CHARLESTON, S.C. – Longwood men's basketball had plenty of chances to fold in a tough game on the road at Charleston Southern on Saturday. They didn't, and the end result was a gutsy 107-96 win in double overtime.
Jacoi Hutchinson led Longwood (15-15, 7-8 Big South) with a career-high 36 points and took over in double overtime. The junior scored 10 points in the second extra frame as Longwood outscored the Bucs (13-16, 4-10 Big South) 14-3 in the final five minutes. Plus,
Redd Thompson Jr. added 22 points, with 19 coming after halftime.
That was just enough to edge A'lahn Sumler's 29-point, 11-rebound, 10-assist triple double for Charleston Southern in a thrilling duel of two of the best guards in the Big South.
The Lancers had to rally from a 14-point first-half deficit, a 10-point deficit with 7:16 to go, and a five-point deficit with 59 seconds to go in the first overtime.
"If we were going to play well, and the way they [Charleston Southern] play defense, those two guys were going to have to have good games," said Longwood Head Coach
Ronnie Thomas. "And they had great games. That's why we were able to pull out a double overtime win on the road. Because they both had great games. They really stepped up offensively. They made some big-time plays, big-time shots.
Jacoi Hutchinson, that second overtime, he separated the game."
On a night when shots weren't falling, Longwood battered the offensive glass for 23 offensive rebounds. That led to 25 seconds chance points.
In addition, Longwood's defense forced 20 turnovers and turned it into 31 points, and the Lancers were a combined 32-35 from the free throw line, including a perfect 15-15 in the two overtime periods.
"But credit to so many guys.
Elijah Tucker fouled out, and
Elijah Jones hasn't practiced for two weeks from strep throat," Thomas added. "He's been struggling. He had no energy in the first half. I was going to bench him the whole rest of the game. And then
Elijah Tucker's out, Johan didn't have the best second half, but then he [Jones] finished the game for us, and he's got three defensive rebounds to finish out the game in double overtime. It's a team win, and I'm really proud of the guys. It is one we needed."
Hutchinson was in the center of all of it. He was a perfect 11-11 from the foul line and finished 12-22 from the floor to become the first Lancer to score 30 or more points since Johnathan Massie tallied 31 points against Winthrop two seasons ago. The 36 points for Hutchinson were the most for a Lancer since Tristan Carey scored 37 against Charleston Southern in January, 2014.
Three other Lancers finished in double figures beyond Hutchinson and Thompson.
Jaylen Benard sank four triples en route to 16 points and a team-best seven rebounds, and
Emanuel Richards and
Elijah Tucker added 11 points apiece.
Charleston Southern received 17 points from Lase Olalere, 12 from Jacob Taylor and 11 from Nate Brafford.
Longwood returns home for its final game of the regular season when it hosts Radford in a week on Saturday, February 28. Tip is set for 3 p.m. at the Joan Perry Brock Center, and the game will air on ESPN+. It will be Senior Day as well as Fan Appreciation Day, and the game day sponsor is Bank of the James.
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