11.16.2011

FARMVILLE, Va. – Longwood University opened its 2011-12 men's basketball campaign with three-straight home games in Willett Hall.  The Lancers (1-2) lost to the United States Naval Academy 78-70 on November 11, defeated Virginia Intermont College 91-73 on Nov. 13, and lost to Canisius College 87-83 on Nov. 15. The Canisius game received live television coverage on FOX College Sports Atlantic (FCS Atlantic) and Mid-Atlantic Sports Network (MASN).  Longwood will embark upon its first road trip to participate in the 2011 Chicago Invitational Challenge, Nov. 18-26, playing at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah on Friday night, Nov. 18, at 9 p.m., and at the University of Nevada in Reno on Tuesday, Nov. 22, at 10 p.m.  The BYU game will be televised on BYUtv available via DIRECTV® channel 374 or online at byutv.org.

Quoting Head Coach Mike Gillian
“We were ready to play and very excited about the first three games of the season, especially with all of them being at home and the final one being televised.  There is certainly some disappointment in not having played better to close out two of those games, but those experiences will go a long way in preparing us for what we're going to face as the year goes along.

“It's a great opportunity for us to play in tournament events like the Chicago Invitational Challenge.  The high profile teams in these events allow us to compete against some of the best programs in college basketball in incredible and historic venues.  Then we get to the Sears Centre just outside Chicago and get to play in a true four-team, tournament-style format, which gives us a chance to play for a championship - something everyone strives for.”

A Look At Longwood | Season Stats
Longwood is 1-2 after its 87-83 loss to Canisius (11.15) of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference that followed the 91-73 win past NAIA Virginia Intermont (11.13) and the season-opening 78-70 loss to Navy (11.11) of the Patriot League.  Senior guard Jeremiah Bowman|Washington, D.C. (Harcum JC) (19.0 points, 3.7 assists) and senior center Antwan Carter|St. Petersburg, Fla. (St. Petersburg) (17.7 points, 12.7 rebounds) have led the Lancers through three games, joined in the lineup by senior guard Martiz Washington|Hopewell (Christchurch) (10.0 points, 7 3FGs), redshirt-senior Durann Neil|Pleasantville, N.J. (Leap Academy) (8.3 points, 3.3 assists), and senior forward Jan van der Kooij|Tiendeveen, The Netherlands (Roelof van Echten) (4.3 points, 6.3 rebounds).  LU averages 81.3 points while shooting 45% from the field, including 32% on three-point field goals, and 55% at the line -- allowing opponents 79.3 points.

A Look At Brigham Young
BYU of the West Coast Conference is coached by Dave Rose who is in his seventh year with the program, compiling a record of 160-46, including 1-1 this season after a 73-52 home win past BYU-Hawaii (11.15) that followed a 69-62 road loss at Utah State (11.11).  Junior forward Brandon Davies (19.0 points, 7.0 rebounds) and senior forward Noah Hartsock (16.0 points, 7.0 rebounds) have led the Cougars through two games, joined in the lineup by senior guard-forward Charles Abouo (10.0 points), junior forward Stephen Rogers (6.0 points), and junior guard-forward Brock Zylstra (4.5 points).  BYU averages 67.5 points while shooting 48% from the field, including 26% on three-point field goals, and 68% at the line -- allowing opponents 60.5 points.

A Look At Nevada
Nevada of the Western Athletic Conference is coached by David Carter who is in his third year with the program, compiling a record of 34-34, including 0-2 this season after a 71-67 road loss at UNLV (11.14) that followed a 68-46 road loss at Missouri State (11.11).  Sophomore guard Deonte Burton (16.5 points) and junior guard Malik Story (12.5 points, 5 3FGs) have led the Wolf Pack through two games, joined in the lineup by senior forward Dario Hunt (6.0 points, 8.0 rebounds), sophomore guard Jerry Evans Jr. (4.0 points, 9.5 rebounds), and senior forward Olek Czyz (2.5 points).  UN averages 56.5 points while shooting 29% from the field, including 25% on three-point field goals, and 59% at the line -- allowing opponents 69.5 points.

