Full Game Notes: Longwood vs. Hampden-Sydney (PDF)

Preseason: Longwood (0-0) vs. Hampden-Sydney (0-0)
Saturday • November 7, 2015 • 7 p.m.
Farmville, Va. • Willett Hall (1,900)
Big South Network • WVHL 92.9 FM • WMLU 91.3 FM

Video: Big South Network
    Play-by-Play: Darius Thigpen
    Commentary: Derrick Bennington

Radio: WVHL Kickin' Country 92.9 FM (Farmville, Va.)
    Play-by-Play: Scott Bacon

Radio: WMLU 91.3 FM (Farmville, Va.)
    Play-by-Play: TBA
    Commentary: TBA

The Opening Tip
•    Longwood opens the 2015-16 season Saturday in a preseason matchup against neighboring Hampden-Sydney. The game, presented by Bojangles' Farmville, marks the second straight year the two schools have met in preseason action.
•    Prior to tipoff Saturday, Longwood will recognize Dr. Ray Gaskins, who recently made a donation of more than $1 million to the university. More than half of that gift went to the Longwood men's basketball team, including funding to endow the Dr. Ray A. Gaskins Scholarship. The first recipient of that basketball scholarship is sophomore Kanayo Obi-Rapu. Dr. Gaskins' gift also endowed the Mrs. Bessie M. Land Gaskins Teacher's Scholarship.
•    The Lancers return nine letterwinners and four starters from last season's Big South semifinal team, including Preseason Big South All-Conference pick Lotanna Nwogbo.
•    Longwood was picked No. 4 in Big South preseason rankings by NBC Sports, Blue Ribbon Yearbook and MidMajorMadness.com, and No. 6 in the Big South Preseason Media Poll.
•    Redshirt senior point guard Tra'Vaughn White's Lancer debut will be delayed by a toe injury that will force him to miss Saturday's game against Hampden-Sydney. White is day-to-day.
•    The Lancers will also be without junior forward Damarion Geter, who is out for the entire season due to a shoulder injury. A team captain, Geter started 31 of 34 games as a sophomore.
•    Senior guard Leron Fisher will miss the first four games of the season due to a violation of team rules. Fisher will be eligible to return on Nov. 21 against Ball State in the Eastern Kentucky Hoops Classic. Seniors Shaquille Johnson and Jason Pimentel remain out indefinitely.

By The Numbers
•    Longwood was picked as high as fourth in the Big South according to preseason rankings by several publications. NBC Sports, Blue Ribbon Yearbook and MidMajorMadness.com all picked the Lancers to finish fourth in the conference, while the Big South media pegged Longwood sixth. The No. 6 ranking in the Big South's preseason poll is the program's highest ranking since joining the conference in 2012-13.
•    Longwood returns all but one starter — point guard Quincy Taylor — from last season's Big South semifinal squad. The Lancers bring back  nine letterwinners who make up 65.8 percent of the scoring and 83.5 percent of the rebounding from last year's squad.
•    Last season's Longwood team ranked second in the Big South with 270 steals and fourth with 505 forced turnovers. Longwood forced at least 20 turnovers in four games and went 3-1 in those outings. Longwood's 270 steals ranked 15th nationally.
•    Longwood's roster includes a five-member senior class, three of whom were starters from last season's squad. Among that senior contingent is center Lotanna Nwogbo and the backcourt tandem of senior Leron Fisher and redshirt senior Tra'Vaughn White, who will share point guard duties.
•    Fisher ended the 2014-15 season by scoring in double figures in 16 of his final 20 games. He averaged 14.5 points per game and shot .432 from three-point range during that span compared to 5.6 points per game and .208 in 14 games prior.
•    Despite missing the final 17 games of the season, Big South Preseason All-Conference center Lotanna Nwogbo finished third on the team with 139 rebounds, second with 54 offensive boards and fifth with 219 points. Nwogbo's five double-doubles also led the team. Nwogbo's 12.9 points per game ranked third on the team, while his 8.2 rebounds per game were a team high.

#GoWood