.png)
Buies Creek, NC- In the current era of college basketball it is often rare to see a program with an identity, especially one indicative of keeping guys around the program and developing them within the system. In Griff Aldrich's seven seasons leading the Longwood Lancers, the identity has been bringing in guys who are physical and want to be coached hard. That identity played a huge factor in the Lancers coming out victorious on the road against Campbell.
The Camels opened the game on an 8-0 run behind five quick points from Jasin Sinani. Campbell held the lead until the 11:30 mark in the first half. After the game, Campbell head coach Kevin McGeehan reflected on the first half: "We weren't tough enough and the shooting percentages followed that...we need to be able to move on from what clouds us previously...". Campbell would shoot 28% from the field in the first half. Both Kyrell Luc and Johan Nziemi scored seven points in the first half for Longwood. Once Longwood took the lead, they never gave it back.
Longwood would maintain its control of the game in the second half despite a 13 point effort from Colby Duggan to try to will the Camels back to within reach. Longwood's depth and physicality were pivotal to them never letting up. They were able to get 6 points each in the second half from Johan Nziemi and Emanuel Richards. Longwood would go on to win by twenty, 77-55.
Griff Aldrich and the Lancers have always hung their hat on defense and toughness but I believe this team has the offensive firepower to compete at the top of the Big South and have a strong chance at defending their title. Two of Longwood's three losses this season have come against teams ranked inside of the top 100 in Kenpom, with the loss outside coming to North Carolina Central. They have a chance to get revenge as they play at North Carolina Central on Friday, December 20th in a rare home and home in the same season.
The Camels last non conference game comes against North Carolina on December 29th in Chapel Hill. This will be the first ever meeting between the two programs. Campbell has not had the started to the season that they would have hoped for. Coach McGeehan was candid after this game with what he thinks the team needs:
"...We need some leadership to step up within our group. The drive has to be self guided and we have to try to help them [the players] find the way but there needs to be a little more... We have got to get to that point where when things aren't perfect, we have that fight to stay in and we've had it at times this year..."
Campbell will have some time to reflect on these words by their head coach as they have 11 days before their matchup with North Carolina. Even with the Tar Heel's poor start to the season for their expectations, this will still be an extremely challenging matchup for Campbell. We will learn a lot about how the Camel's respond if they can be competative at North Carolina and they could spark some momentum heading into their CAA opener at home against Drexel.
Follow along on X (@TrevorEverette) for live game updates, and for more of my work on House of College Hoops and House Enterprise, head here.
Comments