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The Longwood Lancers found their rhythm from deep and beat the Morgan State Bears in front of a boisterous sellout crowd, fresh off a Homecoming tailgate that has quickly become a signature fall event for the Lancer faithful.

Fan favorite forward Michael Christmas led the charge for the Lancers, pouring in 19 points to go with seven rebounds. But it was less the number of points and more when they were scored. When Morgan State threatened an offensive run to cut into the Longwood lead, more often than not it was Christmas who stopped it cold with a big bucket.

Christmas wasn’t the only star of the day. About a thousand Longwood alumni and friends returned to their alma mater for Homecoming & Alumni Weekend, filling the stands and cheering the Lancers to victory. Prior to the game, they gathered on campus to tailgate for several hours, reveling in the Longwood spirit that connects them before making their way down the hill to the Joan Perry Brock Center.

At the Homecoming Alumni & Family Tailgate, Lancer athletes took center stage, parading past cornhole boards, burgers cooking on grills, camp chairs, and scads of fans dressed in blue who wished them well as they prepared to take the floor.

Prior to the game, the Homecoming celebration continued inside JPB as Longwood President W. Taylor Reveley IV, Alumni Association President Chris Tunstall ’88, and Athletics Director Tim Hall pulled the covers off banners that will mark the 2024 Lancers’ Big South Victory and NCAA Tournament berth in the rafters.

Breaking down the game

When the opening whistle sounded, the Lancers were hungry and seemed determined to find their stroke from three that was missing in Monday’s home opener.

Four Longwood players scored in double figures: Christmas with 19, KJ McClurg with 13, Kyrell Luc with 12, and Jaylen Benard with 11. The Lancers also won the turnover battle, tallying 11 steals that turned into the fast-break points that pushed the game out of reach for the visiting Bears.

“Overall I was pleased with our guys,” said Coach Griff Aldrich. “One of the things we’ve been trying to work with is explaining to them what our culture is: that the highest form of competition is execution. At one point we were playing a lot of one-on-one, which is not what we want to do, and Kyrell Luc said in a timeout in the huddle, ‘it ends now.’ I thought that was evidence of him locked in on the details. So we need that type of leadership, that type of voice, that’s constantly pointing back to our principles.”

It was sophomore Jaylen Benard who found the bottom of the bucket early, making two wide open shots from behind the arc to give the Lancers a 15-10 lead. But the game remained close for much of the first half, as the teams traded points and fouls back and forth.

At times, the Lancers offense was dynamic, moving the ball around swiftly and creating open looks at jumpshots. At other times, they were plagued by turnovers and a swift Morgan State team that repeatedly drove to the rim and finished.

With two minutes left in the half, the Lancers defense buckled down, stopping the Bears on three straight possessions. KJ McClurg pump-faked a three that sent Morgan State’s Wynston Tabbs flying through the air, then stepped into a three that found nothing but net to push the Lancers’ lead to 6, the largest of the half by either team. 

Christmas channeled Benard, taking over early in the second half with eight points quickly to put Morgan State on their heels.

Elijah Tucker, who spent much of the first half on the bench with two early fouls, punctuated the rout with a monstrous slam dunk with eight minutes to remain in the contest that had two effects: the rim may still be rattling at press time, and propelled Lancer Nation to their feet—who rattled the stands surrounding the floor.

Up next for Longwood Lancers

The Longwood Lancers continue their home stand on Wednesday, Nov. 13, where they will take on the Milwaukee Panthers at 7 p.m. in the Joan Perry Brock Center.