Rice scores 13 as East Tennessee State takes down VMI 98-66 in Southern Conference Tournament

ASHEVILLE, N.C. (AP) — Tyler Rice led six players who scored in double figures with 13 points for seventh-seeded East Tennessee State in a 98-66 win over 10th-seeded VMI on Friday night in the first round of the Southern Conference Tournament.

ETSU will play second-seeded UNC Greensboro in Saturday's quarterfinals.

Rice finished 5 of 8 from the field for the Buccaneers (17-15). Jaden Seymour, Jadyn Parker and Maki Johnson added 12 points each. Ebby Asamoah and Braden Ilic had 11 each.

The Keydets (4-28) were led by Taeshaud Jackson, who recorded 16 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists. Stephen Olowoniyi added 11 points for VMI. DJ Nussbaum had 10 points. The loss was the Keydets' 12th in a row.

Parker led his team in scoring with 10 points in the first half to help put them up 42-31 at the break. ETSU pulled away with a 13-0 run in the second half to extend a 15-point lead to 28 points. They outscored VMI by 21 points in the final half, as Rice led the way with all 13 of his points.

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.