Jan. 3, 2012
Army vs. Longwood Stats 
WEST POINT, N.Y. – Sophomore G Josh Herbeck led five Army (7-8) players in double figures with a game-high 19 points in the Black Knights’ 96-77 victory over Longwood (4-11) on Tuesday night at Christl Arena. The victory was the Black Knights’ fourth straight at home and fourth in the last five games overall.
Army’s 96 points represented the Black Knights’ highest scoring total of the season and largest since a 104-103 overtime win at Lafayette in 2001. It was the most points scored by an Army team against a Division I opponent in regulation since a 122-100 loss at Holy Cross during the 1987-88 campaign.
Herbeck knocked down six three-pointers, just one off his career high. Junior F Ella Ellis added 18 points, snapping his string of 20-point games at four, but running his streak of games scoring in double figures to 17 straight. Ellis also led the Black Knights with six assists despite playing only six minutes in the first half because of foul trouble.
Senior G Julian Simmons tallied 16 points, his fourth straight game in double figures, to move into 22nd place on Army’s all-time scoring list (1,078). Freshmen G Mo Williams matched his career high with 15 points on 5-of-6 shooting, including a pair of three-pointers. Classmate Milton Washington scored 11 points, his third straight double-digit outing.
Army shot 55.7 percent for the game, including a 13-for-24 showing (.542) from behind the three-point line. The Black Knights were 10-for-15 from deep in the first half. The Army defense limited Longwood to 37.5 percent from the field and just five three-pointers in 23 attempts (.217). The Lancers entered the game ranked 15th in the country with 8.9 three-pointers per game.
All five Longwood starters reached double figures led by 17 points from Jeremiah Bowman. Bowman completed the double-double with a game-high 10 rebounds and led the team with six assists. Antwan Carter (15), David Robinson (14), Tristan Carey (13) and Martiz Washington (11) rounded out the Lancers’ top scorers.
Longwood outrebounded the Black Knights, 42-32, and shot 24-for-30 at the free throw line.
Army made its first two shots, including a three-pointer by Simmons to take an early 5-2 lead, but the Lancers scored the next four points to take their first lead at 6-5 with 17:25 to go in the opening half. The lead changed hands four more times as Ellis gave Army an 11-9 lead with a dunk at the 15:57 mark.
The Black Knights led 13-11, but a rash of Army fouls put the Lancers in the bonus with just more than 13 minutes to go in the half. Longwood took advantage, hitting four straight free throws to take a 15-13 edge with 12:44 to go.
Herbeck began his onslaught, stroking three of his four first-half three-pointers during an 11-0 run that gave the Black Knights a 24-15 lead with 10:52 left. Longwood ended the run with a three-pointer by Martiz Washington at the 10:16 mark. The shot ended a stretch of six minutes, 31 seconds without a field goal by the Lancers.
Longwood cut the Army lead to 27-24, but the Black Knights reeled off 10 straight points, including five by Williams. Junior F Jordan Springer capped the run with a breakaway dunk that gave Army a 37-24 with 5:49 to go.
The Lancers scored six of the next eight, including four free throws, to get within nine points at 39-30, but the Black Knights answered with 12 straight points, including an old-fashioned three-point play by Milton Washington and triples from Simmons, Williams and Herbeck to claim a 51-30 lead with under a minute to go. Neither team found the bottom of the net for the rest of the half, and Army went into the locker room with its largest halftime lead against a Division I team since holding a 22-point edge against Dartmouth exactly one year ago (Jan. 3, 2011).
Herbeck and Simmons led the Black Knights in the first half with 15 and 10 points, respectively, while Bowman had eight to lead Longwood.
The Black Knights picked up where they left off to start the second half, scoring the first four points to extend their lead to 25 points. The Lancers were able to trim their deficit to 19 points on three occasions, but a 12-4 run pushed the Black Knights’ lead to a game-high 27 points at 82-55 with 8:06 left in the game.
Longwood did not fold, however, using a 14-4 run to pull within 86-69 with 4:15 left in the contest. The Black Knights scored six unanswered to regain a 23-point edge, but Longwood scored the final four points of the game to set the 96-77 final margin.
Army’s four-game winning streak is its longest since winning its first seven games at Christl Arena in 2009-10.
Army begins its Patriot League schedule on Saturday, Jan. 7 when it hosts defending league champion Bucknell. Tip-off at Christl Arena is set for 4 p.m. The Black Knights were the only Patriot League team to defeat the Bison last season, scoring a 90-70 win at West Point. Bucknell returnedthe favor, winning the regular season finale and eliminating Army from the postseason in Lewisburg.
Game Notes: Jason Pancoe missed his third straight game with a hand injury … Army improved to 16-4 in non-conference home games under head coach Zach Spiker … Josh Herbeck has made at least one three-pointer in all 15 games … Army is shooting 23-for-44 (.523) from three-point range in the last two games, both wins … Herbeck climbed into 18th place on the Army career three-point ledger with 73 in just 45 games … the Black Knights ended the non-conference season with a 6-2 record at Christl Arena … Army is now 25-21 against non-Patriot League opponents under Spiker … Army improved to 178-36 all-time when scoring at least 80 points … Army is 37-9 in its last 46 games in which it shoots better than its opponent and 26-8 in their last 34 games when shooting at least 50 percent … the Black Knights assisted on 21 of their 34 field goals … it was their third 20-assist game of the season, all wins … Saturday will mark the the third straight time Bucknell has been the opponent in a game versus a Patriot League foe …the Black Knights and Bison met in the regular-season finale and the Patriot League quarterfinals last season.
