RICHMOND, Ky. – S.C. State forward Gabriel McCray scored a career-high 23 points to help the Bulldogs hand Longwood its first loss of the season, an 83-77 defeat on the first day of the Eastern Kentucky Hoops Classic Friday evening at McBrayer Arena.
 
McCray entered the matchup with back-to-back double-figure scoring games and extended that streak with a 9-of-13 performance from the field. His efficiency from the floor led an S.C. State attack that shot .492 from the floor and topped 80 points for the second straight game.
 
McCray's effort helped the Bulldogs (2-1) overcome a career outing from Longwood redshirt senior Lotanna Nwogbo, who set career highs with 27 points and 15 rebounds over a season-high 30 minutes. A Big South Preseason All-Conference pick, Nwogbo came alive in the second half with 16 points and nine rebounds en route to his first double-double of the year.
 
Despite Nwogbo's dominance in the paint, however, the McCray-led Bulldogs halted Longwood's momentum at every turn, giving up consecutive scores just four times during the entire second half. Longwood's longest scoring stretch was an 8-0 run starting at the 17-minute mark highlighted by two Kanayo Obi-Rapu three-pointers, but S.C. State settled in and outscored the Lancers 37-35 the rest of the way.
 
"We needed to control the boards, we needed to shoot at least 25 free throws – of course, Lotanna had 18 of them, and that helped – and we did those things," Gee said. "But letting them shoot 49 percent from the field, you're not going to be a good team doing that."
 
Longwood outrebounded S.C. State 36-28, scored 23 second-chance points and shot .473 for the game, but the difference for the Bulldogs came in turnover margin. S.C State gave away the ball just seven times, compared to 14 turnovers by the Lancers, and outscored Longwood 20-5 off those turnovers.
 
"It's disappointing to come away with a loss," Gee said. "You look at our turnovers and it says 14, which is not really a lot, but I thought too many of those were unforced. Our guard play wasn't as good as it needed to be, but I thought guys competed and fought hard."
 
The loss is the first blemish on a 2-0 start to the season for the Lancers (2-1), who entered the matchup with a plus-22 scoring margin in season-opening wins over Division III Randolph and La Roche. The Lancers will have a chance to get back on track Saturday on the second day of the EKU Hoops Classic, squaring off against Ball State at 4:30 p.m. in a rematch of last year's 69-64 loss in Muncie, Ind.
 
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