Preview: Struggling Southern Conference Foes Meet in Cullowhee

CULLOWHEE, N.C. (Interstat) — Two men’s basketball teams seeking to reverse prolonged slides will meet Saturday when the Virginia Military Institute Keydets visit the Western Carolina Catamounts in a Southern Conference matchup at Ramsey Center.

Both teams enter with identical 6-12 records in all competitions and are mired in losing streaks within league play. The Keydets (6-14) have dropped five of their last six, including an 85-78 home loss to UNC Greensboro on Wednesday. The Catamounts (6-12) have lost three straight, most recently falling 88-76 at Mercer on Wednesday.

The game will feature a contrast in scoring reliance. VMI leans heavily on guard TJ Johnson, who has been a consistent bright spot during the team’s struggles. Johnson is averaging 19.0 points per game over his last seven contests, including a 30-point effort at East Tennessee State on Jan. 7. He scored 18 points in the loss to UNCG.

Western Carolina’s production has been more distributed. Guard Tahlan Pettway, a player to watch for the Catamounts, is coming off an 11-point performance at Mercer. However, his playing time has fluctuated recently, ranging from 2 to 18 minutes over the past six games.

VMI’s recent woes are underscored by defensive struggles, having allowed 80 or more points in four of their last five losses. Western Carolina has faced similar issues, particularly on the road, but will look to capitalize on home court where they earned a 72-68 conference win over East Tennessee State on Jan. 14.

The Keydets’ last victory was a 79-71 home win over Chattanooga on Jan. 3. Western Carolina’s most recent win was that same victory over ETSU.

This marks the first of two regular-season meetings between the teams this season. They are scheduled to meet again at VMI on Feb. 21.

Saturday’s loser will be saddled with sole possession of last place in the Southern Conference standings, adding urgency to the contest for both squads desperate to build momentum for the second half of the league schedule.