12.21.2010

GAME NOTES (PDF)

LAS VEGAS, Nev. -- Longwood University Men's Basketball will play SIU Edwardsville in the exempt iBN Sports|Las Vegas Classic on Wednesday, December 22, at 2:30 p.m. ET at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas.  The  Lancers (3-10), led by junior Antwan Carter (15.5 points, 9.5 rebounds), are looking to stop an eight-game losing streak against the Cougars (2-11) who are led by junior Corey Wickware (11.2 points).  LU will play either The Citadel or South Carolina State on Thursday, Dec. 23, at either 2:30 p.m. or 5 p.m. ET., and is making its third appearance in the Las Vegas Classic (2004, 2006), and fourth overall tournament appearance in Nevada, including the 2008 Las Vegas Invitational.  Longwood is 3-1 in four previous contests at the Orleans Arena that includes the 2006 Findlay Toyota|Las Vegas Classic Lower Bracket Championship.  Both games in Las Vegas can be heard locally on WVHL Radio, Kickin' Country 92.9 FM as well as on the Internet via TEAMLINE.

2010 iBN Sports|Las Vegas Classic
Longwood is participating in the exempt four-game iBN Sports|Las Vegas Classic December 17-23. The first two games of the tournament took place on the road at New Mexico (12.17, L 91-54) and Colorado (12.19, L 104-59) before the opportunity to play two neutral-site games at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas against SIU Edwardsville (12.22) and either The Citadel or South Carolina State (12.23). It is the Lancers' third appearance in the Las Vegas Classic (2004, 2006), and their fourth overall tournament appearance in Nevada, including the 2008 Las Vegas Invitational. Indiana and Northern Iowa are also in the Classic's eight-team field. Longwood is 3-1 in four previous contests at the Orleans Arena that includes the 2006 Findlay Toyota|Las Vegas Classic Lower Bracket Championship. LU defeated both Charleston Southern (73-67) and Kennesaw State (87-85 OT) in Vegas at the Orleans that season.

Series History
Longwood and SIU Edwardsville are meeting for the first-time-ever in the sport of men's basketball. If the Lancers play The Citadel, it would also be the first-ever meeting between the two schools. If LU faces South Carolina State, it would be the third meeting between the two programs as both previous games were won by the Bulldogs (1.29.05, 71-65 at Longwood; 12.13.03, 78-56 at S.C. State).

A Look At SIU Edwardsville, The Citadel, & South Carolina State
SIUE (2-11) is coached by Lennox Forrester, and led by juniors Corey Wickware (11.2 points) and Cornelius Chatt (10.1 points). The Cougars average 62.1 points, allowing 81.0 points. The Citadel (3-7) is coached by Chuck Driesell, and led by seniors Cameron Wells (14.5 points) and Austin Dahn (11.8 points). The Bulldogs average 60.9 points, allowing 71.3 points. South Carolina State (4-6) is coached by Tim Carter, and led by senior Darnell Porter (12.8 points). The Bulldogs average 70.0 points, allowing 71.6 points.

A Look At Longwood
Longwood is 3-10 after a 104-59 road loss at Colorado (12.19), and a 91-54 road loss at New Mexico (12.17) during the first two rounds of the 2010 iBN Sports|Las Vegas Classic. The Lancers are led by junior Antwan Carter (15.5 points, 9.5 rebounds), senior Aaron Mitchell (12.6 points, 5.5 rebounds), along with juniors Jeremiah Bowman (11.0 points) and Martiz Washington (10.0 points, 36 3FGs). Also expected to start is junior Jan van der Kooij (7.1 points, 5.4 rebounds), while junior Durann Neil (8.3 points) is expected to see lots of action as well. LU is averaging 75.6 points, while allowing 88.3 points.

Head Coach
Mike Gillian (North Adams State '86) was named the seventh head coach for men's basketball at Longwood on May 2, 2003. He had been an assistant coach for Jim Larranaga at George Mason for six years (1997-2003) after a year with Coach Larranaga at Bowling Green State (1996-97). A native of Ayer, Massachusetts, Gillian is 66-159 at Longwood. The 2008-09 team finished with a 17-14 record as Gillian earned 2009 Independent Coach of the Year honors from CollegeInsider.com. He had back-to-back 9-22 seasons during the previous two years (2007-08, 2006-07), those efforts following a record of 10-20 (2005-06) that tied for Division I's seventh-best turnaround season that year.

For more information, please open the Game Notes (PDF) linked above.