FARMVILLE, Va. – The Longwood Lancers overcame a feisty University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) team Thursday night, pulling out an 85-81 victory to keep their home win streak alive. The win wasn’t always pretty, but it showcased the grit and determination that have become hallmarks of a Griff Aldrich-coached squad.

A Game of Inconsistencies

From the opening tip, it was clear this wouldn’t be a typical Longwood performance. UMES played a consistent, disciplined game, hitting tough shots and forcing the Lancers to play catch-up for much of the night.

“I just think we were inconsistent throughout the night,” Aldrich admitted. “We’d defend well, then we’d let our foot off the gas. But to be fair, they hit a lot of tough shots”.

Aldrich praised UMES for their approach: “They just played—they were who they were throughout the game. That consistency is something we can learn from”.

Leaders Rise to the Occasion

Despite the struggles, Longwood made the necessary plays in the closing minutes to seal the victory. The team leaned heavily on the leadership of Colby Garland and Michael Christmas.

“Colby had a good floor game,” Aldrich said of Garland’s 22-point performance. “The most important thing he did for us, in my opinion, was the last three minutes. He really sat down and defended, and he got the key rebound to end the game”.

Christmas, who contributed a double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds, made several clutch plays late in the game to help the Lancers regain control.

“I’m proud of Michael,” Aldrich said. “He’s a young man who works on his game tirelessly. He made some big buckets for us at the end to give us the lead”.

Winning Despite Flaws

While the win is another step forward, Aldrich stressed the importance of addressing the team’s shortcomings.

“We’ve got to be a more consistent team,” he said. “At the end of the game, we made it really hard for them to score the last three minutes, but that just wasn’t us for 40 minutes”.

Turnovers and rebounding were key areas of improvement. “One of our Achilles heels has been turning the ball over on offense,” Aldrich noted. “We had three quick ones in the first four minutes, but we finished with eight. That was a real key for us”.

At the Buzzer: Closing Thoughts

Though the Lancers didn’t meet their high standards, they found a way to win—a testament to the team’s potential and resilience.

“As coaches, we see who they are and who they can potentially be,” Aldrich said. “You just want so much more for them because they can play so much better”.

For Longwood, the journey toward conference play continues. If the team can combine its flashes of brilliance with greater consistency, the Lancers will remain a favorite in the Big South.