Friday, November 9th, 7:30 p.m. (et).

FACTS & STATS: Site: Clune Arena (5,939) -- Colorado Springs, Colorado. Television: None. Home Record: VMI 0-0, N. Colorado 0-0. Away Record: VMI 0-0, N. Colorado 0-0. Neutral Record: VMI 0-0, N. Colorado 0-0. Conference Record: VMI 0-0, N. Colorado 0-0. Series Record: First-ever meeting.

GAME NOTES: Last season's top-scoring team in Division I kicks off 2007-08 by trekking across the country as the VMI Keydets do battle with the Northern Colorado Bears as part of the Air Force Classic Tournament in Colorado Springs tonight. Last season, the Keydets, who represent the Big South Conference these days, led the nation in scoring with an average of 100.9 ppg, thanks in large part to back-to-back games against the likes of Virginia Intermont and Southern Virginia that produced 300 points. Despite being a high-powered offense with the nation's leading individual scorer as well, VMI finished with a record of only 14-19 and was 5-9 in conference. The squad came close to upsetting Winthrop in the tournament title game, but bowed by three points on the road, 84-81. As for the Bears, members of the Big Sky Conference, they were thrown into the fire immediately in 2006-07 with games against Ball State, Purdue, Oregon State, Arizona State and Colorado, the latter ending up as a two-point setback. The team won a grand total of four games out of 28 and was a mere 2-14 in league action. Even worse, the only win on the road for Bears in 16 opportunities was a three-point decision against Sacramento State in late January. With respect to the all-time series between these two schools on the hardwood, this is the first-ever meeting. The winner of this bout will take on the winner of the Dartmouth/Air Force affair on Saturday.

Repeating as the nation's top scoring team won't be an easy task, but having Reggie Williams at their disposal should make the quest a bit easier for the Keydets. Last season, Williams led the nation with his 28.1 ppg, while sophomore guard Travis Holmes did the work at the defensive end of the floor for VMI with his 3.4 steals per outing to also lead Division I. Williams was and is a scoring machine that doesn't make many mistakes, shooting an impressive 53.1 percent from the field, while also keeping his teammates in the mix with 146 assists during 2006-07. Travis Holmes, who is now teaming with his twin brother Chavis, is the sort of player that every opposing team hates but would love to be able to count on in their own huddle, averaging 15.0 points, 4.9 rebounds and more than three assists per game last season. No slouch himself, Chavis Holmes was credited with 19.2 ppg, 3.3 rpg and accounted for almost three steals per game himself last season.

Juniors last season, Sean Taibi and Kirk Archibeque return as the only double- digit scorers from a year ago for the Bears. Taibi, who made good on 45.6 percent of his three-point tries, compared to 45.1 percent from the field overall, deposited 14.6 ppg for Northern Colorado and also played tough in the paint with his 3.7 rpg as well. Archibeque accounted for 13.1 ppg and was the strongest inside presence the Bears had with his 6.4 rpg. Luckily for announcers, Thanasi Panagiotakopoulos (5.0 ppg) didn't score enough to have his name called and butchered over and over again, yet he still led the team with 3.5 assists per game. Hopefully Panagiotakopoulos has been spending his time off this past summer practicing his perimeter shooting, since it resulted in just 34.7 percent success overall and 28.6 percent from three-point range a year ago.

Considering how offensive-minded the Keydets are, Williams and the Holmes brothers should easily be able to approach the 100-point mark tonight, as long as they don't call off the dogs and save them for tomorrow's festivities.

Predicted Outcome

VMI 108, Northern Colorado 74