January 28, 2007
BOX SCORE
OKLAHOMA GAME NOTES
FARMVILLE, Va. – Longwood University outscored visiting High Point University 12-5 during the final 3:08 for a thrilling 69-64 come-from-behind men’s basketball victory Sunday night in Willett Hall; stopping a six-game losing streak. The Lancers (7-16) were led by senior Maurice Sumter/Alexandria (T.C. Williams) with a double-double of 18 points and 10 rebounds, and it was Sumter’s steal and layup that put the hosts ahead for good at 61-59 with 2:52 remaining. The Panthers (15-7) were led by Mike Jefferson with a game-high 21 points. Longwood will play again Tuesday, January 30, at Big 12 Conference member Oklahoma University beginning at 8 p.m. ET in Norman, Oklahoma.
“It was a total team effort as the guys did a great job getting prepared for tonight’s game,” said head coach Mike Gillian. “We had three great days of practice to be ready to play tonight. We felt like we were totally prepared; all that was left was to go out and play the game. The players deserve all of the credit because they proved through their commitment and preparation that we are capable of beating very good teams like High Point. The ‘Lancer Lunatics’ (student section) were also ready for tonight’s game, and their support went a long way toward energizing the team down the stretch.”
Longwood trailed 59-57 with 4:04 on the clock in a closely-played contest that witnessed six lead-changes and seven ties throughout. Senior Clayton Morgan/Brooklyn, N.Y. (Fashion Institute) tied the game at 59-59 with 3:08 left on a pair of free throws, and Sumter put the Lancers ahead for good at 2:52 (61-59) with his steal and layup. Sumter would add a 15-foot jumper at 1:20 that made it 63-59 before Arizona Reid (18 points, 14 rebounds) made two free throws for High Point at 1:04 (63-61). Junior Brandon Giles/Gaithersburg, Md. (Magruder) sank a floater in the lane with 30-seconds remaining for a 65-61 advantage, but Jefferson’s fifth three-point field goal closed the margin to 65-64 at 0:24. Longwood secured the home triumph with 4-4 free throws, including two each from freshmen Kevin Swecker/Manchester, Md. (Mount Saint Joseph) (0:14) and E.J. Dawson/Ft. Belvoir (Mount Vernon) (0:05).
High Point, with an average RPI of 167 and who entered the contest with eight wins in its last nine games and standing second in the Big South Conference (6-1), led by as many as eight points in the first half at 26-18 with 4:32 left until the break as Jefferson scored 10 early points in the contest. Longwood fought back to within 29-28 with a 10-3 run that included four points each from Sumter and senior Husein Pistoljevic/Richland, Wash. (Hanford) and finished with a steal and dunk by sophomore Kirk Williams/White Plains, N.Y. (Woodlands). The Panthers got a buzzer-beater to lead 31-28 at the intermission.
Longwood again fell behind by eight points early in the second half at 40-32 with 18:00 left before battling back with a 19-8 run to take a 51-48 lead at 8:17. Morgan scored five points during the run, while Sumter and junior Lamar Barrett/Providence, R.I. (St. Andrews) each scored four points. From there, the contest went back and forth with three tied and a lead-change as High Point took its final lead at 59-57 with 4:04 remaining to set the stage for the decisive final moments.
Sumter finished with 18 points and 10 rebounds for his second double-double of the season to lead Longwood, adding four assists, four steals, and two blocks. Morgan added 17 points and six rebounds for the Lancers, while Barrett and Williams each contributed eight points. LU shot 45% (29-65) from the field, including 13% (2-15) on three-point field goals, and 82% (9-11) at the free throw line, while taking great care of the basketball with a season-low seven turnovers.
Jefferson scored a game-high 21 points (5-10 3FG) to lead High Point, while Reid added his own double-double of 18 points and a game-high 14 rebounds for the Panthers. HPU shot 41% (24-58) from the field, including 39% (7-18) on three-pointers, and 60% (9-15) at the line.
