December 29, 2007
BOX SCORE
FARMVILLE, Va. -- Longwood University took a hard-fought 78-76 men’s basketball home victory past visiting Stetson University Saturday afternoon at Willett Hall in Farmville. The Lancers (4-12) took the lead for good against the Hatters (3-9) with 52-seconds remaining on a three-point field goal from senior Brandon Giles/Gaithersburg, Md. (Magruder) (11 points) in a closely-played contest that witnessed 11 ties and 11 lead-changes throughout. Sophomore Kevin Swecker/Baltimore, Md. (Mount St. Joseph) led the hosts with a career-high 23 points off the bench, including 5-7 three-pointers. Longwood will play again on Wednesday, January 2, at Boston College of the ACC beginning at 7 p.m..
Longwood and Stetson were tied for the final time at 70-70 with 1:14 left after a layup by the visitors before Giles made his big three-pointer to give the Lancers a 73-70 advantage. Giles followed with 1-2 free throws at 15-seconds for a 74-70 lead before another SU layup made it 74-72 at 0:11. Junior Ryan Bogan/Oxford, Pa. (Harcum JC) made two free throws with eight-seconds on the clock for a 76-72 lead, but Brandon Williams made a deep three-pointer at 0:04 to make it 76-75. Swecker sealed the outcome with two free throws at 0:03, and the Hatters added 1-2 free throws with one-second left for the final margin.
Longwood had taken a 33-31 lead at halftime despite 62% (13-21) shooting from the field by Stetson during the first 20 minutes as Garfield Blair scored 11 first-half points (5-5 FG). The Lancers led early in the period before the Hatters took a 27-22 lead with 3:07 left before the intermission. Swecker, however, made sure the hosts had the advantage at the break by scoring six-straight points with a four-point play and a layup for a 28-27 lead at 2:34, and Bogan added a three-pointer and two free throws in the final minute of the half to provide for the halftime score.
The second half was back and forth between the two teams with neither leading by more than four points before Stetson took a 64-58 advantage at 4:50 remaining after a three-point play inside from Blair. Longwood battled back, though, with a 10-2 run and took a 68-66 lead at 2:21 as Swecker made two three-pointers and junior Kirk Williams/White Plains, N.Y. (Woodlands) added four points, including a breakaway dunk following a steal. Blair tied it at 68-68 with 2:02 on the clock, making two free throws before Bogan’s jumper made it 70-68 at 1:47 prior to the final 1:14 after the final tie (70-70).
Swecker finished with a new career-high of 23 points (7-12 FG, 5-7 3FG, 4-5 FT) to lead Longwood, adding three steals in 26 minutes off the bench. Williams had 18 points, seven rebounds, and four assists, while Bogan added 12 points and Giles contributed 11 points, five assists, and three steals. Senior Lamar Barrett/Providence, R.I. (St. Andrews) had six points, six assists, and three steals. LU shot 54% (28-52) from the field, including 62% (16-26) after halftime, and 55% (12-22) on three-point field goals -- 64% (7-11) after the break -- while shooting 77% (10-13) at the free throw line. The Lancers also had a season-low of just 11 turnovers in the game.
Blair finished with a career-high of 27 points (11-13 FG, 5-6 FT) to lead Stetson, followed by Mark Lohuis (14 points), Sheldon Oliver (12 points), and Williams (nine points). SU shot 57% (30-53) from the field, including 42% (8-19) on three-pointers, and 62% (8-13) at the line. The Hatters had only 14 turnovers in the well-played contest.
