December 21, 2006
BOX SCORE
Nashville, Tenn.—The Longwood women’s basketball team came up short in its late rally, falling to Indiana State 79-68, in the opening game of the Vanderbilt Holiday Tournament Wednesday evening in Nashville, Tenn. The Lancers (4-9) had four players in double-digit figures, led by Odessa Williams’/Stratford, Conn. (Stratford) game-high 18 points. Indiana State (7-3) was led by Laura Rudolphi who finished the game with a double-double scoring 16 points while pulling down ten rebounds. Longwood will return to action tomorrow afternoon at 2:00 p.m. in the consolation game.
The Sycamores came out of the gates fast, going on an 11-0 run in the first 3:30 of the game. Williams put the Lancers on the board on Longwood’s next possession, taking a pass from Ashleigh Hollman/Centreville (Westfield) and laying it in for a 11-2 score at the 16:34 mark. The Sycamores went up by as many as 17 points, but the Lancers brought the game back down to a single digit deficit, after Courtney Dyer/Richmond (Monacan) hit back-to-back threes with 11:38 to go in the first half forcing Indiana State to take a thirty second timeout with the score 26-17.
The Lancers continued to chip away at the Sycamores’ lead and went into the final media timeout of the half down by five after Dyer banked a three off the glass with 3:17 to go in the half. Longwood’s defense held the nationally sixth ranked Indiana State offense scoreless for five minutes and came within three points in the final two minutes of the half. Anna Steg/Fairfax (George C. Marshall) hit a lay-up with 1:41 to go before the break putting the score at 33-30. The Sycamores were able to sink a shot in the final minute to head into the locker room with a five point lead. At the break, Dyer was leading all shooters with nine points, all coming from behind the arc.
Like they began the game, ISU came out in the second half and went on a 9-0 run, to grab a 44-30 lead. Longwood continued to battle back in the final twenty minutes, cutting the Sycamores’ lead to seven with 7:30 to go in the game after Keiva Small/Norfolk (Norview) hit a lay-up on a fast break. After the Sycamores built their lead back up to 16 points with 4:53 to go the game, the Lancers tried to make one more push but came as close as nine in the final two minutes.
Behind Williams was Dyer who finished the game with a career-high 17 points. Steg and Small were both one rebound shy of finishing with a double-double as Steg recorded 16 points and nine boards and Small finished the game with ten points and nine rebounds. As a team Longwood’s 68 points was the most this season and the Lancers’ 27 field goals made was also a season high.
