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FARMVILLE, Va. -- Longwood University will play its first-ever Big South Conference men's basketball game on Saturday afternoon, January 5, at 2 p.m., as South Division opponent Coastal Carolina University visits Willett Hall in Farmville. Longwood is 3-11 overall following a difficult non-conference schedule that included road losses at No. 12 Creighton, No. 21 Georgetown, VCU, Seton Hall and Arkansas. The Lancers of 10th-year head coach Mike Gillian are led by 6-4 junior guard and team captain
Tristan Carey|Colonial Beach, who has averaged 14.5 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists, and 6-9 freshman forward
Michael Kessens|Nyon, Switzerland, who has averaged 11.4 points and 9.9 rebounds with six double-doubles. Coastal Carolina is coached by 38th-year veteran Cliff Ellis, and has a record of 5-6 overall, including a home win against Clemson and a road loss at Mississippi. The Chanticleers are led by 6-1 senior guard Anthony Raffa (18.9 points, 4.5 rebounds, 20 3FGs) and 6-2 senior guard Kierre Greenwood (12.9 points, 4.9 assists).
“The great thing about first times is that they only ever happen once and are truly unforgettable,” said Mike Gillian. “It has been a long, arduous journey to get to this first Big South game. With that journey now over and the reality of Big South play right in front of us, we want to do everything we can to make this first game a memorable and positive experience.”
Series History
Longwood and Coastal Carolina are meeting for only the second time ever, and for the first time since December 7, 1984. The Lancers won that game played at Willett Hall by a score of 89-72, the first of two games during the 1984 Par-Bil's Tip-Off Tournament. The Chanticleers lost their second game of that event in Farmville by a score of 65-62 against Francis Marion on Dec. 8, 1984. It was one season before the Big South began playing men's basketball.
Looking At Longwood
Longwood is 3-11 overall, 0-0 in the Big South. The Lancers are led by
Tristan Carey (14.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 30 3FGs) and freshman
Michael Kessens (11.4 points, 9.9 rebounds, 52% FG). Redshirt-sophomore
Jeylani Dublin|Brooklyn, New York (9.5 points, 6.6 rebounds, 53% FG), junior captain
David Robinson|Chesterfield (9.1 points, 1.7 rebounds, 15 3FGs) and freshman
Nik Brown|Ashburn (8.8 points, 3.8 assists) have also been in the recent starting lineup. Longwood is scoring 65.6 points per game, but allowing 83.9 points, while shooting 42% (351-829) from the field, including 29% (64-222) on three-point field goals and 63% (153-244) at the free throw line.
Last Time Out
Longwood dropped a 79-71 non-conference decision to Fairleigh Dickinson on Dec. 31 in Farmville. The Lancers led most of the first half before falling behind 39-35 at halftime, as the Knights used a 23-7 run at the end of the first half and into the second half en route to taking a 57-42 advantage with 10:40 remaining. Longwood was no closer than seven points (67-60, 2:39) the rest of the game.
Michael Kessens had 17 points, adding six rebounds, and
Tristan Carey had 16 points, six rebounds and three steals.
Jeylani Dublin contributed 14 points and six rebounds, and
Nik Brown finished with 12 points, a career-high and game-high five steals along with four assists. LU shot 42.6% (29-68) from the field, including 22.2% (4-18) on three-pointers, and 52.9% (9-17) at the line. The Lancers did force 26 turnovers that were converted into 25 points. FDU shot 61.4% (27-44) from the field, including 33.3% (3-9) on three-pointers and 88.0% (22-25) at the line for the difference in the game.
Looking At Coastal Carolina
Coastal Carolina is 5-6 overall, 0-0 in the Big South following an 85-65 home win against Greensboro College on Dec. 30. The Chanticleers are coached by veteran Cliff Ellis, who is in his 38th overall year, including his sixth season at CCU, where he has compiled a record of 104-66. Coastal Carolina is led by seniors Anthony Raffa (18.9 points, 4.5 rebounds, 20 3FGs) and Kierre Greenwood (12.9 points, 3.1 rebounds, 4.9 assists). Sophomore Warren Gillis (9.4 points, 4.0 rebounds, 10 3FGs), junior El Hadji Ndieguene (6.9 points, 5.7 rebounds) and freshman Uros Ljeskovic (3.9 points, 3.4 rebounds) have also been in the recent starting lineup. The Chanticleers are scoring 70.5 points per game, and only allowing 64.5 points, while shooting 45.8% (292-637) from the field, including 30.1% (47-156) on three-pointers and 64.3% (144-244) at the line.
There's No Place Like Home
Longwood has attained an impressive home record of 48-22 in Willett Hall over the last five-plus years since receiving its NCAA Division I certification and eligibility for 2007-08. Not including the first year playing a Division I schedule in 2004-05 (1-10), the Lancers are 62-32 at home over the past seven-plus years. Longwood is currently 2-3 at home this season, and the program was 7-5 during 2011-12, 10-4 during 2010-11, 9-3 during 2009-10, an outstanding 13-2 during 2008-09, 7-5 during 2007-08, 6-6 during 2006-07, and 8-4 at home during 2005-06. The Lancers have also enjoyed great crowds over the years in Willett Hall (capacity 1,807), especially so during this recent seven-plus-year period, while averaging over 1,000 during those 94 home games. Overall, Longwood has compiled a record of 266-141 on its home court over 32-plus years since playing its first intercollegiate contest in the building on November 22, 1980 against the University of Maryland-Eastern Shore, a 62-54 victory by the Lancers.
For more, please see the Game Notes link above.
