November 11, 2006
BOX SCORE
FARMVILLE, Va. -- Longwood University opened its 2006-07 men’s basketball campaign with a 71-49 home victory past visiting Virginia-Wise Saturday afternoon in Willett Hall. Senior Maurice Sumter/Alexandria (T.C. Williams) led the Lancers (1-0) with a game-high 19 points while classmate Clayton Morgan/Brooklyn, N.Y. (Fashion Institute) added a double-double of 14 points and a game-high 13 rebounds. The NAIA Highland Cavaliers (0-2) were led by Zydrunas Rackauskas and Seth Gibson with 11 points each. Longwood will play again on Monday night, November 13, at home hosting VCU on-campus in Willett Hall beginning at 7 p.m..
Longwood battled through a sluggish first half to lead 31-24 at the intermission behind 14 first-half points from Sumter. The 6-5 guard-forward scored five points over the final 2:13 of the period to spark a 10-3 run to close the opening 20 minutes. Freshman Kevin Swecker/Manchester, Md. (Mount Saint Joseph) contributed the other five points, including a three-pointer. The Lancers shot 41% (12-29) from the floor in the first half, and were just 5-10 at the free throw line while committing 10 turnovers in a ragged opening 20 minutes.
Longwood took control of the contest in the second half, taking a 42-32 lead at 15:10 as sophomore Kirk Williams/White Plains, N.Y. (Woodlands) scored eight quick points, including a monstrous dunk on the back-side lob pass from junior Brandon Giles/Gaithersburg, Md. (Magruder) who finished with five assists. The Lancers extended the lead to 20 points at 58-38 with 9:10 remaining as Morgan tallied 10 points, including an old-fashioned three-point play inside during the 16-6 run. Virginia-Wise did manage to close to within 60-46 at 4:56, but the hosts secured the decisive triumph by outscoring the visitors 11-3 over the final 3:47 -- a closing run started with a three-pointer from Sumter.
Sumter finished with a game-high 19 points, adding a game-high six assists as well along with five rebounds and five steals for Longwood. Morgan earned his seventh career double-double with 14 points and a game-high 13 rebounds, while Williams finished with 10 points off the bench for the Lancers. LU shot 47% (26-55) from the field, including 54% (14-24) after the break, 21% (3-14) on three-point field goals, and 70% (16-23) at the free throw line. The Lancers took a 40-26 advantage in rebounds, and forced 19 turnovers.
Rackauskas and Gibson each finished with 11 points to lead Virginia-Wise. The Highland Cavaliers shot 36% (16-45) from the field, including 12% (2-17) on three-pointers, and 68% (15-22) at the line.
It will be a much-anticipated contest against VCU on Monday night (Nov. 13) as the Rams become the highest-profile team to ever play on-campus in Willett Hall. Accordingly so, a large crowd is expected for the game; most-likely a turnout similar to the James Madison contest last February 18 when 2,418 piled into the facility (2,522) and witnessed a thrilling 77-73 win by the Lancers.
VCU Game Notes (PDF)
