Men's Basketball Falls To Navy 88-72

Junior Kirk Williams Leads Lancers With 18 Points, 8 Rebounds Against Midshipmen [photo, Emily Grove]

November 9, 2007

FARMVILLE, Va. -- Longwood University dropped an 88-72 men’s basketball decision to visiting Navy Friday night in the season-opening game at Willett Hall in Farmville. The Midshipmen (1-0) shot 51% (33-65) from the field, including 13 three-point field goals, and were led by senior Greg Sprink with a game-high 28 points. Junior Kirk Williams/White Plains, N.Y. (Woodlands) led the Lancers (0-1) with a team-high 18 points. Longwood will remain home and play again on Tuesday, November 13, hosting Norfolk State in Willett Hall beginning at 7 p.m..

Longwood took an early 9-6 lead in the contest at 16:22 as redshirt-junior Dana Smith/Woodbridge (C.D. Hylton) scored four quick points, including a three-pointer. Navy, however, outscored the Lancers 18-5 over the next 5:58 to lead 24-14 at 10:24 as Sprink scored nine quick points. The Midshipmen extended their advantage to 44-23 with 3:30 left before the intermission with an outburst of 20-9 for an overall run of 38-14 after the early lead by the hosts. The visitors led 49-33 at halftime with the aid of eight first-half three-point field goals. Longwood trimmed the margin to 16 at the break with a late 10-5 run to close the period as senior Lamar Barrett/Providence, R.I. (St. Andrews) scored two late baskets.

The Lancers tried to continue climbing back into the game in the second half, closing to within 53-41 at 15:23 but Navy got a three-pointer from Kaleo Kina and a layup from Sprink to lead 58-41 at 14:26. Longwood fought back again and was within 63-50 at 11:52 on a layup from sophomore Beno Jaekel/Jussara, Brazil (Western Nebraska CC) but the Midshipmen responded with back-to-back three-pointers to lead 69-50 at 9:53. The visitors led by as many as 21 points twice down the stretch, the latter at 5:27 before the hosts managed to reduce the deficit to 84-72 with 34-seconds left on the clock after a three-point play from sophomore Billy Robinson Jr./Columbia, Md. (Hammond). The visitors finished the scoring with four free throws to provide for the final 16-point margin.

Williams finished with 18 points to lead Longwood, adding eight rebounds, while Barrett had 17 points and seven rebounds. Smith contributed 11 points and eight rebounds, while junior Ryan Bogan/Oxford, Pa. (Harcum JC) scored 10 points off the bench for the Lancers, adding five rebounds and four assists. LU shot 44% (27-62) from the field, including 28% (5-18) on three-point field goals, and 65% (13-20) at the free throw line. The hosts did out-rebound the visitors 37-36.

Sprink finished with 28 points to lead Navy, adding eight rebounds, five assists and three steals. Other scoring by the Midshipmen included Chris Harris (12), Kina (11), and Adam Teague (11). As mentioned, Navy shot 51% (33-65) from the field, including 45% (13-29) on three-pointers, and 82% (9-11) at the line. The Midshipmen forced 22 turnovers, though had 19 of their own while making 14 steals as well.

Navy leads the overall series between the two schools at 4-0 after the road win in front of a Willett Hall crowd of 1,609.

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