LEXINGTON, Va. -- Jake Stephens scored 20 points and made all four of his shots from 3-point distance, leading four players into double-figure scoring as VMI held off South Carolina Upstate 78-72 in a back-and-forth game Wednesday night in the first meeting between the teams.

Bubba Parham, the VMI's leading scorer, added 14, nine coming in the last 4:36 on a pair of jumpers and five of six at the foul line. He led with seven assists.

Greg Parham scored 12 and Sarju Patel 11 for VMI (3-1), which scored 20 points on 24 chances at the free-throw line.

Malik Moore led four SC Upstate Spartans into double figures with 17 points, Everette Hammond added 16 while Jure Span and Bryson Mozone scored 10 apiece.

There were eight ties and six lead changes. The Keydets appeared to have put the game away, holding a 10-point lead with 2:15 remaining but the Spartans whittled that down to four three times down the stretch.

The Keydets face No. 10 Kentucky on Sunday.