Box Score
FARMVILLE, Va. -- Longwood University dropped a 78-66 non-conference men's basketball decision at home to visiting Norfolk State University of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference on Thursday night at Willett Hall in Farmville. The Lancers (0-2), who trailed 43-29 at halftime before rallying to within 69-61 with 3:26 remaining, were led by 6-9 freshman
Michael Kessens|Nyon, Switzerland with game highs of 17 points and 15 rebounds for his first career double-double. The Spartans (2-1), who made 9-12 free throws over the final 2:17 to secure the win, were led by Rashad Gaston with 14 points and 11 rebounds off the bench. Longwood will go back on the road to play four games in the exempt 2012 Continental Tire/Las Vegas Invitational on Nov. 18-24, beginning at the University of Arkansas of the Southeastern Conference on Sunday, Nov. 18, in Fayetteville at 4 p.m.
Playing before a near-capacity crowd of 1,723, Longwood scored the first five points of the game on a three-point field goal by junior captain
Tristan Carey|Colonial Beach and a basket inside from Kessens. NSU answered with five points before Kessens scored on a dunk off an assist from Carey to make it 7-5 at 17:03. The Spartans responded with 10-straight points, including five by Pendarvis Williams, to lead 15-7 at 13:35, but the Lancers battled back to within 23-21 at 6:33 on a jumper from freshman
Karl Ziegler|Annandale. The visitors, however, closed the half with a 20-8 run to lead 43-29 at the intermission behind 10 first-half points by Malcolm Hawkins and eight first-half points by Williams.
Norfolk State, the fan favorites of the NCAA Tournament last March after advancing to the third round with its 86-84 upset of No. 2 seed Missouri, took its largest lead midway through the second half at 61-44 with 10:31 left after a jumper by Gaston. Longwood continued to play hard and closed to within 65-57 on a jumper from Carey at 4:59, and the Lancers were within 69-61 at 3:26 after a layup by Kessens. The Spartans finished it off at the free throw line with their 9-12 effort, including 6-6 from Rob Johnson, to earn the road victory.
“There are going to be times of adversity this team will face in order to achieve what we are capable of,” said 10th-year head coach Mike Gillian. “Tonight was certainly one of those times … at this early point in the season there is plenty of learning to be done, there is plenty of teaching to do, and plenty of improving that is necessary for us to perform at the level we need to in order to succeed.
“Norfolk State proved through their experience and their play that they were better than us tonight - and the results show that. It's disappointing for our crowd, too, and I understand that, the crowd tonight was unbelievable and the energy in the gym was awesome. We owe them one for sure. I don't have any doubt that we will continue to improve as the year goes along and tonight's game, although not the outcome any of us wants, will be a big part of that process.”
Kessens led Longwood with his game-high double-double of 17 points and 15 rebounds, adding four blocks in only his second collegiate game. Carey had 13 points, seven rebounds and five assists for the Lancers. Junior
David Robinson|Chesterfield and freshman
Nik Brown|Ashburn each contributed 10 points, with Brown adding five assists in his collegiate debut. LU shot 40.9% (27-66) from the field, including 19.0% (4-21) on three-pointers, and 66.7% (8-12) at the line.
Gaston led Norfolk State with his 14 points and 11 rebounds. Zieyik Estime had 12 points off the bench for the Spartans. Williams finished with 11 points and Haskins had 10 points. NSU shot 43.1% (25-58) from the field, including 58.3% (7-12) on three-pointers, and 65.6% (21-32) at the line.
Longwood and Norfolk State were meeting for the seventh time in the sport, and the Spartans lead the overall series at 5-2.
