February 23, 2009

BOX SCORE

HIGH POINT, N.C. -- Longwood University dropped an 81-69 men's basketball decision on the road at High Point University of the Big South Conference Monday night in High Point, North Carolina.  The Lancers were led by senior Ryan Bogan/Oxford, Pa. (Harcum JC) and redshirt-junior Dana Smith/Woodbridge (C.D. Hylton), each with game-highs of 21 points as LU dropped to 15-13.  The Panthers were led by freshman Nick Barbour with 18 points as HPU improved to 9-18.  Longwood will play again this Wednesday night, February 25, hosting reclassifying Division I Independent North Carolina Central University at Willett Hall in Farmville beginning at 7 p.m..  It will be Senior Night in recognition of the team's lone senior, Ryan Bogan, as well as "White-Out Night" as all fans are encouraged to wear white attire to the contest.
   
Longwood fell behind 9-2 at 15:30 as three different players scored for High Point, and the Panthers led 24-7 at 10:37 as Cruz Daniels scored eight quick points.  Longwood finally began to show some life and closed to within 28-21 at 6:22 after consecutive three-point field goals by Bogan to finish a 14-4 run.  HPU went back ahead 35-21 with 3:58 left in the period, scoring seven unanswered points.  The Lancers responded with seven-straight points of their own to be within 35-28 at 2:02 behind five points from freshman Antwan Carter/St. Petersburg (St. Petersburg) but the hosts led 37-28 at the intermission.  High Point extended its advantage back to 44-31 at 17:44 as four different players contributed points. 

Longwood battled back with an 11-3 run to close to within 47-42 at 14:10 as Bogan (4), Carter (4), and Smith (3) combined for the points.  The Lancers kept challenging and were within three points at 52-49 on a layup by Smith with 11:44 remaining but Barbour made a three-pointer at the other end to make it 55-49 en route to scoring eight of 10 points for the Panthers to give them a 62-52 lead at 9:07.  LU again fought back and was within 66-61 at 5:17 after Carter scored inside again.  It was 68-61 with just under four minutes left on the clock after another Barbour basket when junior Kevin Swecker/Manchester, Md. (Mount Saint Joseph) made a steal at halfcourt and drove to the basket with his shot blocked off the backboard while knocked to the floor in an apparent goal-tend and foul situation but there was no whistle and High Point scored a layup at the other end.  What could have potentially been a 68-64 score instead was 70-61 at 3:34.  Longwood did not recover and High Point made 7-12 free throws over the final 2:10 to secure its win.
   
Bogan and Smith each finished with game-highs of 21 points to lead Longwood.  Smith also had eight rebounds, and Bogan had seven rebounds.  Carter tied his career-high with 19 points off the bench for the Lancers, adding nine rebounds as the trio combined for 61 of the team's 69 points.  LU shot 34% (26-76) from the field, including 24% (9-38) on three-point field goals, and 53% (8-15) at the free throw line.
   
Barbour finished with 18 points to lead High Point.  Eugene Harris had 17 points off the bench for the Panthers, while Cruz added 12 points and 11 rebounds, and Jourdan Morris contributed 10 points.  HPU shot 57% (28-49) from the field, including 65% (15-23) in the second half, 46% (5-11) on three-pointers, and 61% (20-33) at the line.  High Point now leads the all-time series between the two schools at 13-5, including 7-1 in games played in North Carolina.