LEXINGTON, Va. (Interstat) — In a Southern Conference clash between two teams seeking momentum, the Virginia Military Institute Keydets used a dominant first-half performance and a career-high 22 points from guard Tan Yildizoglu to hold off a furious second-half rally by the Chattanooga Mocs, securing a 79-71 victory on Saturday afternoon at Cameron Hall.

A crowd of 965 saw the Keydets improve to 6-9 overall, while the Mocs fell to an identical 6-9 mark. The result defied pregame projections that heavily favored Chattanooga.

The game was decisively shaped in the opening period. Virginia Military Institute, operating with sharp efficiency on offense, built a commanding 39-23 halftime lead. The Keydets shot 48% from the field in the half and connected on five three-pointers, while their defense stifled Chattanooga into 30% shooting. Yildizoglu, a junior from Istanbul, Turkey, was the catalyst, scoring 12 of his points before the break and dishing out four assists to fuel the early surge.

Chattanooga’s offense, which managed just eight field goals in the first half, awoke dramatically after halftime. The Mocs exploded for 48 second-half points, shooting 54% from the floor and attacking the rim to draw fouls. A key sequence came midway through the half when back-to-back three-pointers from Brennan Watkins and Tate Darner capped a 13-2 run, pulling Chattanooga within four points at 51-47 with 11:53 remaining.

The Mocs continued to chip away, largely behind the scoring of Billy Smith and Darner. Smith, a reserve forward from Indianapolis, scored all of his team-high 17 points in the second half, showcasing an effective inside game. Darner, a guard from Lakeland, Florida, added 16 points, with 13 coming after halftime.

Each time Chattanooga threatened, however, Virginia Military Institute had an answer. When the Mocs closed to within 65-63 with just over four minutes to play, the Keydets executed a critical 7-0 run. It was anchored by their interior presence, Alexander Daushvili, who scored on a tip-in and drew fouls, and Yildizoglu, who buried a clutch three-pointer off an assist from TJ Johnson to push the lead back to nine with 2:03 left.

Chattanooga never recovered from that final push. Despite forcing 12 turnovers and converting them into 17 fastbreak points, the Mocs were ultimately undone by their slow start and Virginia Military Institute’s advantage on the glass. The Keydets grabbed 12 offensive rebounds leading to 12 second-chance points and outscored Chattanooga 28-24 in the paint.

Yildizoglu’s all-around performance of 22 points, six assists and four rebounds in 34 minutes was paramount. He received strong support from Johnson, who scored 17 points, and Daushvili, who posted a near double-double with 14 points and nine rebounds. Linus Holmstrom of Stockholm, Sweden, added 12 points and four rebounds for the Keydets.

For Chattanooga, Smith’s 17 points led the way, with Darner contributing 16 points, five rebounds and three assists. Teddy Washington and Jikari Johnson each added eight points.

Statistically, the game was a tale of efficiency. Virginia Military Institute scored 79 points on just 69 possessions for an offensive rating of 114.9, while Chattanooga’s 71 points came from 71 possessions for a 99.4 rating. Both teams shot nearly identically from the field, but the Keydets’ edge from the three-point line (10-of-33 to 7-of-24) and the free-throw line (21-of-29 to 20-of-24) proved decisive.

The most important part of the game was Virginia Military Institute’s ability to withstand Chattanooga’s intense second-half pressure. After seeing their large lead nearly evaporate, the Keydets displayed composure in the final minutes, making key defensive stops and hitting crucial free throws to seal the win, a character-building victory for a team that had lost its previous two contests.

Both teams continue Southern Conference play on Wednesday. Virginia Military Institute travels to face East Tennessee State, while Chattanooga returns home to host Furman.