December 17, 2005

BOX SCORE

FARMVILLE, Va. -- Longwood University dropped an 88-72 men’s basketball decision to visiting High Point University of the Big South Conference Saturday afternoon in Willett Hall. The Lancers (2-8) were led by junior Michael Jefferson/Chesterfield (Meadowbrook) with 18 points while the Panthers (6-2) won their third-straight game as Issa Konare posted a career-best double-double of 23 points and 10 rebounds, and Arizona Reid added 22 points. Longwood will play again on Tuesday, Dec. 20, hosting Valparaiso University at 7 p.m. in Willett Hall.

Longwood led early at 12-10 with 12:57 left in the opening half after three ties and a couple of lead-changes. High Point, however, took advantage of torrid first-half shooting and a 22-4 run to lead 32-16 at 8:02. Reid scored eight points during the outburst, and Konare added seven points. The Panthers would extend the margin to 21 points at the intermission, leading 50-29 while shooting 62% (21-34) from the field during the first 20 minutes. Reid had 16 points at halftime, and Konare had 15 points as the duo combined to shoot 13-15 from the floor.

High Point maintained the margin at 54-33 early in the second half on a jumper from Reid at 19:01. Longwood battled back, though, with a 13-5 run to pull to within 59-46 at 13:08 as Jefferson scored six points. A layup from junior Clayton Morgan/Brooklyn, N.Y. (Fashion Institute) with 12:04 left kept the Lancers within 61-48. The Panthers, however, would get rolling again and outscored the hosts 17-3 behind five points from Konare and seven points from Akeem Scott over the next 5:49 to lead 78-51 at 6:15. LU had one more run left and narrowed the margin to 84-70 at 1:43 with a 19-6 outburst as junior Husein Pistoljevic/Richland, Wash. (Hanford) tallied nine points off the bench, but it was too late.

Jefferson led Longwood with his team-high 18 points, while sophomore Lamar Barrett/Providence, R.I. (St. Andrews) added 14 points on 6-8 from the floor. Morgan finished with eight points and a game-high 15 rebounds, and Pistoljevic had nine points in only 11 minutes for the Lancers. LU shot 39% (26-66) from the field, including just 17% (2-12) on three-pointers, and 86% (18-21) at the free throw line. The Lancers did force HPU into 18 turnovers for the contest, and also out-rebounded the visitors 39-28.

Konare led High Point with his career-best double-double of 23 points and 10 rebounds, making 8-9 shots from the floor and 6-7 at the line, adding a career-high four blocks as well. Reid finished with 22 points on 10-14 shooting from the floor, while Mike Jefferson came off the bench to add 13 points and six assists, and Scott finished with 12 points. HPU shot 57% (32-56) from the field, including 55% (6-11) on three-pointers, and 78% (18-23) at the line.