1.30.2012

FARMVILLE, Va. – Longwood University dropped its most recent pair of men's basketball games, both played on the road to close a difficult month of January.  The Lancers (7-14) of ninth-year head coach Mike Gillian fell at Eastern Kentucky University of the Ohio Valley Conference 78-71 on January 22 in Richmond, Kentucky, and at Florida Gulf Coast University of the Atlantic Sun Conference 101-58 on Jan. 24 in Fort Myers, Florida.  The two contests were the fifth and sixth away from Farmville this month, including five-straight in five different states over 14 days.  Following a week-plus break, Longwood will play two games over the next week, including a home game against Southern Virginia University on Thursday, February 2, at Willett Hall in Farmville beginning at 7 p.m. (Take a Kid to the Game-Free Admission for everyone under age 18) before visiting South Carolina State University on Feb. 6 at 7:30 p.m. in Orangeburg, South Carolina.

Longwood To Join Big South Conference July 1
In case you missed it … Big South Conference officials announced January 23 that Longwood will become the League's 12th member as of July 1, 2012.  The Lancers were invited to join the conference following a vote by the Big South Council of Chief Executive Officers.  Big South President and Radford University President Penelope W. Kyle, along with Big South Commissioner Kyle Kallander, Longwood President Patrick Finnegan, and Longwood Director of Athletics Troy Austin, made the announcement on campus.  The addition of Longwood increases the Big South membership to 12 institutions for the first time in League history, and the conference will now have four members based in Virginia (Liberty, Longwood, Radford, VMI), as well as four each in North Carolina (Campbell, Gardner-Webb, High Point, UNC Asheville) and South Carolina (Charleston Southern, Coastal Carolina, Presbyterian, Winthrop).

Quoting Head Coach Mike Gillian
“This is an incredibly exciting event for all of us here at Longwood, and leads seamlessly into what we have been waiting for: league affiliation – Big South, here we come!  We have successfully navigated the stages involved with making the transition to the Division I level, been able to weave our way through and jump over the inherent obstacles such a move presents, and worked our way to the point of competitiveness and relative success.  All of this has been done with boundless energy, unwavering commitment, burgeoning pride in being a Lancer, and a degree of resolve that says great things are right around the next corner.  As all of this occurs, I know two things for sure: the Big South is going to be great for Longwood, and Longwood is going to be great for the Big South!”

Looking At Longwood | Season Statistics
Longwood is 7-14 overall, including 4-3 at home where the program is 36-12 (.750) during the past three-plus years, 2-9 on the road, and 1-2 in neutral-site games.  Senior Antwan Carter|St. Petersburg, Fla. (St. Petersburg) (18.2 points, 8.9 rebounds, 21-straight double-figure scoring games), along with classmate Jeremiah Bowman|Washington, D.C. (Harcum JC) (13.5 points, 5.8 assists), continue to lead the Lancers this season.  They have been joined in the lineup by sophomore Tristan Carey|Colonial Beach (La Salle) (12.3 points), along with seniors Martiz Washington|Hopewell (Christchurch) (9.9 points, 49 3FGs) and Jan van der Kooij|Tiendeveen, The Netherlands (Roelof van Echten) (6.6 points, 5.8 rebounds).  LU averages 73.6 points while shooting 43% from the field, including 34% on three-point field goals (8.4), and 67% at the line.

Looking At Southern Virginia
SVU of the United States Collegiate Athletic Association is coached by Brian Pendleton who is in his fourth year with the program, compiling a record of 66-37, including 9-8 this season following a 90-59 home win past The Apprentice School (1.28).  Casey Nye (14.5 points) leads the Knights who average 70.8 points while shooting 42% from the field, including 31% on three-point field goals (5.1), and 74% at the line.  SVU is scheduled to host Barber Scotia (1.31) this week as well.  The two schools are meeting for the seventh time in the sport, and Longwood leads the series at 5-1, including five-straight wins.

Looking At South Carolina State
SCSU of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference is coached by Tim Carter who is in his fifth year with the program, compiling a record of 62-86, including 4-16 this season following a 78-66 road loss at Hampton (1.24).  Brandon Riley (16.5 points) leads the Bulldogs who average 64.2 points while shooting 39% from the field, including 30% on three-point field goals (4.8), and 64% at the line.  SCSU is scheduled to host Howard (1.30) and Savannah State (2.4) this week as well.  The two schools are meeting for the fifth time in the sport and the series is tied at 2-2 as Longwood has won two-straight, including a 92-81 win in Farmville this season (12.2.11).

