JMU survives joust with LU

The Longwood University Lancers came into the Convocation Center Monday night looking to extend JMU’s losing streak to nine games for the second time this season.

Ray Barbosa wouldn’t let it happen.

Down 70-68, the sophomore guard buried a 3-pointer with 41 seconds left in regulation, lifting the Dukes (5-20) to a 72-70 win over the Lancers (1-28) and giving JMU its first victory since Jan. 26.

"It feels great," JMU coach Dean Keener said. "It doesn’t matter how you win or who you beat. Certainly, this is the time of the year you want to be playing good basketball, but you also want to win."

Barbosa came off a screen set by sophomore forward Chris Cathlin and received a chest-high pass from junior guard Jomo Belfor. The shot was all nylon.

"We run that play for Ray a lot," Belfor said. "It was textbook."

So was Belfor’s defense on Longwood’s final possession.

Down 71-70 after Barbosa’s three, the Lancers had a chance to reclaim the lead. They ran an isolation play for guard Michael Jefferson, who tried to break Belfor off the dribble. The Mount Vernon, N.Y., native was up to the task.

"I was thinking ‘don’t foul,’" Belfor said. "I was just trying to keep my body in between him and the rim and make it tough for him."

Belfor did make it tough, getting a hand in Jefferson’s face. The shot bounced off the rim and then the backboard. After Longwood had two put-back opportunities, Cathlin finally came down with the rebound and was fouled.

"Three times," Cathlin said. "I tipped it first, Cavell tipped it and I saw it go up again and I knew I had to get it."

Cathlin hit one of two free throws, then blocked Longwood’s desperation heave with 1.8 seconds left to finish the deal.

"Tonight we were put in a situation to understand what it takes to win," Belfor said. "It takes effort, thinking and execution on both ends of the floor."

Offensively, JMU’s execution resulted in a season-low 11 turnovers and a balanced scoring attack, led by Belfor and sophomore forward Cavell Johnson, who shared game-high point honors with 18. Barbosa had 14. Cathlin added 7 off the bench.

"It’s nice to get balanced scoring," Keener said. "It makes it so one guy doesn’t have to carry the burden."

Longwood countered with a barrage of 3-pointers, finishing the game 11 of 21 from beyond the arc, including 7-13 in the first half.

"Eleven’s an awful lot of [3-pointers]," Keener said. "I think the three can be a great equalizer in college basketball."

Longwood’s equalizer from 3-point range was Husein Pistoljevic, who made 4 of 6 from beyond the arc.

"Husein was on fire," Longwood forward Maurice Sumter said.

Pistoljevic single-handedly sparked a 6-0 Longwood run to knot the game at 68 with 2:00 left. Down 68-62, he drained a 3-pointer to cut the deficit in half. After Cathlin missed a pair of free throws, Pistoljevic was fouled while shooting by junior guard John Naparlo.

"We fouled 3-point shooters twice and they got five points out of that," Keener said.

Three of those points came on Naparlo’s foul, knotting the score at 68. Forward Lamar Barrett’s lay-up with 1:05 left gave Longwood a two-point lead, setting the stage for Barbosa’s shot and JMU’s defensive stand.

"It just so happened the ball got up on the rim and the backboard," Keener said of Longwood’s last possession. "Thankfully Cathlin came down with the rebound and was fouled — it could have just as easily gone the other way."