11.11.2011

Box Score

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Longwood University women's basketball team dropped a 56-45 decision at 11th-ranked Georgetown University of the Big East Conference on Friday, November 11, in its season-opener in Washington, D.C.. Senior Brittanni Billups|Goldsboro, N.C. (Eastern Wayne) led the Lancers with 14 points and eight rebounds, while junior Erin Neal|Durham, N.C. (Hillside) added 14 points. Longwood (0-1) trailed 29-23 at halftime and cut the deficit to 31-27 with 15:34 remaining in the second half before the Hoyas (1-0) extended the lead. Georgetown was paced by Sugar Rodgers with 13 points. The Lancers return to action on Sunday, November 13, when they host Cornell University of the Ivy League at 2 p.m. in in Willett Hall in Farmville.

Longwood led 2-0 after a layup by senior Mina Jovanovic|Smederevska Palanka, Serbia (Salt Lake CC) at 19:16. Georgetown went on a 7-0 run to lead 7-2 after a three-pointer by Rodgers at 16:53. The two teams traded points before a layup by junior Chelsea Coward|Mechanicsville (Hanover) cut the lead to three at 13-10 with 12:19 remaining in the first half. The Hoyas went on a 7-0 run over the next 1:57 to lead 20-10 with 10:22 remaining, but the Lancers answered with an identical 7-0 run to trim the lead to three at 20-17 with 8:00 left in the first half. Neal made a three-pointer to start the run, and Billups added a pair of baskets to cap the scoring. The Hoyas pushed the lead back to 10, but a jumper by Jovanovic and a pair of free throws by Billups cut the lead to six at 29-23 at halftime.

Billups made a layup with 15:34 remaining the game to cut the advantage to four at 31-27. The Hoyas extended the lead to 10, but the Lancers went on a 6-2 run capped by a traditional three point play by Neal to trim the lead t0 six at 41-35 with 7:00 remaining. That was as close as the Lancers would get, as Georgetown pushed the lead back to 10 and never let it slip below eight for the remainder of the game. Neal scored nine of the teams' final 13 points, including seven points from the foul line.

Longwood shot 36.6% (15-41) from the field, including 11.1% (1-9) from behind the arc, and 77.8% (14-18) from the foul line. Billups (5-7 FG, 4-4 FT) and Neal (3-5 FG, 7-9 FT) both scored 14 points for the Lancers, while Jovanovic added eight points (4-9 FG) and three rebounds. Junior Crystal Smith|Richmond (Meadowbrook) added two points (1-8 FG, 0-5 3FG) and a game-high four assists. Longwood turned 18 Georgetown turnovers into 12 points. Longwood's starters scored 43 of the Lancers' 45 points.

Georgetown shot 31.7% (19-60) from the field, including 27.3% (3-11) from behind the arc, and 83.3% (15-18) from the foul line. Rodgers (2-10 FG, 8-8 FT) led the Hoyas with 13 points while Adria Crawford grabbed a team-high seven rebounds. Georgetown outrebounded Longwood 44-29, including 19-4 on the offensive glass. The Hoyas turned 23 Longwood turnovers into 24 points and had a 28-20 advantage in points in the paint.

Georgetown and Longwood met for the first time in women's basketball, and the Hoyas lead the young series 1-0.