January 10, 2007
BOX SCORE
NEWARK, N.J. – Longwood University dropped a disappointing 59-55 men’s basketball road decision at the New Jersey Institute of Technology Wednesday night in Newark, New Jersey. The Lancers (6-13) were led by senior Maurice Sumter/Alexandria (T.C. Williams) with a game-high 25 points, while the Highlanders (3-13) were led by Clayton Barker with 13 points while stopping a 13-game losing streak. Longwood, now with three-straight losses, will play again next Monday, January 15, at Utah Valley State College beginning at 9:05 p.m. ET in Orem, Utah.
Longwood led 3-0 early as senior Husein Pistoljevic/Richland, Wash. (Hanford) knocked-down a three-point field goal at 19:22 for the only lead of the contest. NJIT responded with its own three-pointer at 18:48 en route to a 19-6 run to lead 19-9 with 11:35 left before the break. The Highlanders took their largest lead of the first half at 29-18 with 4:24 left until halftime, and a buzzer-beating three-pointer gave the hosts a 32-23 lead at the intermission.
NJIT extended its advantage to 38-25 early in the second half at 17:37 before Longwood rallied with a 9-2 run to close to within 40-34 with 12:06 remaining as Sumter scored four points and junior Brandon Giles/Gaithersburg, Md. (Magruder) buried a three-pointer. The Highlanders, however, scored eight unanswered points for their biggest lead of the contest at 48-34 with 9:05 left to play. The Lancers, though, battled back with an 11-3 run to climb within 51-45 at 3:14. An offensive rebound basket and ensuing free throw by the hosts made it 54-45 at 2:00 as the visitors could get no closer than the final margin of 59-55.
Sumter finished with a game-high 25 points to lead Longwood, adding six rebounds, a career-high four blocks, two assists, and one steal -- clearly the best player on the floor -- but just did not get much help as the only visitor in double-figures. Giles contributed nine points, five rebounds, and a game-high seven assists for the Lancers, while Pistoljevic had six points. LU shot 35% (20-58) from the field, including 27% (6-22) on three-pointers, and 69% (9-13) at the free throw line.
Barker finished with 13 points and five assists to lead NJIT, while Kraig Peters had 11 points and eight rebounds. Andrew Engel and Nesho Milosevic each contributed 10 points for the Highlanders. NJIT shot 38% (21-56) from the field, though 50% (13-26) during the opening 20 minutes, 41% (7-17) on three-pointers, and 83% (10-12) at the line.
Longwood competed at NJIT with just eight available scholarship players in a contest reminiscent of last season’s unsatisfactory road loss at Savannah State (69-70). In addition, the road-weary Lancers were playing their 14th game away from Farmville in 19 overall contests this season. After Utah Valley State on Jan. 15, Longwood will play seven of its final 11 games at home in the friendly confines of Willett Hall in Farmville where the program is averaging 1,511 this season during the three games with students on-campus.
