January 9, 2010

BOX SCORE

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. -- Longwood University won its first road game of the season in men's basketball, defeating CSU Bakersfield 82-81 Saturday night at the Rabobank Arena in Bakersfield, California.  The Lancers (4-13) were led by redshirt-senior Dana Smith/Woodbridge, Va. (C.D. Hylton) with 24 points and 10 rebounds for his fifth double-double this season.  The Roadrunners (2-13) were led by 6-6, 275-pound senior Santwon Latunde with a career-high 29 points, adding 12 rebounds for a double-double as well.  Longwood remains on the road to play at the University of South Dakota on Tuesday night, January 12, at the DakotaDome beginning at 8 p.m. ET in Vermillion, South Dakota.

Longwood got on the board first at CSU Bakersfield and jumped to a 15-9 lead at 14:45 as Smith scored six quick points. The Lancers led 28-19 at 10:10 following a three-point field goal from senior Kevin Swecker/Manchester, Md. (Mount Saint Joseph), and the visitors increased their margin to as many as 13 points at 42-29 with 4:44 left in the half on a jumper by Swecker who also made 3-4 free throws on a foul and technical foul assessed at 5:10. It was 52-45 at the intermission as the Roadrunners outscored LU 16-10 to the end of the period. Smith had 15 points at the half, and Swecker added 11 first-half points while Latunde had 19 first-half points for CSUB. 

Longwood still led 58-47 at 18:35 as Swecker, junior Aaron Mitchell/Matoaca (Manatee CC), and Smith each scored baskets. CSU Bakersfield, however, battled back with a 19-6 run to lead 66-64 at 9:52 after a jumper by Donavan Bragg. The score went back and forth before the Lancers took the lead for good at 75-74 with 3:05 left after a jumper by Smith. Sophomore Martiz Washington/Hopewell (Christchurch) made it 78-74 at 1:32 following a three-point field goal, and LU secured the rare road win with 4-5 free throws over the final 15-seconds. 

Smith led Longwood with his 24 points and 10 rebounds for his fifth double-double. Swecker and Washington added 13 points each for the Lancers, and Mitchell finished with 10 points. LU shot 49% (28-57) from the field, including 30% (7-23) on three-pointers, and 73% (19-26) at the free throw line. 

Latunde led CSU Bakersfield with his game-high and career-high 29 points, adding 12 rebounds. Trent Blakley had 21 points for the Roadrunners. CSUB shot 50% (28-65) from the field, including 29% (4-14) on three-pointers, and 66% (21-32) at the line.