Box Score
FARMVILLE, Va. -- Joab Jerome scored a game-high 18 points to lead Winthrop University to a 76-59 Big South Conference men's basketball victory at Longwood University on Wednesday evening at Willett Hall in Farmville. The visiting South Division Eagles (14-10, 7-4 Big South) scored the first nine points of the game, and led 43-25 at halftime, before increasing their advantage to as many as 25 points in the second half for their fourth-straight win. Redshirt-junior captain
Jeylani Dublin/Brooklyn, New York had 15 points, off the bench, to lead the North Division Lancers (7-19, 2-9 Big South), who lost their fifth consecutive game in a contest that was moved up to 4 p.m., from 7 p.m., due to the severe winter weather conditions. Longwood will play on the road at fellow North Division opponent, Campbell University, on Saturday night, February 15 at 7 p.m. in Buies Creek, North Carolina.
"It was a disappointing effort tonight," said first-year Longwood head coach
Jayson Gee. "I sat in the locker room after the game for an extended period of time and really just questioned the players on just what was it … we just have not been very good on these last three Wednesday's … for whatever reason. Offensively, we're just in a slump, but we still have to be better defensively."
Winthrop took the early 9-0 lead at 17:29 after getting points from four different players, including a three-point field goal by Jerome. Longwood got on the board with a jumper from senior captain
Tristan Carey/Colonial Beach at 15:38, and Dublin followed with an offensive rebound basket at 15:03. It was 11-5 at 14:17 on a free throw by Dublin, but the Eagles used a 19-7 run to lead 30-12 with 6:50 left in the period. Brandon Vega sparked the run with six quick points, while Jerome and Keon Moore each added three-pointers. The Lancers battled back to within 30-17 at 5:47 behind a three-pointer by Carey and another basket inside from Dublin, but WU outscored the hosts 13-8 over the rest of the half to lead 43-25 at the intermission. Jerome (12) and Moore (11) combined for 23 first-half points, while Carey and Dublin each scored seven first-half points.
Winthrop increased its margin to 51-27 with 16:06 remaining after three free throws by Keon Johnson, who was fouled while attempting a three-pointer. Longwood tried to fight back with a 14-6 run that closed the gap to 57-41 at 10:39, getting points from four different players, including three-pointers from sophomore captain
Lucas Woodhouse/Greenlawn, New York and freshman
Darrion Allen/Pompano Beach, Florida. The Eagles, however, responded with a 13-4 outburst to take their largest lead of the contest at 70-45 with 6:39 on the clock. Longwood, though, did not quit down the stretch and outscored WU 14-6 over the final 6:13 to provide for the final 17-point margin. Dublin scored six late points for the hosts.
Dublin led Longwood with his team-high 15 points, making 7-9 field goals, while adding four rebounds in 22 minutes. Carey, limited to 26 minutes due to foul difficulty, finished with 11 points for the Lancers. He now totals 1,398 career points to rank 8th all-time, and ranks 2nd all-time with 218 career three-pointers. Woodhouse had 10 points and a game-high four assists, adding to his new season assist record (185), and now totals 365 career assists to move into 4th all-time. Sophomore transfer
Leron Fisher/Baltimore, Maryland added eight points, off the bench, and sophomore
Karl Ziegler/Annandale contributed six points and eight rebounds. Longwood shot 40% (21-52) from the field, including 33% (4-12) on three-pointers and 77% (13-17) at the free throw line.
Jerome led Winthrop with his game-high 18 points, adding five rebounds, three assists and a game-high three steals. Moore had 14 points for the Eagles. Johnson, Larry Brown and James Bourne, off the bench, each finished with nine points, and Brown also had a game-high 10 rebounds. WU shot 48% (23-48) from the field, including 33% (7-21) on three-pointers and 85% (23-27) at the line.
Longwood and Winthrop were meeting for only the fourth time in the sport, and the series is now tied, 2-2. Longwood is not scheduled to play the Eagles again during the regular-season, but the two teams could meet in the VisitMyrtleBeach.com Big South Men's Basketball Championship, March 5-9.
