Photos by Kyle Green | The Roanoke Times

VMI's Chavis Holmes (3) signals a two-pointer, while Coastal Carolina's Anthony Breeze (42) runs down the court yelling in disbelief after an official rules a possible game-tying, 3-point shot at the buzzer was a two-pointer. Instant replay confirms the call. The Keydets won, 103-102.

Photos by Kyle Green | The Roanoke Times

VMI's Chavis Holmes drives to the basket while defended by Coastal Carolina's Joseph Harris. Holmes scored a career-high 35 points.

LEXINGTON -- After what transpired Saturday afternoon at Cameron Hall, one can't help but start believing in this VMI basketball team.

Not only are the Keydets pretty darn good, but they also appear to be some kind of destiny's child.

Riding career-high scoring performances by Chavis Holmes and Austin Kenon, VMI got bailed out at the final horn when an apparent game-tying 3-pointer by Coastal Carolina's Steven Sexton was ruled a two-pointer, allowing the Keydets to escape with a thrilling 103-102 Big South victory.

"Maybe it's a different year and a little bit of different luck," said happy VMI coach Duggar Baucom, whose club won its ninth consecutive game to improve to 13-2 overall and 5-0 in the Big South.

"Maybe we're a little blessed. Let's hope so."

While senior Chavis Holmes (35 points) and sophomore Austin Kenon (29) were outstanding offensively, the Keydets needed one more stop in the final 8.7 seconds before they could finally exhale in delirium.

The Chanticleers (7-9, 1-3) inbounded the ball to guard Mario Sisinni, who dribbled it up court while closely guarded by Holmes. Sisinni found Sexton on the right wing, just beyond the 3-point line. Sexton was met by a pair of VMI defenders, but after a head fake, was able to get off a shot as time expired.

The shot banked off the glass and went through the basket, igniting a celebration by the visitors who thought they had tied the game.

However, the official closest to the play ruled that Sexton's shot was a two-pointer because his foot was on the line. After the officiating crew spent about 90 seconds reviewing the replay on a press-row monitor, the ruling was upheld. The replay clearly showed that Sexton's right toe was about an inch on the line.

"I had to shoot it," Sexton said. "Obviously, I couldn't tell because I wasn't looking down. I had pumped faked and had taken a dribble, and I guess I was just on the line. Everybody thought we were going overtime. But the referees made the call and they stuck with it."

When the officials confirmed the initial call, the crowd of 2,875 fans erupted. Their Keydets had won for the 12th time in 13 games.

"We'll take 'em anyway we can get 'em," Baucom said. "We've been on the other end of that kind of stuff a lot in my three previous years here. I think we lost seven one-possession games last season. That would have been our luck then."

Five days after winning 93-90 at Charleston Southern with their two leading scorers out, the Keydets were short-handed again Saturday. Holmes' twin brother, Travis, the team's second-leading scorer and leading rebounder, missed his third straight game with a knee injury. His knee had some loose cartilage cleaned out by arthroscopic surgery and he said he hopes to return for next Saturday's game against Liberty at Cameron.

"He's going to try to come back whenever he can," Chavis said.

"We just don't want him to rush it; we want him to come back 100 percent. So everybody is going to keep pitching in until he comes back and we're just going to have to get it done."

Twin brother and Kenon certainly were up to the task. Chavis Holmes was 11-for-15 from the field, including 5-for-6 from 3-point range, and was 8-for-8 at the free-throw line in surpassing his previous career high of 31 points. Kenon was 7-for-12 from beyond the arc en route to breaking his career high of 26, set Monday at Charleston Southern.

Freshman guard Keith Gabriel, who had 34 points in Travis Holmes' absence at Gardner-Webb last week, contributed 19 points Saturday. The lead trio combined for all but 20 of the Keydets' 103 points.

Still, VMI couldn't have gotten it done this day without the contributions of role players such as freshman forward Ron Burks, who had eight rebounds, seven points and five assists.

"We've had a lot of people stepping up in different games here lately. We keep scraping by and that's a sign of a good team," Chavis Holmes said. "This right here, man, just shows you that it's a different year."

COASTAL CAROLINA (7-9)

Harris 12-18 6-6 30, Johnson 2-6 0-2 4, Pack 3-3 0-1 6, Sisinni 7-15 2-2 20, Sexton 5-13 0-0 11, Moore 3-6 0-0 8, Martin 0-0 0-0 0, Brennan 1-1 0-0 2, Edwards 1-4 2-2 5, Breeze 7-11 2-3 16. Totals 41-77 12-16 102.

VMI (13-2)

Bell 1-5 1-1 3, Burks 3-6 0-1 7, C.Holmes 11-15 8-8 35, Kenon 8-17 6-7 29, Josey 0-2 0-0 0, Lonon 0-0 0-0 0, Brownfield 0-0 0-0 0, Gabriel 7-12 2-4 19, Sparks 1-7 2-3 5, Houston 2-8 1-3 5. Totals 33-72 20-27 103.

Halftime--VMI 54-46. 3-point goals--Coastal Carolina 8-20 (Sisinni 4-8, Moore 2-4, Edwards 1-2, Sexton 1-6), VMI 17-41 (Kenon 7-12, C.Holmes 5-6, Gabriel 3-6, Burks 1-4, Sparks 1-7, Josey 0-1, Bell 0-1, Houston 0-4). Fouled Out--None. Rebounds--Coastal Carolina 48 (Harris 16), VMI 35 (Burks 8). Assists--Coastal Carolina 29 (Sisinni 9), VMI 21 (Bell 6). Total Fouls--Coastal Carolina 19, VMI 16. A--2,875.