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Longwood men’s basketball came out with fire and intensity on Sunday night to cap a busy weekend at the Joan Perry Brock Center, and the Lancers (9-2) ran away from Mary Baldwin 97-40.

Team basketball powered the Lancers, and fourteen players scored while the team never trailed. Ten players had an assist, and Longwood had 20 assists as a team on 32 made shots.

Michael Christmas bullied his way to a game high 15 points in 17 minutes. Trey Hicks chipped in 12, a career high, and DJ Jefferson added 10 points as well.

The Lancers jumped out to an early 6-0 lead with a ferocious defensive effort.

“Credit to our guys,” said Longwood assistant coach Ronnie Thomas. “We’ve been challenging the guys to be urgent and compete and that every possession matters. Those are the things we are telling them every day. In the first half, you saw them answer teh call.”

While Mary Baldwin (4-5) trimmed the lead to 10-8 a tad more than six minutes in, Longwood’s defense shut it down after that.

The Lancers forced five turnovers in a five-minute stretch, and the offense took advantage to rip off a 17-0 run. Six different Lancers scored, with KJ McClurg putting in five of his seven in that stretch.

While Quentin Hart hit a three for Mary Baldwin, the avalanche continued through the rest of the half during the 39-8 run. The lead ballooned to 49-16 at the break as Longwood held Mary Baldwin to seven made shots in the half. Christmas had 12 of his 15 in the first half.

‘A leader by example’

“Michael is a leader by example,” Thomas added. “He’s consistent. You know what you’re going to get out of Michael Christmas, and that is really good to have. The basketball finds good energy, and when you play the right way it is going to reward you. And he does play the right way.”

After halftime, the Lancers kept the intensity high, and again held Mary Baldwin to seven field goals.

Elijah Tucker helped keep the energy high on both ends, scoring six of his nine points in the early stages of the half. He added nine rebounds, a team high, as well on the night.

The Lancer offense also had 13 players score in the second half, with Jefferson tallying all 10 of his points while Hicks had eight of his 12. 

“Each day we are learning more about ourselves as a team,” Thomas said. “They are understanding that what it takes to be really special is that they have to stay locked in. They have to be connected as a group, and they have to really have an urgency and a high activity level.”

What’s next for Longwood?

Longwood returns to the court to wrap up the four-game homestand on Saturday, December 14 when the team hosts North Carolina Central in the first of two meetings between the two teams this season. Tip is set for 2 p.m., and the game will air on ESPN+ with Sam Hovan and John Feinstein on the call.