December 3, 2005

BOX SCORE

BALTIMORE, Md. – Longwood University dropped a 71-51 women’s basketball decision to the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC) this evening at the RAC Center in Baltimore, Md. The loss drops the Lancers overall record to 2-5, while the Retrievers improved their record to 5-1. Longwood was led by freshman forward Cassandra Smith/Fredericksburg (Massaponax) who scored a team-high 14 points, and had four rebounds and one steal. LU will be back in action Wednesday, December 7 when they play at in-state opponent James Madison. Game time is slated for 7:00 p.m.

The Lancers took an early 11-7 lead after senior guard Jessica Wilkerson/Roanoke (Northside) drained a three-pointer at the 14:36 mark. UMBC slowly was able to tie the game after an 8-4 run put the score at 15-15. The Retrievers run was capped off on a layup by Sharri Rohde with 7:30 remaining in the first stanza.

Over the next three minutes it was Smith who kept the Lancers in the game as she scored 10-straight points for Longwood. She made a layup to put LU up 17-15, but UMBC countered with a basket by Mackenzie Butler. Smith again hit a layup on Longwood’s next possession, but Morgan Hatten hit a three-pointer to put the hosts up by one with 6:15 to play. Smith wouldn’t be outdone as she drained a three-pointer to give LU a slight 22-20 edge.      Amanda Robinson sank two free throws for UMBC to tie the game for the fourth time in the half, but Smith capped off an impressive three minutes with her second-straight three-pointer to give the Lancers a three point lead at 25-22.

The Lancers went cold for the next two minutes and the Retrievers capitalized with an 8-0 run to give UMBC its largest lead of the half at 28-25 with less than two minutes to play before halftime. UMBC held on to the lead for the rest of the half and went into the locker room with the slight 31-28 advantage. 

 A quick 5-2 run out of the gates by Longwood tied the game at 33-33 early in the second half. Sophomore guard Keiva Small/Norfolk (Norview) hit two jumpers while senior forward Amber Mason/Virginia Beach (Princess Anne) hit a free throw to help LU tie the game. 

It was all UMBC after that as they went on a 12-2 run to take a double-digit lead at 45-35 with 12:58 to play in the game. A fast 6-2 spurt by Longwood slashed UMBC’s lead to six at the 11:00 minute mark, but an impressive 20-6 run by the Retrievers over the next eight minutes put the game out of reach for the Lancers. Seven different UMBC players scored during the run, including Matea Pender who scored five points and Brittnie Hughes who scored four.

Besides Smith, the Lancers were led by Small who scored 10 points, had two assists, two rebounds and one steal. Senior forward Ashley Mason/Virginia Beach (Princess Anne) added seven points and a team-high six rebounds. Longwood finished the game shooting 31.1% (19-61) from the field, including 14.3% (3-21) on three-pointers, and was 58.8% (10-17) at the charity stripe.

UMBC was led by Hughes who finished with a game-high 17 points and added four rebounds, four assists and two steals. The Retrievers shot 49.1% (27-55) from the floor, including 21.4% (3-14) on three-pointers, and was 77.8% (14-18) at the line.