Sophomore guard Max Klesmit would convert a go-ahead three-point play with just seven seconds left at the Harrah’s Cherokee Center to lift No. 4 seed Wofford to a 68-66 victory over No. 5 seed VMI in the quarterfinals of the 2022 Ingles Southern Conference Men’s Basketball Championship in Asheville. The Terriers advance to Sunday’s semifinals, slated to face No. 1 seed Chattanooga for a 4 p.m. tip.
“First off, Jake Stephens, Wow. That guy and their outfit at VMI, heck of a team,” said head coach Jay McAuley of the Keydets after Saturday’s quarterfinals thriller. “Well coached. Really tough. We just made enough plays to get out of there. A lot of respect to them. They fought their tails off.”
“That’s what March is all about. Two teams that are tough and smart going at each other, Coach (Dan) Earl and his group were really good today,” added McAuley. “We beat a really good basketball team. I’m very proud of our team. Proud of this guy sitting to my left (Morgan Safford). The little things added up throughout the course of the game and No. 13 (Morgan Safford) had his share of the little things. Ended up being the difference. I’m really proud that we’re moving on.”
Sophomore guard Morgan Safford led three Terriers in double figures with a season-high 17 points on 6-of-8 shooting, including three 3-pointers, seven rebounds and four assists.
“I was made for big moments. Coach has a lot of trust in me. My coaches and my teammates,” said Safford of his composure and contributions in the win. “I haven’t had a really good season as far as my expectations this season. This week, I know I had to get in the gym and get right for these moments. And I stepped up, my teammates believed in me, coaches put me in the right position, and we got the job done. That’s all that matters.”
Max Klesmit followed with 15 points, including the game-winner, while hitting 2-of-6 from 3-point range (33.3%), as junior forward B.J. Mack recorded his fifth double-double of the season and 20th-straight performance in double figures with 15 points, including two threes, and a game-high 10 rebounds. Mack and Klesmit displayed why they were all conference selections on Saturday, as they led the way for the Terriers.
The Keydets shot 46.3 percent from the field, including 35.5 percent from behind the 3-point line, while the Terriers connected on 41.7 percent of their shots, including 32.1 percent from behind the arc.VMI was led by Jake Stephens with 23 points, followed by Trey Bonham with 17, Kamdyn Curfman added 10.
The Terriers won the battle on the boards, 36-30, over the Keydets, while also capitalizing for 18 points off 11 VMI turnovers throughout the contest.After trailing 35-34 in a first half that saw six tied scores and lead changes, VMI would extend a 41-35 edge within the opening minutes of the second prior to five points from Safford, on an and-one transition layup and second-chance finish, bringing the game within one score, 43-41 (15:31).
A Klesmit floater answered a Jake Stephens 3-pointer at 46-43, as Austin Patterson followed with a key trifecta of his own to knot the margin up at 46-46. A couple plays later, B.J. Mack muscled a finish inside the paint over Stephens to give Wofford a 48-46 advantage, as another Mack score held a 50-49 spread to hand the Terriers the lead for good by the 10:46 mark.
Patterson connected on his second trey of the game to boost the lead, as an Isaiah Bigelow finish inside and steal for a layup on the other end by Ryan Larson held a six-point cushion, 57-51, by the under-eight media timeout (7:46). A Kamdyn Curfman three from the Keydets crept back within a possession (57-54), though, B.J. Mack answered with timely back-to-back threes from the top of the key to extend a 63-56 lead with 5:29 remaining to force a VMI timeout.
Both squads would exchange baskets over the ensuing two and a half minutes, seeing the Keydets trail 65-63 before VMI’s Stephens would nail a go-ahead three with 2:13 on the clock to reclaim a 66-65 edge. After a pair of blank possessions from both teams, the Terriers pressed coming out of a 30-second timeout with 23 seconds to go, seeing Patterson corral a steal on a long inbound pass near half court that gave Wofford the ball for a go-ahead opportunity.
Klesmit would then take the driver’s seat, driving to the rack to connect on a tough floater with contact to put Wofford ahead by one before converting at the line for the final margin. The Keydets would fail to get a shot off before the horn on the ensuing inbound to see Wofford come away with 68-66 victory. Wofford hopes the 3rd time will be the charm against Chattanooga in the Semi's, as The Mocs took both regular season meetings.
