The Longwood Lancers men’s basketball team lost in overtime to UNC Asheville, thus ending their 2025-26 season and Head Coach Ronnie Thomas’ first season at the helm. Longwood outrebounded Asheville by 14, won the turnover battle and crushed them in the paint — but still came up short, final score 85-82
Longwood and Asheville traded blows in the first few minutes as neither team established a foothold. Redshirt junior guard Alphonzo “Fats” Billups III caught fire from three early on, drilling two in quick succession.
Then, it was UNC Asheville forward Toyaz Solomon’s turn to have a heater as he hit three deep balls in the first half. Asheville spread the lead out to nine with under eight to go in the first half, but the Lancers got right back into it and cut the lead to 40-36 in favor of Asheville at the break. Billups and senior forward Elijah Tucker had eight points each. Solomon and guard Kameron Taylor led the Bulldogs with 16 each.
Longwood raced back into the game with solid scoring from junior guards Emanuel Richards and Jacoi Hutchinson, who both were in double figures midway through the second half. Tucker slammed home a monstrous dunk but then landed awkwardly, which would knock him out of the game. The Lancers fought hard for their injured teammate as their lead grew to seven points with just under seven minutes to go. However, that was as high as the lead got. Asheville used a run of their own to get the game down to three points with under a minute to go. Taylor hit a rare corner three to tie the game at 73, which would stand as the score headed to an extra five minutes.
Officiating took center stage during the second half. During a called jump-ball on the floor with the game tied at 77, the officials went back and assessed Longwood’s Hutchinson for a technical foul. The Bulldogs converted on both free throws and scored the ball when they got it back, which helped them ice the game at the score of 85-82 after overtime .
“I’m proud of the guys…they showed up,” said Thomas. “Asheville is really good…We came up short and have to take the hit. It’s nothing against these guys and what they put into it. I think they are a championship group, and that's probably why I wanted it so bad this weekend. I think they've learned and grown a lot."
While reflecting on the season, Thomas took time to talk about his own growth. “The hardest things are the losses, not because of how competitive I am or what I want, it’s more so because I want it for them. I didn’t want [Elijah Tucker] to go out the way that he went,” Thomas said.
He continued, “Our community in Farmville, I think we’re second [in the conference] in attendance… I just want everyone to enjoy what winning does to our talent and I want the best for these guys.”
“Longwood changed me in a lot of ways, especially Ronnie,” Tucker said through tears.
“I remember two years ago, when I got hurt in the Big South [Tournament semifinal win against High Point], he and our athletic trainer stayed with me that whole night in the hospital. He never left my side until that next morning when he had to go to that championship game. He's the reason I came back. He's the reason I wanted to bring a championship to Longwood. And even though we didn't do that, it was still the best decision I've made, and I wouldn't change that for nothing.”
