Associated Press

Virginia guard Sylven Landesberg (15) is fouled by Longwood guard E.J. Dawson on Friday. Landesberg finished with 23 points.

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- In his first game as Virginia men's basketball coach, Tony Bennett delivered on his promise not to hold the ball.

In their transition to Bennett's defense, the Cavaliers still have a way to go.

Sophomore Sylven Landesberg had a game-high 23 points and all five Virginia starters scored in double figures in an 85-72 victory over Longwood.

It was only the third time in Bennett's four seasons as a head coach that one of his teams has scored 85 points or more and the high came in double overtime when one of his Washington State teams defeated Southern Cal 88-86 in 2007.

The Cavaliers shot 60 percent from the field Friday night and outrebounded the Lancers 36-21, but Bennett was dreading a postgame meeting with his father, Dick, who was sitting several rows behind the UVa bench.

Dick Bennett is credited with originating the "Pack Line" defense that is the hallmark of his son's philosophy.

"I'm not going home," son Tony said. "I'm staying in the locker room tonight. I don't think he'll be real proud of that defensive performance.

"He's an old retired coach. We don't have to listen to him, right? ... I'm sure he'll have some advice for me."

Bennett had few complaints with a first-half effort that allowed the Cavaliers to take a 49-27 lead into the locker room. They outscored Longwood 23-6 in the final 4:08 before halftime.

A combination of 3-pointers, transition baskets off UVa turnovers and the inside scoring of Billy Robinson and Antwan Carter allowed Longwood to get as close as 62-53 with just over 10 minutes remaining.

Virginia junior Jeff Jones had eight points in a two-minute, 27-second span as Virginia extended its lead to 70-56, but the Lancers had one more rally in them, again making it a nine-point game at 72-63 on a Robinson bucket with 6:29 to go.

"We have a veteran team, we have high expectations for the season and I think we saw glimpses of that tonight," said seventh-year Longwood coach Mike Gillian, whose team finished 17-14 in 2008-2009.

Carter, a 6-foot-6 sophomore, had 18 points in 24 minutes off the bench.

For Virginia, Landesberg finished with his 13th game of 20 points or more in his brief college career, but Mustapha Farrakhan's 17-point night matched his career high.

It was only the third career start in 43 career games for Farrakhan, a 6-foot-4 junior who had not played more than 27 minutes before Friday night. He logged 31 minutes against the Lancers.

"It was great to be out there and have the opportunity to showcase my skills," said Farrakhan, who scored 17 against Virginia Tech last year, when he played 12 minutes but was 4-of-5 on 3-pointers.

With sophomore center Assane Sene serving a three-game suspension and senior forward Jamil Tucker taking a leave of absence, Bennett used only eight players.

Seven played 20 minutes or more, including freshman point guard Jontel Evans. The Cavaliers' other 2008-2009 UVa signee, Tristan Spurlock, got on the court for three minutes in the first half.

"I asked them in the locker room, 'What do you think happened there in the second half,' " Bennett said. "I said, 'Do you think that was a good enough effort on the defensive end and the offensive end.' To a man, they said, 'No, it wasn't.' They know they have to improve."

Bennett isn't sure that Virginia wants to trade baskets with other teams, particularly when the opposition gets stiffer, starting with a Monday night road game against Big East foe South Florida. But, the players see that they will have some freedom at the offensive end if they don't abuse it.

"His offense is not really slow-down, like everybody is saying," Landesberg said. "He's just real strict at the defensive end. He wants things done his way."

LONGWOOD (0-1)

Robinson Jr. 6-8 1-2 13, Smith 2-10 1-3 5, Dawson 4-7 0-0 10, Mitchell 1-5 0-0 3, Swecker 4-11 0-0 10, Carter 8-10 2-3 18, Washington 4-9 0-0 11, Gee II 0-0 2-2 2, Persaud 0-0 0-0 0, van der Kooij 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 29-61 6-10 72.

VIRGINIA (1-0)

Scott 5-8 2-2 12, Farrakhan 5-8 6-6 17, Zeglinski 5-10 0-2 14, Landesberg 8-13 6-8 23, Jones 3-6 4-4 10, Evans 2-2 0-0 4, Spurlock 0-1 0-0 0, Meyinsse 2-2 1-2 5. Totals 30-50 19-24 85.

Halftime--Virginia 49-27. 3-Point Goals--Longwood 8-22 (Washington 3-7, Dawson 2-3, Swecker 2-5, Mitchell 1-3, van der Kooij 0-1, Smith 0-3), Virginia 6-14 (Zeglinski 4-7, Landesberg 1-1, Farrakhan 1-4, Jones 0-2). Fouled Out--None. Rebounds--Longwood 21 (Robinson Jr., Smith 5), Virginia 36 (Scott 13). Assists--Longwood 12 (Dawson 5), Virginia 14 (Farrakhan, Landesberg, Zeglinski 4). Total Fouls--Longwood 19, Virginia 14. A--10,787.