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GAME NOTES (PDF)

FARMVILLE, Va. -- Longwood University will welcome the Virginia Military Institute for a Big South Conference North Division contest on Wednesday night, February 6, at Willett Hall in Farmville beginning at 7 p.m.  It will be the annual Greek Night promotion, featuring special contests and giveaways throughout involving the campus sororities and fraternities, as well as the program's 'lancerstrong' contest, which will bring all Longwood student-athletes to the building.  The Lancers (3-20, 0-9 Big South) are led by 6-4 junior guard Tristan Carey/Colonial Beach, who is averaging a team-best 14.6 points with 51 three-point field goals, and 6-9 freshman forward Michael Kessens/Nyon, Switzerland, who is averaging 12.5 points and 8.7 rebounds.  VMI (10-10, 5-3 Big South) is led by 6-6 senior Stan Okoye, the preseason Big South Player of the Year, who is averaging 20.4 points and 9.1 rebounds, along with 6-9 junior D.J. Covington, who is averaging 12.9 points and 7.0 rebounds.  Admission is free to all Longwood students, faculty and staff, and for general ticket information, please call 434.395.2378 or 395.2138.

Series History
Longwood and VMI have met just five times, and the Keydets lead the overall series, 3-2, but the Lancers enjoyed a 110-89 home win last season on December 12, 2011.  In that game, Longwood made 20-40 three-pointers, including 6-12 by T.T. Carey, who scored 26 first-half points en route to a career-high and game-high 30 points.  Among returning players, Stan Okoye had eight points for VMI.

Looking At Longwood
Longwood dropped a 76-65 road decision at South Division opponent Gardner-Webb on February 2.  The Lancers are coached by 10th-year head coach Mike Gillian and are led by Tristan Carey (14.6 points, 5.0 rebounds, 51 3FG) and Michael Kessens (12.5 points, 8.7 rebounds, 55% FG).  Jeylani Dublin (9.4 points, 5.7 rebounds, 51% FG), David Robinson (8.9 points, 26 3FG), Karl Ziegler (5.9 points), Lucas Woodhouse (2.9 points, 4.1 assists) and Nik Brown (9.7 points, 3.6 assists) (currently out due to injury) have also been in the starting lineup.  Longwood is scoring 65.5 points per game, allowing 81.9 points, while shooting 43% (570-1324) from the field, including 29% (109-371) on three-point field goals (4.7) and 66% (257-389) at the free throw line.  The Lancers enter this week with an NCAA RPI of 344.

Looking At VMI
VMI took a 70-69 road win at North Division opponent Radford on Jan. 30.  The Keydets are coached by Duggar Baucom, who is in his eighth season in Lexington, where he has compiled a record of 114-120.  Preseason Big South Player of the Year Stan Okoye (20.4 points, 9.1 rebounds), D.J. Covington (12.9 points, 7.0 rebounds) and Rodney Glasgow (11.0 points, 4.5 assists) lead VMI, who was idle on Feb. 2.  The Keydets are scoring 77.6 points per game, allowing 75.3 points, while shooting 43% from the field, including 33% on three-pointers (9.1) and 63% at the line.  VMI enters this week with an NCAA RPI of 297.

Longwood Against The Big South Conference
Longwood is 40-54 all-time against current members of the Big South Conference, including 0-9 this season.  Prior to this year, and since becoming Division I-eligible in 2007, the Lancers were 7-6 against Big South schools.  Longwood series records against the conference schools include: Campbell (3-4), Charleston Southern (1-1), Coastal Carolina (1-1), Gardner-Webb (5-4), High Point (6-14), Liberty (17-9), UNC Asheville (0-3), Presbyterian (0-1), Radford (4-13), VMI (2-3) and Winthrop (1-1).

Leaving the Non-Conference Behind
Longwood has played 14 non-conference games this season and only has a 2013 Ramada Worldwide BracketBusters non-conference game remaining at the University of Tennessee at Martin on February 23.  The non-league slate has been brutal with nine games away from Farmville, including road losses at No. 12 Creighton (RPI: 28), No. 21 Georgetown (29), VCU (50), Seton Hall (102) and Arkansas (105).  The Lancers have also lost on the road at Canisius (109) and Marshall (196).

Talk About Youthfulness
The current seven-man rotation seeing action for Longwood entered this season with a combined seven years of collegiate experience.  The group includes Tristan Carey (two years), David Robinson (two years), Jeff Havenstein (two years), Jeylani Dublin (one year), Michael Kessens (zero years), Lucas Woodhouse (zero year) and Karl Ziegler (zero years).  Prior to an injury, Nik Brown (zero years) was in the starting lineup, and Mark Parker (two years) is also seeing more time of late.

No Place Like Home
Longwood has attained a home record of 48-26 in Willett Hall over the last five-plus years since receiving its NCAA Division I certification and eligibility for 2007-08.  Not including the first season playing a Division I schedule in 2004-05 (1-10), the Lancers are 62-36 at home over the past seven-plus years.  Though a very uncharacteristic 2-7 at home this season, Longwood was 7-5 during 2011-12, 10-4 during 2010-11, 9-3 during 2009-10, an outstanding 13-2 during 2008-09, 7-5 during 2007-08, 6-6 during 2006-07, and 8-4 at home during 2005-06.  Overall, Longwood has compiled a record of 266-145 on its home court over 32-plus years since playing its first intercollegiate contest in the building on November 22, 1980 against the University of Maryland-Eastern Shore, a 62-54 victory by the Lancers.