Longwood Lancers men's basketball

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Main article: Longwood Lancers
Longwood Lancers
2023–24 Longwood Lancers men's basketball team
UniversityLongwood University
First season1976–77
All-time record598–724 (.452)
Head coachGriff Aldrich (6th season)
ConferenceBig South
LocationFarmville, Virginia
ArenaJoan Perry Brock Center
(Capacity: 3,000)
NicknameLancers
Student sectionLancer Lunatics
ColorsBlue and white[1]
   
Uniforms
Home jersey
Team colours
Home
Away jersey
Team colours
Away
Alternate jersey
Team colours
Alternate
NCAA tournament Final Four
Division III: 1980
NCAA tournament Elite Eight
Division III: 1980
NCAA tournament Sweet Sixteen
Division II: 1994
Division III: 1980
NCAA tournament round of 32
Division II: 1994, 2001
Division III: 1980
NCAA tournament appearances
Division I: 2022, 2024
Division II: 1994, 1995, 2001
Division III: 1980
Conference tournament champions
CVAC: 2001
Big South: 2022, 2024
Conference regular season champions
Mason–Dixon: 1988
Big South: 2022
Conference division season champions
2022

The Longwood Lancers men's basketball team is the Division I basketball team that represents Longwood University in Farmville, Virginia. Since 2012, the team has competed in the Big South Conference of the National Collegiate Athletic Association. Their current head coach is Griff Aldrich, a one-time lawyer and chief financial officer of a private equity firm who formerly served as the recruiting director for UMBC.[2] The Lancers made their first appearance in the NCAA tournament in 2022, followed by another appearance in 2024.

History[edit]

Longwood was an all-female school for the majority of its history; however, a limited number of male day students attended the school following World War II, and those students fielded a basketball team under the name Longwood Pioneers.[3] The current NCAA men's basketball program began in 1976 under head coach Allan McNamee, when the school became fully co-educational that same year.[4] The Lancers finished 1–6 against four year institutions in the inaugural season, and 2–9 overall. The Lancers were NCAA Division III members for their first four years. In 1980, they became Division II members, until 2004, when they began a transition to Division I membership. They became full Division I members in 2007.

In 2022, the Lancers won the Big South tournament and earned their first trip to the NCAA tournament as a Division I program. In the 2021-2022 season, Longwood had the best record in the Big South (15-1) and won the regular-season conference championship (North Division). In the Big South tournament championship, the team held the lead over Winthrop wire-to-wire through the entire game.

In 2024, the Lancers won the Big South men's basketball tournament for the second time in three years and earned a berth in the NCAA Division I Tournament. In the Big South Tournament, the team entered as a 5-seed and beat No. 4 seed Gardner-Webb, No. 1 seed High Point, and No. 2 seed UNC-Asheville.

The Lancers have been members of three conferences in their history: the Division II Mason–Dixon Conference from 1983 to 1988 (not to be confused with another defunct conference with the same name, which disbanded in 1974) and the-then Carolinas–Virginia Athletic Conference from 1995 to 2003. Longwood spent nine seasons as an independent during and after reclassification to Division I, until they joined the Big South Conference in 2012.

Longwood previously reached the NCAA tournament three times during its Division II history and once at the Division III level. In 1988, Longwood won a share of the Mason-Dixon Conference regular season title,[5] and in 2001, won the CVAC tournament championship as a 3 seed.[6][7]

The Lancers currently play in Willett Hall on Jerome Kersey Court,[8] named after former Longwood basketball player and NBA star Jerome Kersey. In 2019, Longwood announced a $15 million donation to begin construction of a new, 72,000 square foot convocation and events center that will replace Willett Hall as the venue for Lancer basketball. The Joan Perry Brock Center, named after its benefactor, will seat up to 3,000, and is scheduled to open in 2023.[9][10]

The Lancers have had nine different head coaches of their men's basketball team, as detailed below. The current head coach, former UMBC director of recruiting Griff Aldrich, joined the program in 2018.

Conference affiliations[edit]

Postseason[edit]

NCAA tournament results[edit]

The Lancers have appeared in two NCAA tournaments. Their combined record is 0–2.

Year Seed Round Opponent Result
2022 #14 South First round #3 Tennessee L 56–88
2024 #16 South First round #1 Houston L 46–86

CBI[edit]

The Lancers have appeared in the Division I College Basketball Invitational (CBI) tournament two times. Their record is 1–2.

