Box Score
LAS VEGAS, Nev. -- Longwood University dropped an 84-78 non-conference men's basketball decision to Cornell University of the Ivy League on Saturday afternoon in the Upper Division Championship of the 2012 Continental Tire/Las Vegas Invitational at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Lancers (1-5), who rallied from an 18-point late-first-half deficit, were led by freshman
Michael Kessens|Nyon Switzerland with a career-high and game-high 20 points and a game-high 14 rebounds, while junior
Tristan Carey|Colonial Beach and freshman
Nik Brown|Ashburn each had 19 points. The Big Red (3-4) were led by Eitan Chemerinski with 19 points. Longwood will play again on Wednesday, November 28, hosting Central Penn College at Willett Hall in Farmville beginning at 7 p.m.
Longwood led 8-5 early at 16:14 after six-straight points from Kessens and a basket by Carey. Cornell, however, answered with a 35-14 run to take its largest lead of the game at 40-22 with just 2:01 left in the first half. Shonn Miller sparked the Big Red with 10 points during the outburst. The Lancers, though, closed the half with an 8-2 run behind four points each from Kessens and Brown to trail 42-30 at the intermission.
Longwood scored the first five points of the second half, including the first of five second-half three-point field goals by Carey, to pull within42-35 at 18:42. It was 54-46 Cornell with 11:23 left after a three-pointer from Brown, but the Big Red responded this time with a 16-9 run to lead 70-55 at 5:12, making four three-pointers in five possessions. The Lancers, however, refused to quit and battled back once-again with a 23-14 run over the final 4:35. Carey made three three-pointers down the stretch, and Brown also made two late three-pointers.
Kessens led Longwood with his career-high and game-high 20 points, adding a game-high 14 rebounds for his fourth double-double this season. Carey (5-9 3FGs) and Brown (4-8 3FGs) each added 19 points for the Lancers. Freshman
Karl Ziegler|Annandale finished with a career-high 10 points off the bench. LU shot 46.2% (30-65) from the field, including 40.9% (9-22) on three-pointers, and 56.3% (9-16) at the free throw line.
Carey was named to the 2012 Continental Tire/Las Vegas Invitational All-Tournament Team for his efforts in the four games this past week. He averaged 18.8 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.5 assists, adding nine steals and three blocks. Carey shot 50% (28-56) from the field against the likes of Arkansas, No. 12 Creighton, Florida A&M and Cornell, including 53% (16-30) on three-point field goals. He made an even more impressive 12-18 (67%) three-pointers during the two games at the Orleans Arena.
Chemerinski led Cornell with his 19 points. Miller and Errick Peck each had 14 points for the Big Red, with Peck adding 10 rebounds for a double-double. Nolan Cressler added 12 points, and Devin Cherry finished with 11 points. CU shot 53.4% (31-58) from the field, including 38.9% (7-18) on three-pointers, and 83.3% (15-18) at the line for the difference in the game.
Longwood and Cornell were playing for the first time in the sport of men's basketball.
