Following the arrival of Head Coach Griff Aldrich in the 2018-2019 season, the Men’s Basketball team has continued to improve. Each season since then, the team has increased their overall wins and Big South Conference wins. Now, the Lancers have historically secured the top seed in the Big South Tournament. With a season record of 23-6 (15-1 Big South), a five-win streak, and winning 16 out of their last 17 games, the team heads into the postseason with lots of momentum.
Following the game which put the team in the #1 seed for the tournament, Aldrich took the microphone to thank all of the Longwood fans that supported the team over the season.
“It’s just phenomenal. This is a massive deal for Longwood basketball, it’s a massive transition for the university,” he said. “This is something that we’ve been fighting for, to try to get to, to become one of the teams that compete. To be honest, in past years we’d be in a situation where if we make a run maybe we can make some magic happen. Now we’ve flipped the script and become the top seed. It’s incredibly rewarding.”
This season, the Lancers have outscored their opponents by a +11 margin. The team’s offensive scoring leads the Big South rankings. On average, the team scored 76.1 points per game (PPG) compared to the opponents’ average of 65.5 points PPG. They also have a shot percentage of .367 per game (PG) for 3-pointers compared to opponents’ percentage of .313 PG.
One of the key aspects of their offense is ball movement. The team has an average of 14.6 assists PG. Guard Justin Hill led the team, for a combined total of 110 assists for the season.
In addition to the offense, the Lancers have averaged 7.9 steals PG and 2.5 blocks PG. The team’s scoring defense is ranked #3 in the Big South rankings. Forwards Leslie Nkereuwem, Zac Watson, and Jesper Granlund combined for a total of 42 blocks throughout the season.
Looking ahead into the postseason, the Lancers will need to win three Big South Tournament games to be assured a bid to the team’s first-ever NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. By also being the top seed in the Big South Conference, the Lancers are guaranteed a spot in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT). This is another historic accomplishment as this will be the first time that Longwood has received this invite.
“I think about the team in years past, the teams that have really tried to lay a foundation of really being tough and gritty,” said Aldrich. “This is definitely a program championship. I’m super excited for this team, but I’m also super excited for all the players that have come before, and of course the university and fans, this is pretty fun.”
The Big South tournament will be held at the Bojangles Coliseum in Charlotte, N.C. For each game, the tickets will cost $15. Longwood University partnering with the SGA will be distributing 150 free tickets on-site, for each tournament bracket, on a first-come-first-served basis.
The Lancers will play the winner of Radford, the #8 seed, and North Carolina A&T, the #9 seed. The game will be on Friday, March 4. The tip-off will be at noon. You can listen live on air on WVHL 92.9 FM or watch the game on ESPN+.