Year Round Opponent Result
2019 First round
Second Round		 Southern Miss
DePaul		 W 90–68
L 89–97
2021 First round Pepperdine L 66–80

NCAA Division II tournament results[edit]

The Lancers have appeared in the NCAA Division II tournament three times. Their combined record is 2–4.[11]

Year Round Opponent Result
1994 Regional Quarterfinals
Regional semifinals
Regional 3rd-place game		 Carson–Newman
Norfolk State
Elizabeth City State		 W 76–63
L 59–61
L 87–88
1995 Regional Quarterfinals Shaw L 76–83
2001 Regional Quarterfinals
Regional semifinals		 West Chester
Queens (NC)		 W 103–95
L 76–77

NCAA Division III tournament results[edit]

The Lancers appeared in the NCAA Division III tournament once. Their record is 3–2.[12]

Year Round Opponent Result
1980 Regional semifinals
Regional Finals
Elite Eight
Final Four
National 3rd-place game		 Framingham State
Clark
Potsdam State
North Park
Wittenberg		 W 73–63
W 70–60
W 78–61
L 55–57
L 47–48

Coaches[edit]

Main article: List of Longwood Lancers men's basketball head coaches

Year-by-year records[edit]

Statistics overview
Season Coach Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Allan McNamee (Division III Independent) (1976–1977)
1976–77 Allan McNamee 2–9
Allen McNamee: 2–9 (.182)
Bill McAdams (Division III Independent) (1977–1978)
1977–78 Bill McAdams 8–16
Bill McAdams: 8–16 (.333)
Ron Bash (Division III Independent) (1978–1980)
1978–79 Ron Bash 19–8
1979–80 Ron Bash 28–3 NCAA Division III Final Four
Ron Bash (Division II Independent) (1980–1981)
1980–81 Ron Bash 19–9
Ron Bash: 66–20 (.767)
Cal Luther (Division II Independent) (1981–1983)
1981–82 Cal Luther 15–8
1982–83 Cal Luther 15–10
Cal Luther (Mason–Dixon Conference) (1983–1988)
1983–84 Cal Luther 15–12 7–3 2nd
1984–85 Cal Luther 11–17 3–7 4th
1985–86 Cal Luther 14–13 7–3 2nd
1986–87 Cal Luther 13–14 3–5 3rd
1987–88 Cal Luther 19–10 6–2 T–1st
Cal Luther (Division II Independent) (1988–1990)
1988–89 Cal Luther 20–7
1989–90 Cal Luther 14–14
Cal Luther: 136–105 (.564) 26–20 (.565)
Ron Carr (Division II Independent) (1990–1995)
1990–91 Ron Carr 11–17
1991–92 Ron Carr 14–14
1992–93 Ron Carr 17–10
1993–94 Ron Carr 23–6 NCAA Division II Regional semifinals
1994–95 Ron Carr 19–9 NCAA Division II Regional Quarterfinals
Ron Carr (Carolinas–Virginia Athletic Conference (CVAC)) (1995–1999)
1995–96 Ron Carr 11–17 7–11 8th
1996–97 Ron Carr 11–17 6–14 T–7th
1997–98 Ron Carr 13–15 9–9 7th
1998–99 Ron Carr 8–19 6–12 9th
Ron Carr: 127–124 (.506) 28–46 (.378)
Mike Leeder (Carolinas–Virginia Athletic Conference (CVAC)) (1999–2003)
1999–2000 Mike Leeder 4–22 2–16 T-11th
2000–01 Mike Leeder 23–8 15–7 T–2nd[6] NCAA Division II Regional semifinals
2001–02 Mike Leeder 13–13 10–10 6th
2002–03 Mike Leeder 15–14 11–9
Mike Leeder: 55–57 (.491) 38–42 (.475)
Mike Gillian (Division II Independent) (2003–2004)
2003–04 Mike Gillian 5–22
Mike Gillian (Division I Independent) (2004–2012)
2004–05 Mike Gillian 1–30
2005–06 Mike Gillian 10–20
2006–07 Mike Gillian 9–22
2007–08 Mike Gillian 9–22
2008–09 Mike Gillian 17–14
2009–10 Mike Gillian 12–19
2010–11 Mike Gillian 12–19
2011–12 Mike Gillian 10–21
Mike Gillian (Big South Conference) (2012–2013)
2012–13 Mike Gillian 8–25 4–12 6th (North)
Mike Gillian: 93–214 (.303) 4–12 (.250)
Jayson Gee (Big South Conference) (2013–2018)
2013–14 Jayson Gee 8–24 3–13 6th (North)
2014–15 Jayson Gee 11–23 5–13 9th
2015–16 Jayson Gee 10–23 5–13 T–8th
2016–17 Jayson Gee 6–24 3–15 9th
2017–18 Jayson Gee 7–26 3–15 10th
Jayson Gee: 42–120 (.259) 19–69 (.216)
Griff Aldrich (Big South Conference) (2018–present)
2018–19 Griff Aldrich 16–18 5–11 9th CBI Quarterfinals
2019–20 Griff Aldrich 15–17 9–9 4th
2020–21 Griff Aldrich 12–17 10–10 T–5th CBI Quarterfinals
2021–22 Griff Aldrich 26–6 15–1 1st (North) NCAA tournament
2022-23 Griff Aldrich 20–12 12–6 2nd
2023-24 Griff Aldrich 3–1  
Griff Aldrich: 92–71 (.564)
Total: 618–736 (.456)

