2.5.2011

BOX SCORE

NEWARK, N.J. -- Longwood University dropped a difficult 65-64 men's basketball decision on the road at the New Jersey Institute of Technology of the Great West Conference Saturday afternoon in Newark, New Jersey. NJIT's Isaiah Wilkerson made the game-winning layup with just 1.2-seconds on the clock after junior Martiz Washington|Hopewell (Christchurch) had made a three-point field goal to put the Lancers ahead 64-63 with 9.7-seconds remaining. LU still had an opportunity to win the game but redshirt-junior captain Durann Neil|Pleasantville, N.J. (Leap Academy) missed an uncontested layup at the final buzzer. Junior standout Antwan Carter|St. Petersburg, Fla. (St. Petersburg) led the Lancers (8-18) with his third-straight and 11th double-double of the season, posting game-highs of 29 points and 11 rebounds. Chris Flores led the Highlanders (9-12) with 19 points. Unfortunately, Longwood remains winless on the road this season (0-13), and will play again on Wednesday night, February 9, with another road game at the University of Maryland of the Atlantic Coast Conference at the Comcast Center in College Park beginning at 8 p.m.

Longwood fell behind from the start, trailing 11-6 at 14:34 and 15-12 at 11:38 despite six quick points from Carter. The Lancers finally took their first lead at 20-19 with 8:50 left in the first half on another basket inside by Carter who had 12 of the team's first 20 points. LU led 26-23 at 5:20 following a pair of free throws from junior Jeremiah Bowman|Washington, D.C. (Harcum JC), and Bowman's layup to close the opening period tied the contest at 33-33 at the intermission. Carter led the way with 18 first-half points, adding six rebounds while 9-14 from the field during the first 20 minutes.

NJIT scored the first five points of the second half, all by Flores, to lead 38-33 at 18:59, prompting a timeout by Longwood. The Highlanders continued their momentum and took their largest lead of the game at 44-37 with 12:06 on the clock. The Lancers, however, answered with eight-straight points to lead 45-44 at 7:55 on a free throw by senior captain Aaron Mitchell| Matoaca (Manatee CC) who scored five of the points. Freshman David Robinson|Chesterfield (Cosby) came off the LU bench to make four three-pointers in the second half, including three-straight for a 54-53 lead at 4:01. Carter followed with another layup at 3:18 for a 56-53 advantage, and his basket at 1:42 made it 59-58 before the Highlanders rallied back with five-straight points to lead 63-59 at 1:03. Carter scored inside at :53 to make it 63-61 before the game's final decisive seconds.

Longwood made a stop on the defensive end of the floor and gained possession of the basketball with 21.9-seconds remaining, and called timeout.  Following the timeout, the Lancers worked the ball to Washington in the right corner and he promptly made his only three-pointer of the game for the 64-63 lead with 9.7-seconds on the clock.  NJIT hurried down the floor and found Wilkerson open inside for his layup at 1.2-seconds.  Each team called timeouts before Carter threw a length-of-the-court inbounds pass that found its way over top several players on each team near the foul line and to Neil who was alone under the basket, but his attempt at the buzzer was too strong (and it would have counted).

Carter finished with game-highs of 29 points and 11 rebounds for his 11th double-double this year to lead Longwood. He has posted four-straight 20-point games, including three consecutive with at least 25 points, along with the three-straight 10-plus rebound contests as well. Robinson was the only other player to reach double-figure scoring with a career-high 12 points off the bench for the Lancers, including 4-5 on three-point field goals. LU shot 41.8% (23-55) from the field, including 28.6% (6-21) on three-pointers, and 60.0% (12-20) at the free throw line.

Flores finished with 19 points to lead NJIT. Wilkerson had 14 points for the Highlanders. NJIT shot 40.3% (25-62) from the field, including 26.3% (5-19) on three-pointers, and 76.9% (10-13) at the line.

Longwood and NJIT were playing for the ninth time in the sport of men's basketball as the Lancers still lead the series at 6-3 after the Highlanders stopped a six-game losing streak to LU.