LEXINGTON, Va. (Interstat) — Armani Mighty scored 18 points and Brady Shoulders added 20 as Mercer used a dominant performance on the interior to grind out a 77-67 victory over Virginia Military Institute in a Southern Conference men’s basketball game Thursday night at Cameron Hall.

The Bears, who led by three at halftime, improved to 11-7 overall. The Keydets fell to 6-12.

The most important part of the game was Mercer’s overwhelming control of the paint and the offensive glass, which ultimately negated VMI’s prolific three-point shooting. The Keydets connected on 14 of 36 attempts from beyond the arc, led by Linus Holmstrom’s 18 points on 4-of-10 shooting from deep. However, Mercer attempted 24 free throws to VMI’s four and hauled in 19 offensive rebounds, leading to 19 second-chance points.

Mighty, a 6-foot-10 center from Toronto, was central to that effort, adding three blocks and a game-high 11 rebounds, seven of them offensive, in 34 minutes. His presence inside forced VMI into contested perimeter shots and allowed Mercer to build a 42-24 advantage in points in the paint.

Shoulders, a forward from Eddyville, Kentucky, was the primary beneficiary of Mercer’s guard penetration and offensive board work, scoring efficiently around the rim. Baraka Okojie of Brampton, Canada, facilitated much of the offense, dishing out seven assists to go with 11 points.

VMI stayed competitive largely through the long ball. Holmstrom, from Stockholm, Sweden, spearheaded the attack with his 18 points, while Cal Liston of Marietta, Georgia, added 12 points, all on three-pointers. TJ Johnson contributed 15 points for the Keydets.

The game was a contrast in styles. Mercer shot just 3 of 21 from three-point range but made up for it by hitting 28 of 63 two-point attempts and 18 of 24 free throws. VMI, meanwhile, was just 11 of 27 on two-point shots and attempted only four free throws, making three.

Mercer’s defensive pressure and size also contributed to 14 VMI turnovers, which the Bears converted into 15 points. While VMI had eight steals and six blocks, led by AJ Clark’s three swats, they could not consistently string together stops to overcome Mercer’s interior scoring.

The Bears built their halftime lead to 36-33 despite VMI’s early three-point barrage. Mercer then opened the second half on a 9-3 run to establish a nine-point cushion and maintained a multi-possession lead for nearly the entire final period. VMI pulled within six points on multiple occasions but could not get closer, as Mercer consistently answered with baskets in the lane or trips to the foul line.

Attendance was 1,276. Mercer next plays at UNC Greensboro on Saturday. Virginia Military Institute will host The Citadel on Saturday.