WASHINGTON, D.C. – Longwood men's basketball lived at the foul line, but American University made everything else difficult in the final game of the Capital Thanksgiving Classic today.
 
The Lancers (4-5), playing their third game in as many days, went 32-42 on free throws. AU (5-4), the host of the event, snuffed out most everything else, holding the Lancers to .302 (16-53) shooting from the floor to win 92-66.
 
On the other end of the floor, AU drained 11 triples and shot 50 percent for the game, in addition to going 27-30 from the foul line, to offset Longwood's free throw advantage.

Johan Nziemi, Elijah Tucker, Jacoi Hutchinson and Redd Thompson Jr. all scored in double figures to lead the way. Nziemi had 12 points behind 8-10 shooting from the foul line, and Tucker set a career high in free throw attempts by going 8-12 at the line. He finished with 10 points. Hutchinson added 10 points. Thompson finished with 11 while going 7-8 at the free throw line.
 
However, American countered with four in double figures behind 18 points from Greg Jones. Matt Mayock drained three triples en route to 17 points, and Geoff Sprouse hit three triples while scoring 16. Madden Collins finished with 11 points.

"We know the current issue we have as a team," said Longwood Head Coach Ronnie Thomas. "It is not the group, but it is how we go about competing together and being a connected group. We have to work to be a connected group on both ends of the floor floor, and we have shown we can be that type of group. Now, we need to make a new commitment to it in order to get back to that."
 
Longwood was relentless early and attacked the basket in the opening minutes of the game. Tucker led the rack attacks and scored four of the team's first six points at the foul line. Alphonzo Billups III added a pair of free throws as well as Longwood took a 10-5 lead four minutes in.
 
Halfway through the half, the Lancers still led by five thanks to a defense that limited the hosts to 15 points in a 10-minute span, but AU got going and never stopped for the final 30 minutes.
 
The Eagles went on a 25-10 run over nine minutes to flip the game and take a 10-point lead. AU went 7-13 from the floor while hitting four threes, and a zone limited Longwood to 5-16 shooting from the floor while not surrendering a free throw in that same span.
 
The Lancers scored the final four points of the half, though, to trim the lead to six at the break, 40-34.
 
The deficit stayed put at six as the two teams traded baskets early in the half, but American used a 17-3 run over a four-minute stretch to build some separation.
 
AU went 6-9 from the deck and 3-4 from three while forcing a trio of turnovers to take a 61-42 lead.
 
Johan Nziemi ended the run with a pair of foul shots, but the damage was done. The Lancers kept going to the foul line, but AU only gave up six made shots in the final 20 minutes to slowly pull away.

"You learn what type of character you have when you are throw three different game plans in a 72-hour span," Thomas said about the learning experience at the multi-team event. "We got a chance to be in a lot of adverse moments over the three days, and we handled some of the moments well and some not so well. Now we have to take that experience and learn the lesson. The way we get through it is by being together and being consistent in the controllables: effort, discipline and toughness."
 
Longwood returns home for a matchup against Pfeiffer on Wednesday night at 7 p.m. at the Joan Perry Brock Center. At the game, fans can bring one item to donate to Christmas Mother for one free ticket. Items can include toys, books, clothing or other gift items for children under 18 years old. Tickets are also available at www.longwoodlancers.com/tickets. The game will also air on ESPN+.
 
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