GAME NOTES: After each team recorded a win Friday in the first round of the All-Military Classic, the VMI Keydets and the Army Black Knights will square off in the final round of the tournament Saturday at Christl Arena.

VMI, playing its first season in the Southern Conference, escaped the first round against the Citadel by the skin of its teeth, defeating the Bulldogs by a 66-65 margin. Last season's top scoring offense in the nation saw just two players score in double figures Friday night, but it was enough for the Keydets to advance to the championship.

Army, of the Patriot League, had an easier time disposing of Air Force in the AMC first round Friday, winning against the Falcons by an 84-78 score. Two Black Knights players netted over 20 points en route to the team's season- opening win.

Army leads the all-time series against the Keydets, 7-4. The two teams met in the 2012-13 campaign, which saw Army come out on top, 80-74, in the All- Military Classic.

After losing some key members of the team's scoring offense from a season ago, VMI entered the new campaign knowing it had to get a solid effort from QJ Peterson, who finished last season with a 19.0 ppg average - the second most on the team behind D.J. Covington's 20.1 ppg. Peterson looked to be in mid- season form against The Citadel Friday, as the guard netted a team-high 25 points and dished out five assists in the win. Peterson connected on three 3- point field goal tries, but turned the ball over a team high-tying four times in the contest.

Fellow guard Brian Brown was the only other VMI player to register a double- digit point effort in the win for the Keydets, netting 16 on 6-of-9 shooting with four turnovers of his own. As a team, VMI recorded a 12-13 assist-to- turnover ratio in the one-point win, which was the result of a Trey Chapman forced turnover and ensuing 3-point bucket that allowed his Keydets to take the one-point victory.

Last season's Patriot League player of the year Kyle Wilson showed on Friday night why he was given the award, as the junior led his team with 25 points in the win over Air Force that propelled his Knights into the AMC championship game. He added three assists and three rebounds in 32 minutes of action on the floor. Wilson was also 5-of-6 from the free-throw line, and hit 4-of-7 shots from beyond the 3-point arc.

Tanner Plomb was another name to watch for the Black Knights, who came into Friday's contest as one of the favorite preseason teams to challenge for the Patriot League title at the end of the season. Plomb accumulated 22 points in the win, sinking six shots from distance and adding three rebounds and a steal in 32 minutes of play. His Knights shot an impressive 49.2 percent from the floor in the game, which included 52 percent from 3-point distance.

This is the third time in four years in which the Keydets will play for the AMC title. But they have a tough opponent in Army, and the host program will have the advantage with the friendly fan base. A messy 13 turnovers and 66 points won't do VMI any good going against a seriously tough offense with the tournament title on the line.