January 28, 2008
BOX SCORE
HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. -- Longwood University dropped a 75-60 men’s basketball decision on the road at Hofstra University of the Colonial Athletic Association Monday night at the Mack Athletic Complex in Hempstead, New York. The Lancers (4-20) were led by junior Kirk Williams/White Plains, N.Y. (Woodlands) with 19 points, while Antoine Agudio led the Pride (6-13) with a game-high 28 points. Longwood will play again on Thursday, January 31, hosting Southern Virginia University at Willett Hall in Farmville beginning at 7 p.m..
Longwood played well at Hofstra, a program that has advanced to the post-season NIT for the last three consecutive years. The Lancers scored first as junior Ryan Bogan/Oxford, Pa. (Harcum JC) made a three-point field goal at 18:10 and the Pride only led 15-14 at 10:50 of the first half after seven quick points from Williams. The visitors took their largest lead of the opening period at 28-22 with 4:16 left until halftime following an 11-2 run as Williams scored six more points to finish with 15 first-half points. Unfortunately, the hosts scored the final 11 points of the half to lead 33-28 at the intermission as Agudio scored 12 points during the first 20 minutes.
Longwood answered to begin the second half and battled back to tie the game at 42-42 with 15:29 remaining on a jumper from senior Lamar Barrett/Providence, R.I. (St. Andrews). Hofstra, however, finally took control of the game over the next 4:18 with a stunning 21-1 blitz to lead 63-43 at 11:11. Agudio scored seven points during the run, including a pair of three-pointers, and Nathaniel Lester added six points during the extremely quick outburst. The Pride took their largest lead of the contest at 73-48 with 5:22 on the clock before the Lancers scored 12 of the game’s final 14 points to provide for the final margin.
Williams finished with 19 points to lead Longwood. Barrett had 14 points and Bogan contributed nine points and five rebounds for the Lancers. Senior Brandon Giles/Gaithersburg, Md. (Magruder) added a game-high eight assists. LU shot 36% (22-62) from the field, including 31% (8-26) on three-point field goals, and 62% (8-13) at the free throw line. The visitors forced 18 turnovers by Hofstra and converted into 20 points.
Agudio, who recently surpassed 2,000 career points and is the eighth-leading scorer in Division I, finished with a game-high 28 points, adding five assists to lead Hofstra. Lester had 13 points and eight rebounds, followed by Dane Johnson (12) and Greg Johnson (12) who also had 10 rebounds for the Pride. HU shot 49% (28-57) from the field, including 62% (16-26) in the second half, making 44% (7-16) on three-pointers [67% in second half, 4-6], and 67% (12-18) at the line. The bigger hosts had a 46-29 rebounding advantage, and outscored Longwood 32-20 in the paint.
Longwood was playing its fifth game in 13 days, including its third game in the past week in Florida, North Carolina, and New York, respectively. It was also the Lancers’ 16th game in 24 overall this season played away from home. Hofstra, coming off three-straight seasons with at least 20 wins (69-26) while advancing to the NIT each year, now leads the all-time series between the two schools at 2-0. The Pride defeated Longwood 78-56 on December 6, 2004 in Farmville.