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

[13] [14]

Notable players[edit]

Jerome Kersey #54[edit]

Jerome Kersey is widely known as the best player in Longwood history. Playing from 1980 to 1984 Kersey set school records for points, rebounds, steals and blocked shots while making 57% of his baskets. As a senior, his rebounding average of 14.2 led all Division II players.

In 1984, Kersey was selected 46th overall in the NBA draft by the Portland Trail Blazers. He became a starter and was part of the nucleus of a strong Portland team, along with Clyde Drexler, Terry Porter, Buck Williams, and Kevin Duckworth that made it to the NBA Finals two out of the next three years (in 1990 and 1992). Kersey also finished second to Michael Jordan in the 1987 Slam Dunk Contest. In 1999, Kersey won an NBA Championship with the San Antonio Spurs. He would eventually retire in 2001 as a member of the Milwaukee Bucks.

In May 2006, Kersey graduated from Longwood, having only needed two more college courses to graduate for some years.

Kevin Jefferson #33[edit]

Kevin Jefferson played for the Lancers from 1986–1990. Jefferson ended his career with 1,806 career points, as record that would hold for 22 years.

Colin Ducharme #52[edit]

The 6'9" Ducharme would transfer to Longwood from the University of Virginia for his final year of eligibility in 2000. Ducharme averaged 19.6 points and 15.8 rebounds per game in his one year in Farmville. He led Longwood to a CVAC championship and an NCAA tournament appearance while being named the Division II National Player of the Year by multiple outlets. Ducharme remains only one of two retired numbers in Longwood history, with the other being Jerome Kersey.

Antwan Carter #4[edit]

Antwan Carter became the most efficient players in Longwood history and its best player so far in the Division I era. Playing from 2008–2012, Carter would break Kevin Jefferson's all-time scoring record and finished his career scoring 1,886 points. Carter also finished second in Longwood history in rebounds with 1,008.

References[edit]

  1. ^ Longwood University Visual Brand Guide (PDF). Retrieved November 10, 2022.
  2. ^ "Longwood Names UMBC's Griff Aldrich Head Men's Basketball Coach" (Press release). Longwood Athletics. March 22, 2018. Retrieved March 22, 2018.
  3. ^ Shepherd, Barbara (June 12, 2014). Longwood University: The First 175 Years. Longwood University Foundation. p. 88. Retrieved May 12, 2015.
  4. ^ Prouty, Greg. "Coeducation and Men's Athletics at Longwood". Longwood Magazine. Archived from the original on 14 December 2014. Retrieved 10 December 2014.
  5. ^ "Lancer Winning Streak Ends At The Mount". The Rotunda. Farmville, Virginia. February 22, 1988. p. 6. Retrieved January 16, 2016.
  6. ^ a b Underwood, Jared (March 1, 2001). "Men's Basketball Enters CVAC Tournament on a High Note". The Rotunda. Farmville, Virginia. p. 12. Retrieved January 18, 2019.
  7. ^ Prouty, Greg (March 8, 2001). "Men's Basketball Headed to the Big Dance!". The Rotunda. Farmville, Virginia. p. 12. Retrieved January 18, 2019.
  8. ^ Cook, Chris (November 25, 2016). "Longwood to Name Court in Honor of Jerome Kersey" (Press release). Longwood Lancers. Retrieved December 1, 2016.
  9. ^ "Longwood announces largest gift in its history, $15 million from Joan Brock '64 for campus events center" (Press release). Longwood University. April 10, 2019. Retrieved April 10, 2019.
  10. ^ "Joan Perry Brock Center". Longwood University. Retrieved August 9, 2021.
  11. ^ "Division II Men's Basketball All-Time Tournament Scores". NCAA Championships.com. 2001. Archived from the original on September 9, 2001. Retrieved March 5, 2015.
  12. ^ "Year-by-Year Tournament Scores". NCAA Championships.com. 2000. Archived from the original on September 7, 2001. Retrieved March 5, 2015.
  13. ^ ESPN College Basketball Encyclopedia: The Complete History of the Men's Game. ESPN. 6 October 2009. p. 347. ISBN 978-0345513922. Retrieved 14 November 2014.
  14. ^ 2013–14 Men's Basketball Media Guide. pp. 83–93. Retrieved 14 November 2014.

External links[edit]

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