Box Score
FARMVILLE, Va. -- Senior Khalid Mutakabbir scored a career-high and game-high 29 points to lead visiting Presbyterian College to an 82-71 Big South Conference men's basketball victory at Longwood University on Saturday afternoon at Willett Hall in Farmville. The Blue Hose (5-16, 2-5 Big South) led 39-36 at halftime and were only ahead 65-64 with 5:41 remaining, before closing the contest with a 17-7 run, including eight late points from Jordan Downing, who finished with 15 points. Junior captain
David Robinson|Chesterfield and freshman
Michael Kessens|Nyon, Switzerland each scored 16 points for the Lancers (3-18, 0-7 Big South). Longwood will play again on the road at fellow league North Division opponent High Point University on Wednesday night, January 30 at 7 p.m.
Longwood led 4-2 early at 18:53 after a jumper from junior captain
Tristan Carey|Colonial Beach, and a layup by redshirt-sophomore
Jeylani Dublin|Brooklyn, New York. It would prove the only lead of the game as Presbyterian used an 11-4 run to lead 13-8 at 14:46 following two free throws from Mutakabbir. The Lancers rallied back to within 15-14 at 12:17 after a three-point field goal by Robinson, but the Blue Hose put together a 20-11 run to take their largest lead of the first half at 35-25 with 4:58 left, getting three three-pointers from Mutakabbir. LU battled back to within 39-36 at the intermission behind points from six different players, including four by Kessens, who had a crowd-pleasing dunk during the 11-4 outburst. Mutakabbir had 13 first-half points for PC, while Kessens had 12 points at the break.
Presbyterian extended the advantage to start the second half, leading 54-42 at 15:37, with Mutakabbir scoring seven more quick points. Longwood, however, fought back again and pulled to within 61-60 at 7:05 on a pair of free throws by Robinson. The Lancers were still within 65-64 with 5:41 left to play after two free throws from Carey, but the Blue Hose once-again extended their margin with the decisive 17-7 game-ending run that was sparked by Downing.
"When you're in a tough time like we find ourselves right now, you find out what you're really made of," said 10th-year head coach Mike Gillian. "This is the fifth time in the seven league games that we have been in position to succeed in the latter stages of the game. We have seemingly found five different ways to keep us from winning in those games, and need to find a way to break through that."
Robinson and Kessens led Longwood with their respective 16 points each, with Kessens adding six rebounds and Robinson tying his career high with three steals. Dublin had 13 points and six rebounds for the Lancers. Carey finished with 12 points and a game-high four steals, and freshman
Lucas Woodhouse|Greenlawn, New York contributed six points and nine assists. LU shot 46.3% (25-54) from the field, including 40.0% (4-10) on three-pointers and 73.9% (17-23) at the free throw line.
Mutakabbir led Presbyterian with his career-high and game-high 29 points. Downing finished with his 15 points, adding six rebounds, and Eric Washington contributed 10 points and a game-high 10 assists for his second career double-double. PC shot 52.6% (30-57) from the field, including 46.2% (6-13) on three-pointers and were a perfect 100% (16-16) at the line.
Longwood and Presbyterian were playing for the first-time ever in the sport.
Presbyterian will return home to host South Division opponent UNC Asheville on Wednesday, Jan. 30, at 7 p.m.
