11.27.2011

Box Score

CORAL GABLES, Fla. - The Longwood University women's basketball team dropped a 92-43 decision at the ninth-ranked University of Miami of the Atlantic Coast Conference on Sunday afternoon in Coral Gables, Florida. Senior Mina Jovanovic|Smederevska Palanka, Serbia (Salt Lake CC) led the Lancers (1-5) with 12 points, while senior Brittanni Billups|Goldsboro, N.C. (Eastern Wayne) and junior Chelsea Coward|Mechanicsville (Hanover) added nine points each. Miami (5-1) was led by Shenise Johnson with 22 points and six rebounds. Longwood returns to action on Wednesday, November 30, when it wraps up a four-game road swing with a trip to Williamsburg to face the College of William and Mary of the Colonial Athletic Association at 5 p.m..

Longwood led 2-0 after a jumper by Jovanovic to start the game. The Hurricanes went on a 5-0 run to lead 5-2, then Coward hit a jumper to cut the lead to one at 5-4 with 17:54 remaining. Jovanovic hit a jumper to keep the Lancers within two at 8-6 with 17:39 remaining in the first half. The Hurricanes went on an 17-2 run to extend the lead to 25-8 with 13:22 left in the half. The Lancers answered with a 14-5 run to cut the lead to eight at 30-22 with 8:38 remaining in the half. Billups, Coward and Jovanovic each scored four points during the run, capped by a layup by Billups. Miami went on an 18-0 run to lead 48-22 with 2:01 remaining in the first half. Coward and junior Crystal Smith|Richmond (Meadowbrook) made three-pointers to make the score 50-28 at halftime. Miami outscored the Lancers 42-15 in the second half to win 92-43.

Longwood shot 31.5% (17-54) from the field, including 16.7% (2-12) from behind the arc, and 70% (7-10) from the foul line. Jovanovic led the Lancers with 12 points (5-10 FG, 2-2 FT) and five rebounds, while Billups added nine points (4-10 FG) with a team-high six rebounds. Coward scored nine points (3-8 FG, 2-2 FT), while Crystal Smith added five points (2-9 FG, 1-3 3FG). Junior Erin Neal|Durham (Hillside) had a team-high five assists.

Miami shot 48.6% (35-72) from the floor, including 35% (7-20) from behind the arc, and 78.9% (15-19) from the foul line. Johnson scored a game-high 22 points (9-11 FG, 3-4 FT) with six rebounds and eight assists, while Morgan Stroman added 20 points (8-10 FG, 4-6 FT) to lead four players in double-figures. The Hurricanes out-rebounded Longwood 44-36 and scored 14 second chance points. Miami turned 28 Longwood turnovers in to 32 points, including 30 fast break points.

Today's meeting was the first between the two schools in the sport of women's basketball, and the Hurricanes lead the young series 1-0.