11.13.2011

Box Score

FARMVILLE, Va. - The Longwood University women's basketball team defeated Cornell University of the Ivy League 68-61 on Sunday afternoon at Willett Hall in Farmville. Four Longwood players scored in double-figures, led by junior Mieke Elkington|Hamilton, New Zealand (Cochise College) with game-highs of 14 points and seven rebounds. Longwood (1-1) trailed 25-17 at halftime and fought back to lead for the first time with 9:29 remaining in the game. The Lancers took the lead for good on a jumper by junior Mina Jovanovic|Smederevska Palanka, Serbia (Salt Lake CC) with 1:13 remaining. Cornell (0-2) was led by Allyson DiMagno with 13 points. Longwood returns to action on Thursday, November 17, when it hosts George Mason University of the Colonial Athletic Association at 7 p.m. at Willett Hall in Farmville.

Longwood started slowly in the first half and trailed Cornell 6-0 at the first media timeout. The Lancers went on an 11-6 cut the lead to one at 12-11 on a layup by Jovanovic with 9:33 remaining in the first half. Cornell pushed the lead to as many as nine points in the first half and led 25-17 at halftime.

The teams traded baskets early in the second half before Longwood went on a 6-0 run to cut the lead to 33-30 with 15:29 remaining in the game. Elkington and junior Crystal Smith|Richmond (Meadowbrook) made three-pointers during the run. Cornell pushed the lead back to seven points at 37-30 with 14:14 remaining, but Longwood went on an 11-3 run over the next 4:45 to lead for the first time at 41-40. The Big Red made two free throws, but Elkington scored the next six points to give Longwood the 47-42 lead with 6:58 remaining. Cornell rallied to tie the game at 50-50 after a jumper by DiMagno. The Big Red led 57-54 after a traditional three point play by DiMagno, but a layup by junior Heather Tobeck|La Porte, Texas (La Porte) followed by a pair of free throws by junior Chelsea Coward|Mechanicsville (Hanover) gave Longwood the 58-57 lead with 2:31 remaining. Kristina Danielak made a jumper to put Cornell ahead 59-58, but Jovanovic made a free throw to tie the game at 59-59 with 1:55 remaining. Jovanovic and Elkington hit back-to-back jumpers, then Jovanovic made a free throw to cap a five-point run to give the Lancers the 64-59 lead with 0:43 remaining. Spencer Lane made a layup, then Tobeck was fouled hard and had to leave the game. Senior Morgan Smith|Williamsport, Md. (Williamsport) came off the bench and made a pair of free throws to push the Longwood lead to 67-61 with 0:35 left in the game. Longwood shot 53.6% 15-28) from the floor in the second half.

Longwood shot 41.2% (21-51) from the field, including 40% (6-15) from behind the arc, and 55.6% (20-36) from the foul line. Elkington scored a game-high 14 points (5-9 FG, 3-5 3FG, 1-5 FT) with seven rebounds, while senior Brittanni Billups|Goldsboro, N.C. (Eastern Wayne) added 12 points (5-9 FG, 2-2 FT) and seven rebounds. Coward (2-7 FG, 6-8 FT) and Jovanovic (4-9 FG, 3-7 FT) scored 11 points each, while Coward grabbed seven rebounds. Crystal Smith added six points and a game-high five assists. Jovanovic added four assists and three steals. The Lancers outrebounded Cornell 41-36, including 26-11 in the second half, and scored 16 second-chance points. Longwood dished out 16 assists, and both teams had 17 turnovers.

Cornell shot 36.7% (22-60) from the field, including 15.8% (3-19) from behind the arc, and 73.7% (14-19) from the foul line. The Big Red were paced by DiMagno with 13 points, Maka Anyanwu with 12 points and Taylor Flynn with 11 points. Stephanie Long grabbed a team-high six rebounds, and Spencer Lane dished out four assists.