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2014 VisitMyrtleBeach.com Big South Men's Basketball Championship Bracket (PDF)

FARMVILLE, Va. -- D.J. Covington had game-highs of 33 points and 14 rebounds to lead VMI to an 86-66 Big South Conference North Division men's basketball victory at Longwood University on Saturday evening at Willett Hall in Farmville.  Covington tied his career-high in points and posted his 16th double-double of the season for the visiting Keydets (18-11, 11-5 Big South), who led 38-30 at halftime en route to their road win.  Sophomore Karl Ziegler/Annandale had 17 points, off the bench, to lead the Lancers (8-23, 3-13 Big South).  Longwood is the No. 6 seed from the North Division for the 2014 VisitMyrtleBeach.com Big South Men's Basketball Championship and will play Gardner-Webb University, the No. 3 seed from the South Division, in the first round of the conference tournament on Wednesday, March 5 at 8 p.m. at The HTC Center on the campus of Coastal Carolina University in Conway, South Carolina.
   
VMI took an early 9-4 lead just 3:37 into the contest as the 6-9 Covington scored seven quick points.  Longwood battled back with nine-straight points to lead 11-9 at 13:46, capped by a driving layup by senior captain Tristan Carey/Colonial Beach.  A steal and fastbreak slam dunk by Carey gave the Lancers their final lead of the night at 17-15 with 10:55 left in the first half.  An 11-2 run by the Keydets made it 26-19 at 7:37, as Covington added five more points.  Longwood fought to within 30-28 with 3:22 remaining until halftime on an old-fashioned three-point play from Ziegler, who scored five quick points.  VMI, however, closed the period with eight of the final 10 points to lead 38-30 at the intermission, sparked by five late points by Rodney Glasgow.  Covington already had his double-double at the break with 12 points and 10 rebounds, while Ziegler had 11 first-half points.
   
Longwood climbed to within 44-39 with 17:35 to play after a three-point field goal by sophomore captain Lucas Woodhouse/Greenlawn, New York, who scored seven-straight points for the hosts.  VMI, though, took control with 12 unanswered points toward a 24-4 run to lead 68-43 at 10:02.  Covington had seven during the quick 12-0 outburst, before four consecutive three-pointers closed the spree, including three-in-a-row by Tim Marshall.  The Lancers could get no closer than 16 points the rest of the way at 82-66 with just 1:42 on the clock after a late three-pointer by sophomore transfer Leron Fisher/Baltimore, Maryland.
   
Ziegler led Longwood with his 17 points, including 5-5 free throws.  Carey finished with 16 points, making 6-6 free throws, and 12 rebounds for the Lancers, his fifth double-double of the season.  He now totals 1,486 career points to move up to 6th all-time, and remains 2nd all-time with 228 career three-pointers.  Woodhouse had 14 points and four assists, and now totals 389 career assists to rank 3rd all-time, while Fisher added 10 points.  Longwood shot 32% (23-72) from the field, including 19% (3-16) on three-pointers and 81% (17-21) at the free throw line.  It was Senior Day for Carey, Jeylani Dublin/Brooklyn, New York and Jeff Havenstein/Mt. Airy, Maryland, along with injured Mark Parker/Clayton, North Carolina and David Robinson/Chesterfield.
   
Covington led VMI with his game-high double-double of 33 points and 14 rebounds, making 12-17 field goals and 9-12 free throws, while also adding a game-high six blocks.  QJ Peterson had 13 points for the Keydets, while Glasgow and Marshall each added nine points … Glasgow contributing a game-high 10 assists along with eight rebounds, as well.  VMI shot 46% (31-67) from the field, including 24% (7-29) on three-pointers and 81% (17-21) at the line.
   
Longwood and VMI were meeting for the 10th time in the sport, and the Keydets have won five-straight to lead the overall series, 8-2.  It was the final regular season Big South contest for VMI, who is returning to the Southern Conference next season.
   
A complete tournament release for the Lancers will be posted on Sunday.