2011-12 Mileage Totals
Longwood will travel to 12 different states for 16 true road games and three neutral-site games on the schedule, and will include first-time visits to the states of New Hampshire, Tennessee, and Washington; increasing the states visited to 32.  The Lancers will travel approximately 19,772 miles this season, including 11,997 miles on airplanes, and 7,775 miles on chartered buses; that's 7.39 trips across the country (it's approximately 2,675 miles from Washington, D.C. to Los Angeles).  Unfortunately, such frequent travel and high mileage is nothing new to the Lancers' Division I Independent program that traveled a high of approximately 21,222 miles during 2004-05, the school's first year of competition against a full Division I schedule.

This Guy Is Good … Real Good
Antwan Carter may just be the best college basketball player that folks outside of Farmville and the Commonwealth of Virginia have never heard of … Only one returning Division I men's basketball player (Iona's 6-7 Mike Glover-18.4 points, 10.1 rebounds) averaged more points and rebounds last season than Carter (18.2 points, 9.5 rebounds).  A fourth-year team member and left-handed post player, he has began this season as expected with a double-double average of 17.7 points and 12.7 rebounds while shooting 59% (19-32) from the field through three games.  As a junior, Carter was the only player to start every game while the team leader in points (565), scoring average, field goals (237), field goal attempts (414), field goal percentage (.572), rebounds (293), rebound average, defensive rebounds (221-7.1), blocks (23), and minutes (1007-32.5).  He had 29 double-figure scoring games and 14 double-doubles while ranking 19th nationally in field goal percentage, 25th in double-doubles, 33rd in rebounding, and 56th in scoring.

In The Record Book
Antwan Carter now ranks seventh in career scoring at Longwood with 1,338 career points, and also ranks second in career rebounds (761), sixth in field goal percentage (.553, 555-1004), seventh in field goals (555), and eighth in both blocks (64) and field goal attempts (1004).  His career scoring average of 14.1 points currently is tied for ninth all-time.

What A Start
Jeremiah Bowman is averaging 19.0 points per game through three games while shooting an impressive 67% (22-33) from the field, adding 3.7 assists and 1.7 steals.  He never left the floor against Canisius (11.15), playing all 40 minutes while posting a career-high 27 points (11-15 FG, 1-2 3FG, 4-6 FT), along with five assists and one steal.  Bowman averaged 12.2 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 4.3 assists last season with 22 double-figure scoring games while ranking 97th nationally in assists.

Fill It Up Please
Martiz Washington is now the school career leader with 197 career three-point field goals, earning this record distinction with his four three-pointers against Canisius (11.15).  He had established a new season record for three-point field goals (85) during 2010-11.  Washington also ranks second all-time in career three-point field goal attempts (524), and seventh in three-point field goal percentage (.376, 197-524).  He is averaging 10.0 points this season, including a team-leading seven three-pointers. Washington had 15 double-figure scoring games last season, and ranked 36th nationally in both three-point field goals per game (2.7) and three-point field goal percentage (.392, 85-217).

How About That Debut
Sophomore Tristan Carey|Colonial Beach (La Salle U.) led Longwood in scoring with 17 points off the bench against Navy (11.11) in his first game for the Lancers after sitting out last season per NCAA transfer rules.  He added seven rebounds, two assists, two steals, and two blocks in 26 minutes versus the Midshipmen.  Carey is averaging 8.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 2.3 assists through three games.

The Three-Point Stat
Longwood has made at least one three-point field goal in 273 consecutive games, dating back to a road game at Division II Lenoir-Rhyne (11.26.02), including a high of 16 made at home against Campbell (1.15.08). The Lancers ranked 56th nationally in three-point field goals per game (7.6) a year ago, including highs of 13 against Virginia-Wise (11.18.10), Montreat (11.22.10), at Campbell (11.27.10), and versus Southern Virginia (2.16.11) among 11 games with at least 10 made three-pointers.  Longwood made 11 three-pointers against Canisius (11.15).

Up Next
Longwood will continue its participation in the 2011 Chicago Invitational Challenge with two games at the Sears Centre Arena in Hoffman Estates, Illinois against Prairie View A&M University on Nov. 25 at 11:30 a.m., and either the University of Missouri at Kansas City or Wofford College on Nov. 26 at either 10:30 a.m. or 1 p.m.