MIDWAY, Ky. - Akeem Scott opened his tenure as the Midway men's basketball coach in record-breaking fashion Monday night.

Donnie Miller and Jalen Cincore each topped 20 points, Nick Keeton had a double-double and the Eagles earned a dominant 109-69 win over Virginia University Lynchburg at Marshall Gymnasium

The 40-point deficit is the biggest margin of victory in the history of the program, topping the previous mark of 36, set in a 102-66 win over Ohio-Chillicothe on Nov. 18, 2017. It was also the most points the Eagles have ever scored in a season opener.

"Being able to win at home in front of our crowd is always an honor to do so," Scott said after the game. "Being able to grab that first win early, obviously (is) getting come confidence for our program. But the guys prepared for it. Credit to them. They did a great job. They went out and executed the plan."

The plan was to play at an accelerated pace, and the Eagles did just that, getting things started with a Tim Fuller 3-pointer on the opening possession and never surrendering the lead.

The pace is a far cry from the slower, more methodical style Midway has played in recent years, and that suits standout point guard Miller just fine.

"I like to play like that," said Miller, who led all players with 25 points and six assists. "It gets everybody else involved and everybody's got to keep up with us."

Many teams are likely to struggle keeping up if the Eagles shoot like they did Monday, hitting more than 61 percent of their field goal attempts. Keeton was 8-of-9 from the field for a 16-point, 11-rebound double-double, with Cincore shooting 8-for-12 with 22 points, missing his own double-double by a single rebound.

Things are going to get far more difficult, as Monday marks the only time the Eagles will play on their home floor until Dec. 2. Five games in that stretch will come against NCAA Division-I opponents.

The NAIA potion of the schedule won't be easy either, and it starts with back-to-back games against Campbellsville and Cumberlands at the Campbellsville Classic on Friday and Saturday. Scott believes these games will prove to be a challenge his group will benefit from as it continues to gel.

"Its going to be tough," he said. "Anytime you get in that Mid-South Conference you know you're playing against some juggernauts. I'm excited to see what our team is able to do."

Friday's game against Campbellsville will tip at 7 p.m.

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