December 3, 2001

Eric Branham's running bank shot and subsequent free throw with 1.4 seconds left to play enabled the Hokies to survive a scare from VMI, 74-73, in front of 3,943 fans at Cassell Coliseum on Monday night.

Tech improved to 5-2 with the win, including a perfect 4-0 mark at home. VMI - which entered the game ranked dead last among 324 Division I teams in the Ratings Percentage Index (RPI) - fell to 1-2.

Tech trailed 73-71 and stopped the clock by fouling VMI's Jason Conley with 7.8 seconds left in the game. After a timeout by Tech, Conley - and 81 percent free-throw shooter - went to the free-throw line and missed the front end of a one-and-one.

Tech's Carlton Carter grabbed the rebound and gave it to Branham, who raced up the left side of the court and banked in the runner, while getting fouled by VMI's Ben Rand in the process.

"My main goal was to get to the bucket and score," Branham said. "That's all I had on my mind. I was able to get the bucket and luckily get the Œand one.'"

Branham made the free throw to give Tech a 74-73 lead - his only three points of the game. VMI had one last chance, but Rand missed a desperation halfcourt shot at the buzzer.

After the game, Rand, obviously displeased, refused to comment on the foul.

"It's better that I not say anything," he said.

VMI dominated the first 30 minutes of the game, taking it to the Hokies. But Tech's size eventually caught up with the Keydets, as Carlton Carter, who scored a team-high 18 points, led a charge that enabled the Hokies to take an eight-point lead with 9:52 left in the game.

But VMI - which became the first team to shoot better than 40 percent against Tech this season (41.4) - refused to quit. A 16-6 VMI run ended when Conley hit a 3-pointer with 4:31 left, giving the Keydets a 71-69 lead. Tech's Joe Hamilton hit a free throw with 3:42 left to cut the lead to one, but Rand hit a jumper with 2:52 left to give the Keydets a 73-70 lead.

Mibindo Dongo hit a free throw with 1:55 remaining to shave the VMI lead to two. The two teams then traded two possessions before Hamilton fouled Conley to stop the clock with 7.8 ticks left, setting up Branham's heroics.

"You have to give him [Branham] credit," VMI coach Bart Bellairs said. "He hit a tough shot.

"But I'm proud of our team. They didn't intimidate us and our effort was unbelievable. We played well enough to win. It just didn't happen."

Conley led the Keydets with a game-high 29 points, while Rand added 21, hitting five 3-pointers.

The win for the Hokies may be a costly one. Carlos Dixon, who scored 15 in the game, injured his foot in the UVa game and tried to play against the Keydets, but ended up coming out with about seven minutes left. Dixon will have an x-ray done on his right foot at Montgomery Regional on Tuesday morning. Tech trainer Keith Doolan listed Dixon as probable for the Hokies' game Friday against Murray State at the Jim Thorpe Classic in Louisville, pending the results of the x-ray.