Box Score
LEXINGTON, Va. -- QJ Peterson scored a game-high 30 points to lead four players in double-figure scoring as VMI took a 95-72 Big South Conference men's basketball victory past Longwood University on Wednesday night at Cameron Hall in Lexington. The Keydets (8-6, 1-0 Big South) led just 45-38 at halftime against the visiting Lancers (5-11, 0-1 Big South), before pulling away in the second half of the opening conference contest matching North Division and in-state opponents. Sophomore captain Lucas Woodhouse/Greenlawn, New York scored a team-high 17 points, adding a game-high eight assists, to lead Longwood, while classmate Karl Ziegler/Annandale added 15 points, all scored in the second half. Longwood will host Campbell University, another North Division opponent, on Saturday afternoon, January 11 at 5 p.m. at Willett Hall in Farmville.
"We came into the game wanting to hold them down three-point shooting-wise, and we did that," said first-year Longwood head coach Jayson Gee. "They shot 26 percent and that was a major objective. We wanted to come in and really try to say to the league that we were going to be a force to be reckoned with … they got out to a lead and we fought back, but we just didn't have enough guys step up. You have to give those guys (VMI) credit, and we just have to find a way to keep getting better."
Longwood trailed just 3-2 to open the game after a jumper by senior captain Tristan Carey/Colonial Beach at 18:07, and VMI only led 6-4 at 17:37 following a layup from Carey. The Keydets used a 10-0 run to lead 16-4 at 15:30 behind four points from Jordan Weethee, a three-pointer from Rodney Glasgow and three points from D.J. Covington. The Lancers, however, battled back with their own 10-0 run to pull within 18-16 with 12:48 on the first-half clock, getting seven quick points from Woodhouse, including a three-pointer, along with a trey by Carey. VMI responded with a 15-2 run to lead 33-18 at 6:37, as Peterson scored five points and Covington added four points during the outburst. The advantage was 41-28 for the Keydets at 4:13 after a layup by Covington, but the visitors closed the period strong by outscoring their hosts 10-5 to close to within 45-38 at the intermission. Sophomore transfer Leron Fisher/Baltimore, Maryland sparked the late run with seven points, including a three-pointer. Covington (14) and Peterson (13) combined for 27 first-half points, while Woodhouse (11), Carey (7) and Fisher (7) combined for 25 points.
Longwood continued its momentum to start the second half, as Ziegler scored two quick baskets and Carey added a three-pointer, to make it a three-point game at 48-45 with 17:34 remaining. A jumper from Woodhouse had the Lancers within 54-49 at 15:47, a layup by Ziegler had the guests within 60-53 with 14:20 on the clock, and a jumper by redshirt-junior captain Jeylani Dublin/Brooklyn, New York at 13:49 kept it at an eight-point deficit, 63-55. A pair of three-pointers by Peterson during this stretch prevented Longwood from getting even closer. Following another jumper from Woodhouse at 8:30 that had the margin at 11 (74-63), VMI would finally get control and pulled away late. A 10-2 run by the Keydets stretched their advantage to 84-65 with 4:32 left, as Glasgow scored five quick points, and the hosts increased the run to 21-7 for the largest lead of the night at 25 points in the final minute.
Woodhouse led Longwood with his team-high 17 points, adding the game-high eight assists. Ziegler finished with 15 points, all scored in the second half for the Lancers, limited to only three minutes in the first half after two quick fouls. Carey had 10 points, five rebounds and a game-high three steals, while Fisher contributed nine points. Freshman Damarion Geter/Dayton, Ohio added five points and a season-high eight rebounds, off the bench. Longwood shot 42% (27-65) from the field, including 25% (4-16) on three-pointers and 74% (14-19) at the free throw line.
Peterson led VMI with his game-high 30 points, including 12-16 free throws. Covington and Glasgow each had 15 points for the Keydets, with Covington adding game-highs of 16 rebounds and four blocks, and Glasgow adding seven assists. Brian Brown finished with 11 points, off the bench. VMI shot 43% (29-67) from the field, including 27% (9-34) on three-pointers and 68% (28-41) at the line. The Keydets out-rebounded Longwood, 49-34, had a 20-6 advantage in second-chance points and made more free throws (28) than the Lancers attempted (19).
Longwood and VMI were meeting for the ninth time in the sport, and the Keydets now lead the series, 7-2, including four-straight wins. The Lancers will host VMI in the regular-season finale in Farmville on March 1.
