Remember My Name: VMI's Reggie Williams

Well, this one was only a matter of time. As friend of the site Kyle Whelliston has made clear, 100-50-30 isn't just the latest mortgage-lending product, it's also the wide-open style of play favored by Virginia Military Institute. Take 100 shots, 50 of them three pointers, and force 30 turnovers. Talented Keydet Reggie Williams has saddled up that formula and ridden (roden? rided?) it to the top of the NCAA scoring list - again.

Averaging 27.3 ppg and 9.6 rpg, Williams is a flashy presence in the most unlikely place. VMI is almost certainly one of the most conservative environments in college basketball, and the average Keydet is more likely to blend into the ranks than make a show of himself. But the Institute is also in the business of building leaders who can take command when the situation requires a strong hand, and perhaps that is Williams' destiny on the hardwood.

His value was best illustrated by his absence, as VMI fell to perennial league strongmen Winthrop by an uncharacteristic score of 85-41. Williams was on the bench for that one, nursing a leg injury, but you can bet he will do his utmost to come back as soon as possible - this is his final chance to make the dance. The Keydets haven't made it to the NCAAs since 1977, though they came within a whisker of upsetting Winthrop in the Big South final last season.

Williams' injury doesn't seem serious, [roanoke.com] but he will still face a long, hard road to the tournament when he returns. The Keydets are already down one to Winthrop, High Point is rising behind the leadership of Arizona Reid, and UNC-Asheville wins close games with the unstoppable high lob to Big Kenny.

Honestly, Williams' chances to get to the NCAAs are slim. He had to know that when he chose to attend a military academy in western Virginia anyway. For everyone's sake, let's hope that the Keydets make enough of a showing in the Big South tourney to make the final (televised) day of the conference tournament again, and that Williams is healthy, and slinging the rock. I'm lucky - I live in central VA, so I can drop by for an up-close view any time. Nyah.