December 1, 2007
BOX SCORE
FARMVILLE, Va. – Longwood University dropped an 80-68 men’s basketball decision to visiting High Point University Saturday afternoon at Willett Hall in Farmville. The Lancers (2-7) dropped their sixth-straight game while led by junior Kirk Williams/White Plains, N.Y. (Woodlands) with 18 points. The Panthers (3-3), preseason favorites in the Big South Conference, were led by Arizona Reid with a game-high 29 points. Longwood will play again on Wednesday, December 5, at James Madison University in Harrisonburg beginning at 7 p.m..
Longwood led early in the contest against High Point, ahead 8-5 at 15:33 after a layup from redshirt-junior Dana Smith/Woodbridge (C.D. Hylton). The Panthers, however, put together a 13-1 run to lead 18-9 with 11:35 left in the first half as Reid scored seven quick points. The Lancers battled back to tie the game at 26-26 with 5:02 on the clock as Williams scored five points and Smith added four points during a 15-8 run. HPU took control down the stretch of the opening half, though, outscoring the hosts 17-3 over the final 3:44 to lead 43-29 at the intermission.
Longwood tried closing the margin early in the second half, pulling to within 47-38 at 17:15 on a fast-break dunk by Williams and was within 51-41 at 14:17 following a jumper from junior Ryan Bogan/Oxford, Pa. (Harcum JC). High Point would again extend its advantage, this time to as many as 20 points at 66-46 with 8:36 remaining on an old-fashioned three-point play. The Lancers made one final run at the Panthers, closing to within 71-59 with 4:36 left to play as Williams scored six more points during a 13-5 run that also included three-point field goals from Smith and sophomore Kevin Swecker/Baltimore, Md. (Mount St. Joseph). LU was within 10 points twice in the final minute but the visitors secured the road win with 7-11 free throws over the final 2:35.
Williams finished with 18 points to lead Longwood, while Bogan had a career-high 16 points in his first start for the Lancers. Smith contributed nine points, Swecker added eight points off the bench in 14 minutes while seeing his first action this year, and senior Brandon Giles/Gaithersburg, Md. (Magruder) had six assists, six rebounds, and five points. Freshman Durann Neil/Pleasantville, N.J. (Leap Academy) had six points, three steals, and two assists in 15 minutes off the bench as well. LU shot 43% (26-60) from the field, including 42% (10-24) on three-point field goals, and 55% (6-11) at the free throw line.
Reid, the preseason player of the year in the Big South, finished with 29 points to lead High Point, adding six rebounds and three steals. Mike Jefferson had 13 points and 11 assists, Cruz Daniels added 11 points and eight rebounds, and Tim Burns contributed 10 points for the Panthers. HPU shot 50% (28-56) from the field, including 43% (9-21) on three-pointers, and 75% (15-20) at the line.
It was the 16th overall meeting between Longwood and High Point in men’s basketball as the Panthers continue to lead the series 11-5. The Lancers will play at High Point again on January 24 in North Carolina.
