February 13, 2008
BOX SCORE
BUIES CREEK, N.C. -- Longwood University earned an 83-80 men's basketball road victory at Atlantic Sun Conference member Campbell University Wednesday night at the Carter Gymnasium in Buies Creek, North Carolina. The Lancers (7-22) were led by junior Kirk Williams/White Plains, N.Y. (Woodlands) with 22 points and seven rebounds while surpassing 1,000 career points (1,008), and sophomore Billy Robinson Jr./Columbia, Md. (Hammond) added 17 points off the bench. The Fighting Camels (10-14) were led by Jonathan Rodriguez with a game-high 28 points. Longwood will play again on Monday, February 18, hosting NJIT at Willett Hall in Farmville beginning at 7 p.m..
Longwood led 3-2 at 18:55 on a three-point field goal from senior Lamar Barrett/Providence, R.I. (St. Andrews). Campbell scored five-straight points, including a layup by Rodriguez, to lead 7-3 with 17:51 on the clock. Consecutive three-pointers by Barrett had the Lancers ahead 11-9 at 15:33, and five-straight points from Williams capped with a three-pointer made it 18-13 with 13:17 left before the break. A pair of free throws by Rodriguez brought the Fighting Camels within 20-17 at 11:17 before a 16-5 run by the visitors had LU in front 36-22 with 3:56 left in the first half. Sophomore Kevin Swecker/Baltimore, Md. (Mount St. Joseph’s) scored eight points during the run, including two more three-pointers. The hosts, however, closed the period with a 10-2 run to trail just 38-32 at the intermission. Barrett and Williams each scored 11 first-half points, while Rodriguez scored 10 points.
Campbell continued with it momentum to start the second half, scoring the first 11 points while building its run to 21-2 for a 43-38 lead at 17:40. Longwood responded with seven quick points to re-take the lead at 45-43 with 14:31 left after a jumper from Robinson but the Fighting Camels again rallied with a 12-6 run, including five points from Kyle Vejraska, to lead 55-51 at 9:17. The Lancers, though, took control of the game with a decisive 13-0 run capped by another Robinson jumper to lead 64-55 with 6:35 remaining. Williams scored eight points during the outburst, including back-to-back three-pointers before fouling out with 6:11 on the clock. LU secured just its second road win of the season with 13-16 free throws over the final 4:26, including 5-6 by Robinson who scored 11 points in the final 6:35. CU managed to close to within four points on three occasions in the final minute as a Rodriguez layup at the buzzer provided for the final margin.
Williams finished with 22 points (3-5 3FG) and seven rebounds to lead Longwood while limited to 28 minutes with foul trouble. Robinson had 17 points (7-10 FT) and six rebounds off the bench for the Lancers, while Barrett also had 17 points (3-4 3FG) and four assists before fouling out as well. Swecker contributed 13 points (3-4 3FG) off the bench, and junior Ryan Bogan/Oxford, Pa. (Harcum JC) also scored 13 points along with five assists. LU shot 48% (28-58) from the field, including 43% (9-21) on three-pointers, and 69% (18-26) at the free throw line.
Rodriguez finished with a game-high 28 points (10-12 FT) and seven rebounds to lead Campbell. Vejraska had 17 points (3-3 3FG) for the Fighting Camels, followed by Reggie Bishop (12), and Preston Dodson (11). CU shot 54% (29-54) from the field, including 37% (7-19) on three-pointers, and 71% (15-21) at the line. The hosts committed 21 turnovers which the visitors converted to 27 points.
Williams has now scored 1,008 career points for Longwood, while Barrett has scored 960 career points with two games remaining this season. The Lancers avenged an 82-80 home loss to Campbell earlier this season on January 15, and closed the brief series against the Fighting Camels to 2-1.
