DURHAM, N.C. (Interstat) — Longwood edged North Carolina Central 74-72 in a men’s NCAA Division I basketball game Saturday at McLendon-McDougald Gymnasium. The Lancers improved to 7-7 overall, while the Eagles fell to 4-10. Longwood secured the road victory despite shooting just 5 of 24 from three-point range and committing 18 turnovers. The Lancers compensated with a 14-6 advantage in offensive rebounds, leading to critical second-chance opportunities. North Carolina Central’s Khouri Carvey posted a double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds, and Gage Lattimore led all scorers with 22 points. Longwood’s Jacoi Hutchinson and Redd Thompson each scored 17 points. The game featured 13 lead changes and eight ties. Longwood’s final basket, a layup by Elijah Tucker with 22 seconds remaining, provided the decisive margin.

DURHAM, N.C. (Interstat) — In a game defined by missed opportunities and a frantic final sequence, the Longwood Lancers escaped McLendon-McDougald Gymnasium with a narrow 74-72 victory over the North Carolina Central Eagles in a non-conference men’s basketball game Saturday. The contest, a back-and-forth affair featuring 14 lead changes and 10 ties, was ultimately decided in the final seconds. With the score knotted at 72 and under 10 seconds remaining, Longwood’s Redd Thompson saw his driving layup attempt swatted away by North Carolina Central’s Khouri Carvey. The Eagles’ Jae’Daun Slack secured the defensive rebound and was fouled with 4.7 seconds left, sending him to the line for two free throws with a chance to give the home team the lead. Slack, who finished with 17 points, missed the first attempt. After a Longwood timeout, he calmly sank the second to put the Eagles ahead 73-72. On the ensuing inbounds play, Longwood’s Jacoi Hutchinson raced up the floor and found Elijah Tucker near the basket. Tucker’s contested layup rolled in with 1.7 seconds on the clock, putting the Lancers back in front 74-73. North Carolina Central’s final attempt, a long inbounds pass that led to a desperation heave, was off the mark, sealing the win for Longwood. The game’s conclusion capped a second half where neither team led by more than six points. Longwood built its largest advantage at 58-52 midway through the period, but the Eagles responded with an 8-0 run, fueled by five points from Gage Lattimore, to reclaim the lead. Lattimore led all scorers with 22 points for North Carolina Central, while Carvey posted a dominant double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds, adding two blocks. The Eagles excelled at the free-throw line, making 24 of 30 attempts, and forced 18 Longwood turnovers, converting them into 15 points. Longwood countered with a balanced offensive attack and a significant advantage on the glass. Four Lancers scored in double figures, led by Hutchinson and Thompson with 17 points apiece. Johan Nziemi added 14 points and seven rebounds, while Emanuel Richards contributed 15 points and five rebounds. The Lancers’ persistence on the offensive boards proved critical. They grabbed 14 offensive rebounds, leading to 18 second-chance points, and outrebounded the Eagles 42-30 overall. This helped offset a poor shooting afternoon from beyond the arc, where Longwood made just 5 of 24 attempts. North Carolina Central struggled even more from deep, connecting on only 2 of 17 three-pointers. Statistically, the game was a near mirror image in efficiency. Longwood scored 74 points on 73 possessions for an offensive rating of 100.8, while North Carolina Central scored 72 points on 71 possessions for a rating of 101.1. The teams were nearly even in points in the paint, with the Eagles holding a slight 38-36 edge, and in fast-break points, where Longwood led 21-17. With the win, Longwood evens its season record at 7-7. The Lancers have now won two of their last three games heading into a home contest against Averett on Dec. 28. North Carolina Central falls to 4-10 and will travel to face Penn State on Dec. 29.

DURHAM, N.C. (Interstat) — Two teams seeking momentum before conference play begins will meet Saturday when the Longwood Lancers visit the North Carolina Central Eagles at McLendon-McDougald Gymnasium. Both programs enter the nonconference matchup with sub-.500 records. Longwood (6-7) is coming off a narrow 71-68 road loss to Wake Forest on Wednesday. North Carolina Central (4-9) is returning from a 96-62 rout of Mid-Atlantic Christian the same night. The Lancers have shown a pattern of competitive play, with four of their seven losses coming by single digits, including the recent defeat to the Demon Deacons. Guard Redd Thompson is Longwood’s emerging offensive catalyst. He scored a season-high 22 points in 19 minutes off the bench at Wake Forest, marking his fifth game in double figures over his last eight appearances. The Eagles have faced a difficult schedule, with losses to power-conference opponents Kentucky, North Carolina and Dayton. They will rely on the hot hand of guard Jae’Daun Slack, who erupted for 32 points in just 26 minutes in the win over Mid-Atlantic Christian. His scoring outburst provided a bright spot for an offense that has struggled at times this season. Longwood’s attack is more balanced, with Thompson, Johan Nziemi (13 points, 6 assists vs. Wake Forest) and Elijah Tucker (13 points) providing multiple threats. North Carolina Central will counter with Slack and Gage Lattimore, who added 18 points in the team’s last outing. Historically, the Eagles have defended their home court well in this series, but the Lancers’ experience in close games could prove decisive. Both teams will view this as a critical opportunity to build confidence before their respective league slates begin in January. Tipoff is set for Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025. Longwood opens Big South Conference play on Dec. 31 against Winthrop, while North Carolina Central begins MEAC play on Jan. 3 against Norfolk State.