit to 49-42 and forced a Wofford timeout with 15:20 remaining. VMI continued to chip away, closing to within 56-52 on a Tan Yildizoglu layup with 9:58 left, applying serious pressure to the conference front-runners.

The most important part of the game came in response to that surge. With their lead nearly evaporated, the Terriers steadied themselves. Vasko answered with a driving hook shot and a converted free throw. After a Johnson jumper for VMI, Jayden Tyler and Nils Machowski hit crucial 3-pointers to spark a 12-2 Wofford run over the next three minutes, pushing the lead back to 71-56 with 6:35 to play and effectively sealing the outcome.

VMI never got closer than 11 points the rest of the way. Wofford’s balanced attack provided ample support for Vasko. Tyler finished with 15 points, Machowski added 15 points and three assists, and Chace Watley contributed 11 points. Brian Sumpter anchored the interior defense with two blocks.

Johnson, a 6-foot-7 sophomore from Belton, Texas, played all 40 minutes for the Keydets, who have lost 10 of their last 11 games. Yildizoglu, from Istanbul, Turkey, added 13 points and four assists, while Kaden Stuckey of Mono, Canada, provided a lift off the bench with 10 points.

The Terriers shot 48% from the field and connected on 10 3-pointers, overcoming 15 turnovers. VMI won the second half 40-37 and shot 46% overall for the game but was undone by its slow start and 14 turnovers. The Keydets also struggled from the free-throw line, making just 13 of 22 attempts.

A crowd of 1,264 watched as Wofford improved its position in the SoCon standings, bouncing back from Sunday’s defeat. VMI, which entered the game with the league’s lowest-ranked defense, fell further into the conference cellar.

Wofford will look to continue its momentum at home against Western Carolina on Saturday. Virginia Military Institute remains at Cameron Hall to host East Tennessee State, also on Saturday.