What a name for a school; that’s all I’m gonna say on that. A double-double of double entendre’s. 
Though Longwood is not all that big when it comes to hoopology.
The Lancers (no other nickname was available?) have been worked by every good or big name they have played this year; so this one should be a Hokie hoops win on O&M paper. But Longwood does have one very good baller and recovers the services of last years best baller; and we do have one common opponent which allows us to finally tab the so-called Fourm Guide for comparison sake. So lets see who will win and by how much?
#286 RPI Longwood (5-4) @ #75 RPI Virginia Tech(5-4)
Longwood at a glance:
- Leading scorer, leading rebounder, FG% leader, Steals leader and Blocks leader. That would be Mr. Dana Smith. We stop Mr. Woodbridge Va and we should win.
- Longwood is 307th in overall Rebounding Margin; so we should get some second chance points.
- Longwood commits 21 personal fouls per game; so we should get to the charity stripe at home early and often.
- Longwood’s top-8 rotation is s, m, all. Small. Nobody checks in north of 6`6“ in fact.
Longwood is not much at first blush. The only thing I could find that the Lancers do really well is that they take care of the rock on offense; as they are 19th best in Turnovers. But beyond that, there is not a whole lot to like here. In fact I have to conclude that Longwood is the least great hoops team we have faced so far, and we really do need a feel good shot in the arm after yet another ugly last second L down between the hoops hedges on Tuesday night.
As I said Dana Smith is clearly Longwood’s best baller so far this year, that’s him #22 on the right. Smith is finally healthy as well; having shaken off an injury plagued career thus far this season. Senior Ryan
Bogan chips in with 14 per game, but there’s not a lot of offense on this team beyond that. More of an offense via committee. The one thing here is that Longwood played Gardner Webb just about as close as we played Gardner Webb. So the so-called Fourm Guide is the one thing I can find that suggests that this will be a tight hoops game.
Really nothing else on my plate does. Well, nothing beyond the possibility of a UGA hangover and a focus on Final Exams that are on-going right now down at VT.
 Loading ... |
I tried hard to turn this one upside down and come up with a plausible reason or way that Longwood could win this. They do have nice backcourt play; but that’s just about all they have. We should overpower their vertically challenged frontline which is not very strong nor very physical either. Yes Longwood does get last year’s leading scorer Kirk Williams a 6`6“ true Small-Forward back to boaster their frontlines from academic issues. However; we will welcome JT and his infusion of instant energy back as well.
But still, Longwood is an independent (no conference) hoops team that looks very hard pressed to break into the teens in the win column before the season ends to me. Longwood will be improved with Williams back, to be sure, but if Longwood wins, we do not deserve any post-season bid whatsoever.
Virginia Tech 77 Longwood 60.
b’street