Quoting Head Coach Mike Gillian Again
“After a long time away from home, and an even longer time without playing in front of most of our Longwood students, we are excited to be back at home this Thursday night to kick-off the final 10 games of this year's schedule.  We have put ourselves in position to finish the season on a high note, and it all gets started against Southern Virginia.  After that, we finish a home-and-home with South Carolina State by traveling down to Orangeburg for Monday night's game.  We had a close, hard-fought victory over them back in December, and I'm sure they will have that in mind for this game.  I think the experiences we have had away from home, especially being able to succeed in a couple of those road games, will really help us in our preparation for what we are going to face Monday night.”

Who's Hot?
Antwan Carter has been consistent all season with his 21 consecutive double-figure scoring games; however, he is averaging 20.4 points and 9.0 rebounds over the past eight games, including five 20-point-plus games while adding 10 steals, eight assists, and eight blocks.  During the same stretch of the most recent eight games, Jeremiah Bowman is averaging 15.4 points, 6.0 assists, and 4.9 rebounds.  Likewise, Tristan Carey is averaging 13.1 points and Martiz Washington is averaging 11.8 points while making 22 three-point field goals over the past eight games.

NCAA Statistical Rankings
Longwood ranks 18th in Division I three-point field goals per game (8.4), while 29th in assist-turnover ratio (1.23), 40th in fewest turnovers (12.0), 44th in assists (14.8), and 69th in scoring (73.6).  Jeremiah Bowman ranks 26th in assists (5.8) and 49th in assist-turnover ratio (2.24).  Antwan Carter ranks 36th in scoring (18.2), 50th in rebounding (8.9), and 68th in field goal percentage (50.8).  Martiz Washington ranks 101st in three-point field goals (2.3).

Climbing The Record Book
Antwan Carter continues to climb the career record book at Longwood, ranking third in scoring (1,668), second in rebounds (910), third in field goals (693) and field goal attempts (1281), tied for fifth in blocks (81), sixth in field goal percentage (.541, 693-1281), and eighth in free throw attempts (380).  Since becoming Division I-eligible in 2007, he ranks first in points, rebounds, field goals, field goal attempts, and field goal percentage, while second in free throws (252) and free throw attempts, and tied for second in blocks.  Carter is only the second player in the 36-year history of the program with at least 1,600 career points and 900 career rebounds, joining former Division II All-American and 17-year NBA veteran Jerome Kersey '84 (1,756 points, 1,162 rebounds).  He needs to average 13.8 points over the final 10 games to surpass all-time scoring leader Kevin Jefferson '90 who scored 1,806 career points at Longwood.

On A Dime | Ironman
Jeremiah Bowman had a somewhat slow start to the season with only 14 assists through the first four games.  Over the last 17 games, he has 14 games of five or more assists with two games of 10 or more, one of nine, and another of eight while averaging 6.3 assists.  Bowman has played all 40 minutes six times: Canisius (11.15, L 83-87) with a career-high 27 points and five assists; Nevada (11.22, L 78-80) with his first career double-double with 12 points and a career-high 11 assists; Hampton (12.30, L 79-82) with 19 points, six rebounds, and six assists; NJIT (1.7, W 85-70) with 16 points, seven assists, and five rebounds; Dartmouth (1.14, L 67-83) with 14 points and six assists; and Eastern Kentucky with seven points, five rebounds, six assists, and two steals.

Beyond the Arc
Martiz Washington continues to add to his school record with 239 career three-point field goals.  Last season, he had established a new season record for three-pointers (85).  Washington also ranks first in career three-point attempts (639), and seventh in three-point percentage (.374, 239-639).

Up Next
Following the two upcoming games, Longwood will be back at home for three-straight contests at Willett Hall in Farmville.  The Lancers will host Seattle University on Feb. 11 at 2 p.m., Washington Adventist University on Feb. 15 at 7 p.m., and the University of North Dakota on Feb. 18 at 2 p.m.