BOX SCORE

ATLANTA, Ga. – Longwood University dropped an 81-41 women’s basketball decision to Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) member Georgia Tech this evening at the Alexander Memorial Coliseum in Atlanta, Ga.. The setback drops the Lancers overall record to 3-8, while the Yellow Jackets improved to 8-1. Longwood was led by senior forward Amber Mason/Virginia Beach (Princess Anne) and freshman center Anna Steg/Fairfax (George C. Marshall), who both finished with nine points a piece. Steg also added a game and career-high 10 rebounds. LU will be back in action December 28-29 when they partake in the Virginia Tech Tournament. The Lancers will play host Virginia Tech on the opening day of the tournament. Game time is slated for 7:00 p.m.

Georgia Tech used solid defense and impressive shooting from the charity stripe to pull away from Longwood in the first half. The Yellow Jackets forced the Lancers to commit 13 turnovers in the first stanza and in turn scored 20 points off LU’s giveaways. Georgia Tech also was sent to the free throw line 16 times in the half and made all 16.

The Lancers did not fold in the second half as they were able to limit the Yellow Jackets to 31 points, while scoring 24 themselves. Mason scored six-straight points to begin the second half, while Steg and freshman forward Cassandra Smith/Fredericksburg (Massaponax) both scored six points a piece for LU in the second stanza.

Longwood also was able to force Georgia Tech to turn the ball over 12 times in the second half, after the Yellow Jackets only gave the ball away three times in the first half. The Lancers capitalized on the Yellow Jackets mistakes, scoring eight points off turnovers.

Besides Mason and Steg, Longwood was led by Smith and junior guard Abbey Freese/West Liberty, Ohio (West Liberty-Salem). Smith finished with seven points, five rebounds, two steals and one assist, while Freese scored eight points. The Lancers finished the game shooting 22.8% (13-57) from the field, including 18.2% (4-22) on three-pointers, and was 64.7% (11-17) at the free throw line.

Georgia Tech had five players finish in double-digit points, including Jacqua Williams and Stephanie Higgs. Williams scored a game-high 20 points, while Higgs finished with a double-double of 12 points and 10 rebounds. The Yellow Jackets were 45.2% (28-62) from the field, including 30.0% (3-1) on three pointers, and was an impressive 91.7% (22-24) from the free throw line.