LEXINGTON, Va. (Interstat) — Virginia Military Institute opened its men’s NCAA Division I basketball season with a 115-83 victory over non-divisional opponent Virginia-Lynchburg on Monday at Cameron Hall. The Keydets moved to 1-0 after leading throughout and turning a fast start into a lopsided result in front of an announced attendance of 954. VMI shot ahead early and never let Virginia-Lynchburg close the gap, using a balanced scoring effort and a decisive first-half run to control the game. The home team’s rebounding helped create separation before halftime, and the Keydets kept the margin comfortable after the break.

The most important stretch came in the first half, when VMI turned a modest lead into a commanding halftime cushion. TJ Johnson made a 3-pointer 41 seconds into the game, and after Zephaniah Williams scored for Virginia-Lynchburg, Johnson hit another 3 to make it 6-2. Williams made two free throws, but Rickey Bradley answered with a layup, TJ Johnson added another layup and AJ Clark finished a dunk as the Keydets built a 12-4 advantage with 16:23 left in the half. Mohamed Diaby hit a 3-pointer and Williams made a tip-in to bring Virginia-Lynchburg within 12-9, but Zion Vaamonde answered with a 3-pointer and VMI began to pull away.

VMI expanded the lead through the middle of the first half. Vaamonde made a free throw, Rokas Zilys scored on a driving layup, Trap Johnson made a jump shot and Joao Panzo converted a layup as the Keydets pushed the margin to double digits. AJ Clark added a layup, Alexander Daushvili hit a 3-pointer and TJ Johnson connected from beyond the arc again. Virginia-Lynchburg got baskets from Jordan Barr, Teryck White, Jeremiah Streeter and Donovan Peterson, but VMI answered with Bradley layups, a Daushvili layup and a Cal Liston 3-pointer.

The Keydets closed the half with an 8-0 run over the final 49 seconds. TJ Johnson made a 3-pointer with 49 seconds remaining, AJ Clark added a layup with 21 seconds left and Daushvili capped the burst with a 3-pointer with 1.2 seconds remaining to give VMI a 60-31 lead at halftime. That closing sequence capped a first half in which VMI scored consistently around the rim and from beyond the arc while Virginia-Lynchburg was held to 31 points.

VMI kept control after halftime. Bradley opened the second half with a 3-pointer and added free throws, Daushvili made a dunk and a layup, and TJ Johnson hit another 3 as the lead grew. Panzo added two layups, Zilys hit 3-pointers and Trap Johnson made a 3-pointer. VMI led by as many as 40 after Panzo’s layup made it 89-49 with 10:42 remaining. Virginia-Lynchburg got second-half 3-pointers from Isaiah Dennis and Donovan Peterson and scoring from Jacob Newman and White, but the visitors could not mount a sustained run. Dennis made three 3-pointers and free throws in the second half, and Peterson added a turnaround jumper and a layup late. VMI scored 55 points after halftime, while Virginia-Lynchburg scored 52.

Daushvili posted 15 points and seven rebounds in 15 minutes. AJ Clark added 10 points, two rebounds and two assists in 13 minutes. TJ Johnson scored 17 points with two rebounds, one assist and one block in 15 minutes. Joao Panzo finished with 10 points, six rebounds and four assists in 18 minutes. Rokas Zilys had 14 points, three rebounds and two assists in 18 minutes. Rickey Bradley recorded 10 points, one rebound and seven assists in 15 minutes. Trap Johnson contributed seven points, five rebounds, two assists and three blocks in 14 minutes. Paulius Narvilas grabbed 10 rebounds to go with two points and one assist in 15 minutes. Dionysis Exarchopoulos had five points, five rebounds and one assist in 11 minutes. Walker Andrews scored six points with one assist in five minutes.

VMI scored 115 points from 93 possessions, an offensive rating of 124.3. The Keydets had 18 offensive rebounds, 11 assists, four blocks, 13 turnovers and 14 fouls. Virginia-Lynchburg got early baskets from Williams, Diaby and White and kept competing in the second half, but VMI answered each challenge. The Keydets also got late 3-pointers from Walker Andrews in the final minute before Virginia-Lynchburg closed the scoring on Williams’ dunk.

VMI next plays at SMU, then at Texas-San Antonio. The Keydets then host North Carolina Central and Mary Baldwin before traveling to Longwood. Home games against Gardner-Webb and Southern Indiana follow, along with a trip to Richmond, then home dates against UNC Greensboro and East Tennessee State.

No point spread, betting line, over-under or game-simulator projection was available for the game.