11.9.2011

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FARMVILLE, Va. – Longwood University will open its 2011-12 men's basketball campaign with three-straight home games in Willett Hall.  The Lancers will host the United States Naval Academy Friday night, November 11 (Veterans Day), in Farmville at 7 p.m., followed by Virginia Intermont College on Sunday afternoon, Nov. 13, at 4:30 p.m. before Canisius College visits campus on Tuesday night, Nov. 15, at 7 p.m.  The Canisius game will receive live television coverage on FOX College Sports Atlantic (FCS Atlantic) and Mid-Atlantic Sports Network (MASN), and will feature a WHITE OUT promotion as all fans are encouraged to wear white attire to show team spirit and pride for Lancers.  The Longwood Student Veterans and the Longwood Athletics Department will be offering free admission to all veterans attending the Navy game Friday night for the season-opener.

Head Coach Mike Gillian
Mike Gillian (North Adams State '86) was named the seventh head coach for men's basketball at Longwood on May 2, 2003.  A native of Ayer, Massachusetts, he is 75-168 with the Lancers, including a career-best record of 17-14 during 2008-09 when Gillian earned 2009 Independent Coach of the Year honors from CollegeInsider.com.  He previously had been an assistant coach for current Miami (Fla.) head coach Jim Larranaga while at George Mason for six years (1997-2003) following a year with Coach Larranaga at Bowling Green State (1996-97).  Longwood is 3-5 overall in season-opening games under Gillian, though 2-1 in those first games played at home in Willett Hall (2006-07, 2007-08, 2008-09).

Quoting The Head Coach
“It's with heightened anticipation that we get ready to tip off the 2011-12 season,” said ninth-year head coach Mike Gillian.  “It's great to have these first three games right here at home.  The Lancer faithful have turned Willett Hall into a difficult venue for our opponents, and we're looking for their help to have that continue to be the case for Navy, Virginia Intermont, and Canisius.   We have a veteran, experienced group of players that clearly understand what it is going to take for us to have a successful season, and they have given the effort to be prepared – now we need to turn that effort into performance.”

A Look At Longwood
Longwood finished 12-19 overall during 2010-11, including 10-4 at home in Willett Hall, and won its final four games of the season by an average margin of 22.5 points.  Seniors Antwan Carter|St. Petersburg, Fla. (St. Petersburg) (6-6, 225), Jeremiah Bowman|Washington, D.C. (Harcum JC) (6-2, 188), and Martiz Washington|Hopewell (Christchurch) (6-0, 175) are expected to lead the Lancers.  Carter was named the Independent Player of the Year last season after leading Longwood in scoring (18.2) and rebounding (9.5).  Bowman was third among the Lancers in scoring (12.2) and led them in assists (4.3), while Washington was fourth in scoring (10.4) and led the team and set a new season record in three-point field goals (85).  Longwood averaged 76.3 points last season, ranked 25th nationally, while shooting 46% from the field, including 36% on three-pointers, and 70% at the line -- allowing opponents 82.3 points.

A Look At Navy
Navy is coached by Ed DeChellis who is in his first year with the program, though the veteran head coach is 219-231 over 15 seasons at East Tennessee State (1996-2003) and Penn State (2003-11).  The Midshipmen finished 11-20 overall during 2010-11, including 6-8 in the Patriot League, and senior Jordan Sugars (6-3, 219) and sophomore J.J. Avila (6-7, 246) are expected to lead the team.  Sugars was a Second Team All-Patriot League choice a year ago after leading Navy in scoring (16.0), rebounding (6.0), and three-point field goals (68).  Avila was second among the Midshipmen in scoring (11.5) and rebounding (5.3). Navy averaged 68.2 points last season while shooting 39% from the field, including 29% on three-point field goals, and 71% at the line -- allowing opponents 72.7 points.

A Look At Virginia Intermont
Virginia Intermont is coached by Scott Hoagland who is in his fifth year with the NAIA Division II program.  The Cobras finished 10-20 overall during 2010-11, and the brother duo of sophomore Daniel Ross (6-3) and senior Jimmie Ross (6-5) are expected to lead the team.  Daniel Ross led VIC in scoring (15.5), while Jimmie Ross added 6.1 points and 5.7 rebounds. Virginia Intermont averaged 74.3 points last season while shooting 43% from the field, including 30% on three-point field goals, and 63% at the line -- allowing opponents 79.1 points.

