SoCon Monster Game of the Week Preview: The Citadel vs. VMI

Spread: VMI -10
Time: Midnight, Eastern
TV: CBS Sports

VMI and The Citadel last played in 2003. The Keydets won, 58-49.

The Keydets averaged scoring nearly 88 points per game last year.

For VMI, Stan Okoye and Keith Gabriel, who both averaged in double digits return. Rodney Glascow and DJ Covington also highlight the team. Covington is the team's tallest player. He is 6-9. Okoye is just 6-5, but he led the team in rebounding last year, with eight rebounds per game. Covington averaged 6.5 rebounds. Covington is one of the few players that did not throw up a bunch of threes. Okoye did- 35.4% on 96 three pointers. Gabriel and Glascow shot way more threes than that, and Glascow made 38%. He also lead the team in assists, with 117 a year ago.

For those that have never watched VMI play, they get up and down the floor more than just about any team you have ever watched. They don't turn the ball over an inordinate amount, either. It is just the fastest playing team you will ever see. They will miss Austin Kenon, who lead the team in scoring, and shooting.

Ironically, The Citadel wants to play the opposite. Chuck Driesell wants to play at a more slow pace- not a terribly slow price, but a slower pace. This year's freshman class is full of eight new faces. That means that no one knows exactly what this team will look like come Friday night.

Mike Groselle is probably the best returning player for the Bulldogs. He is a top flight rebounder, and a good scoring option. Cosmo Morrabi made two of four on threes in the exhibition game. As the Bulldogs lone senior, he will be relied on to provide not only a calming presence, but to become the type of shooter that many think he can be. CJ Bray, DeVontae Wright, and Bo Holston rounded out the starting five in the exhibition game. However, Ashton Moore wound up playing the most minutes (30) and scoring the most points (21). He was 6 of 10 from three point range.

This is not a team that wants to play quite as up tempo as VMI- but they do want to run some. Look for the young Bulldogs to get into the running game with the Keydets. If they can just slow down the VMI offense then they will have a chance late in the game.

KEYS TO THE GAME:
--Groselle needs to stay on the floor.
--The Bulldogs need to shoot the ball well from three point range to open up Grosselle more down low.
--VMI needs to find their shooters. Kenon shot over 40 percent from three point range a year ago. No one else on the team did. Someone needs to become that kind of shooter.
--Groselle's rebounding vs. Okoye and Covington on the boards could be a major difference.

LEAD PIPE LOCK PREDICTIONS THAT ARE SURE TO GO WRONG:
--Groselle will not be able to play more than 28 minutes.
--VMI will jack up more than thirty threes.
--This game will be more high scoring than their last showdown.
--VMI 93, The Citadel 84. The Keydets find a way to get the offense going, and the Bulldogs just are too young to pull off a season opener like this one. Okoye and Covington will be very good on the inside, while Glascow will make just enough threes to give the Keydets the win.