CLINTON, S.C. (AP) -- Stan Okoye scored a career-high 39 points and grabbed eight rebounds to help Virginia Military Institute beat Presbyterian 86-77 Saturday night in the Big South Conference opener for both teams.

D.J. Covington scored 18 points and Rodney Glasgow added 17 for the Keydets (6-7).

With Presbyterian trailing 32-27 with 4:18 remaining in the first half, VMI closed out the period on a 6-2 run to take a 38-29 lead into halftime.

Okoye made a free throw at the 18:14 mark in the second half to push VMI's lead to 10, 41-31.

VMI got its largest lead of the game, 18 points, when Okoye converted a layup with 9:20 left to play to make it 65-47.

VMI shot 66.7 percent (14 for 21) in the second half and made 15 free throws in the period to close out Presbyterian (3-12).

Khalid Mutakabbir led the Blue Hose with 19 points.