A Look At Canisius
Canisius is coached by Tom Parrotta who is in his sixth year with the program, compiling a record of 59-96.  The Golden Griffins finished 15-15 overall during 2010-11, including 9-9 in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC), and junior Gaby Belardo (6-2, 180) is expected to lead the team.  Belardo was a preseason Second Team All-MAAC selection and the top returning scorer for Canisius (10.3) while last year's team leader in both assists (3.9) and steals (1.4) as well.  The Golden Griffins averaged 68.1 points last season while shooting 42% from the field, including 35% on three-point field goals, and 70% at the line -- allowing opponents 67.5 points.

Home Sweet Home
Longwood is 53-24 (.688) at home in Willett Hall over the past six seasons, including 32-9 (.781) during the past three years.  The Lancers were 10-4 at home last year after a 9-3 home record during 2009-10 that followed an outstanding 13-2 home effort during 2008-09.  LU was 7-5 in 2007-08, 6-6 in 2006-07, and 8-4 in 2005-06.  Longwood is 257-133 (.659) all-time through 31 seasons in Willett Hall.  The Lancers averaged a school-record attendance of 1,185 over the 14 home games played during 2010-11, including a record crowd for James Madison (1,963) that was the first-ever Live TV contest at the facility, and the average was a school-record 1,322 during the 11 games with students on campus.

This Guy Is Good … Real Good
Senior 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 enters his final campaign with career totals of 1,285 points (ninth all-time), 723 rebounds (second), and 61 blocks (eighth), and also ranks sixth in career field goal percentage (.551, 536-972), seventh in field goals (536), and ninth in field goal attempts (972). 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 posted career highs of 33 points, 20 rebounds, five assists, three steals, and three blocks, as well as two three-point field goals.  Carter had 29 double-figure scoring games, including 11-straight at the end of the season, along with 14 double-doubles, three-straight to end the season, while leading the team in scoring 19 times, and in rebounding 23 times.  He ranked 19th nationally in field goal percentage, 25th in double-doubles, 33rd in rebounding, and 56th in scoring.

Fill It Up Please
Martiz Washington is a senior and fourth-year team member who established a new season record for three-point field goals (85) during 2010-11. He ranks second all-time in both career three-point field goals (190) and three-point field goal attempts (506), and seventh in three-point field goal percentage (.375, 190-506). Washington started 20 of 31 games a year ago, averaging a career-high 10.4 points while the team leader in three-point field goals, three-point field goal attempts (217), and three-point field goal percentage (.392).  He posted a career-high 23 points, a season-high five rebounds, along with career highs of six assists, five steals, and six three-point field goals.  Washington had 15 double-figure scoring games, including three-straight to end the season, and ranked 36th nationally in both three-point field goals per game (2.7) and three-point field goal percentage.

Distributing The Basketball
Longwood ranked 14th nationally in assists per game (16.5) last season.  Five different Lancers had at least 50 assists, including Jeremiah Bowman (130), 2010-11 senior Aaron Mitchell (113), redshirt-senior Durann Neil|Pleasantville, N.J. (Leap Academy) (86), Martiz Washington (56), and Antwan Carter (50).  In addition, Longwood ranked 51st nationally in assist-turnover ratio (1.19) with 510 assists and 428 turnovers.

The Three-Point Stat
Longwood has made at least one three-point field goal in 270 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.

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 (based on it being 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.

Radio|Internet|Video Coverage
WVHL Radio, 92.9 FM Kickin' Country will broadcast all Longwood men's basketball games, including the 31 games during 2011-12.  This is the seventh consecutive year for this partnership between Longwood and Kickin' Country as the flagship station.  All games will also be available worldwide via the Internet either at WVHL or through TEAMLINE that is also linked at www.longwoodlancers.com.  The Navy contest, however, will be tape-delayed locally until Saturday, Nov. 12, at 10 a.m. due to the station's coverage of the Buckingham County High School football state playoff game Friday night.  In addition, all home games will include live video available via the Internet as well.  For ticket information, please call the ticket office at either 434.395.2378 or 2138.

Up Next
Following the season-opening three home games, Longwood will embark upon its first road trip of the campaign to participate in the 2011 Chicago Invitational Challenge, Nov. 18-26. The Lancers will play at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah on Nov. 18 at 9 p.m., and at the University of Nevada in Reno on Nov. 22 at 10 p.m. before playing 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.