The Overtime Report: Lancers Establish Some Relevancy
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HC Jayson Gee has explained the Lancers are in Phase Two of his three phase plan.[/caption]
The Longwood University men’s basketball team did what they were supposed to do versus any non-DI opponent; the Lancers defeated the crosstown rival Hampden Sydney Tigers 95–60 to kick off the season. Obviously this wasn’t just any non-DI contest for Head Coach Jayson Gee and his Lancers squad. This was the first time Longwood faced D3 HSC as a Division I team. The results speak for themselves and it seems like the contest brought Longwood basketball some relevancy within the Farmville community.
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Just 2 and 1/2 minutes into the first half, Lotanna Nwogbo was sitting on the bench with 2 fouls and HSC possessed a 6–3 lead. It’s what happened over the next 3 minutes that set the tone for the rest of the game. The Lancers went on a 16–0 run to lead the Tigers by 13. HSC would get within 7 but Longwood used several bursts to take a 23 point advantage into halftime (54–31).
Both teams were shooting the lights out in the first half but I don’t intend to focus on the numbers. I was more interested in the game day experience. The reason Longwood and Hampden Sydney played this game was to appease the community of Farmville and the followers of each school. And even though it was a 35 point blowout, it seemed like the fans remained entertained for the entirety of the game. In a game like this, keeping the fans interested was important: it was the Crosstown Showdown after all. The game was the first of its kind in 10 years (when Longwood was transitioning to DI).
The fact that people in attendance were able to keep their attention span in a 95–60 game is proof enough that this game was important for both schools. HSC is a successful D3 school that contends for the ODAC title each year. This game was a huge measuring stick for the young Tigers. Longwood, on the other hand, is an up and coming DI program that is trying to build a culture under Coach Gee. I think most people knew Longwood would win but the fact that HSC is a proven winner had some folks concerned. Coach Gee even touch on HSC’s success in his postgame interview on WVHL 92.3. Coach explained, “They’ve (HSC fan base) had repetition of success and we have to build that. They were a great example for us tonight and they were a quality opponent.” Gee also talked about the community and how he felt this game showcased his team in a positive light.
This game is certainly not a proclamation of this upcoming season for Longwood. Gee always talks about the steps he wants to take to build a program at Longwood. Saturday’s game was an important step in that process. Longwood showed that they aren’t the same team that HSC has beaten in the past. These new look Lancers deserve respect in the local community.
From here, Longwood will take on Averett in Willett Hall before hitting the road for 6 games away from Farmville. It seems like Longwood gained some relevancy in Farmville on Saturday but we’ll know a lot more about the perception of this team when they return home in December. A winning record would be a huge success considering the Lancers are taking on some formidable foes.
