February 4, 2005

BOX SCORE

FARMVILLE, Va. -- Longwood University dropped a 76-56 men’s basketball decision to visiting Northern Colorado Friday night in Willett Hall.  Sean Nolen led four players in double-figure scoring for the Bears (6-16) with 16 points, while sophomore Husein Pistoljevic/Richland, Wash. (Hanford) also scored 16 points for the host Lancers (1-23).  Longwood will play again next Thursday, Feb. 10, at VMI in Lexington beginning at 7 p.m..

Longwood led 8-7 at 15:30 of the first half, and the contest was tied at 11-11 with 13:24 left in the opening period as the Lancers made three consecutive three-pointers.  Northern Colorado, however, used a 15-4 run to take its largest lead of the first half at 26-15 behind six points each from James Randle and Kirk Archibeque.  LU made its own 12-3 run to close to within 29-27 at 3:27 behind two three-pointers from Pistoljevic.  UNC outscored the Lancers 9-6 the remainder of the half to lead 38-33 at the intermission.    
    
Northern Colorado led 40-35 early in the second half at 18:23 before taking control of the game.  Longwood trailed 47-38 with 14:37 remaining, but the Bears built a comfortable lead at 58-40 midway through the second half (10:12).  UNC took its largest lead of the contest at 72-45 with 4:32 left, and LU was only able to narrow the margin to under 20 points (74-56, 0:23) once down the stretch.
    
Pistoljevic’s 16 points to lead Longwood came on 6-8 shooting from the field, including 4-6 on three-pointers while adding four steals in just 23 minutes.  Sophomore Michael Jefferson/Chesterfield (Meadowbrook) finished with 14 points and three assists for the Lancers, while classmate Maurice Sumter/Alexandria (T.C. Williams) added seven points and six rebounds.  Junior Chad Kosmo/Northport, Maine (Maine Central Institute) had four points and seven rebounds, and freshman Lamar Barrett/Providence, R.I. (St. Andrew’s) contributed three points, seven rebounds, and four steals.  LU shot 33% (20-60) from the field, including 39% (7-18) on three-pointers, and 60% (9-15) at the line.
    
Nolen’s 16 points to lead Northern Colorado included 4-8 three-pointers, adding four assists.  Randle finished with 15 points on 7-9 from the field, adding six rebounds and two blocks, while Archibeque and Sean Taibi each had 12 points for the Bears.  Archibeque also grabbed eight rebounds for the visitors who had a 41-31 advantage on the boards.  UNC shot 53% (30-57) from the field, including 42% (8-19) on three-pointers, and 57% (8-14) at the line.
    
Longwood and Northern Colorado are each competing in year two of the respective school’s four-year reclassification to NCAA Division I Athletics certification (September 2007).