January 2, 2006

BOX SCORE

RICHMOND, Va. -- Longwood University dropped a 74-60 men’s basketball decision at the University of Richmond Monday afternoon at the Robins Center.  Junior captain Maurice Sumter/Alexandria (T.C. Williams) led the Lancers (3-12) with 16 points, while the Spiders (7-6) got 17 points each from seniors Jermaine Bucknor and Kevin Steenberge.  Longwood will play again on Thursday, Jan. 5, at IPFW in Fort Wayne, Indiana with the tip-off scheduled for 8 p.m..
    
Longwood took its only lead of the game at 2-1 (16:58) on a jumper from sophomore Dana Smith/Woodbridge (C.D. Hylton).  Richmond took advantage of a 19-8 run to lead 20-10 at 9:59, and the Spiders expanded their lead to 14 points at 28-14 with 4:49 left in the first half as Steenberge scored six points.  The Lancers battled back, though, with a 15-7 run and closed to within 35-29 at the intermission as freshman Bryan Butler/Woodbridge (Potomac) scored five points, including a buzzer-beating three-point field goal to end the half.
    
Richmond took control of the contest with four consecutive three-pointers to open the second half as Bucknor and redshirt-freshman Jarhon Giddings made two triples each over the first 3:17 for a 47-34 lead at 16:43.  The Spiders largest lead of the game was 74-57 at 2:02 as Longwood was only able to climb within 10 points on two occasions in the second half (55-45, 10:14; 65-55, 4:15).  Richmond shot the ball extremely well in each half, hitting 57% (16-28) in the first half and 58% (14-24) in the second period.
    
Sumter added five rebounds, two assists, and two steals to his team-high 16 points for Longwood.  Butler finished with 13 points and four assists while playing 21 minutes off the bench, and Smith had 11 points and six rebounds.  LU shot 39% (23-59) from the field, including 37% (7-19) on three-pointers, and 70% (7-10) at the free throw line.
    
Steenberge added six rebounds and two blocks to his 17 points for Richmond, while Bucknor was 3-5 beyond the arc among his 17 points.  Junior Peter Thomas added 11 points for the Spiders.  UR shot 58% (30-52) from the field, including 54% (7-13) on three-pointers, and 64% (7-11) at the line.
    
It was the first-ever meeting between Longwood and Richmond in men’s basketball.  The tradition-rich Spider program has made seven post-season NCAA Tournament appearances, as well as seven NIT post-season appearances -- all since 1982.
    
Longwood played without its leading scorer, junior Michael Jefferson/Chesterfield (Meadowbrook) (12.8), out with an ankle injury.