12.12.2011

FARMVILLE, Va. – The Longwood University women's basketball team embarks on a nine-day, five-game road trip on Wednesday, starting with a game at Marshall University of Conference USA on Thursday, December 15, at 12 p.m. in Huntington, West Virginia. The Lancers will then travel to the Wright State Invitational in Dayton, Ohio on Dec. 18-20 for three games, before facing the University of Cincinnati of the Big East Conference on Thursday, Dec. 22, at 12 p.m. in Cincinnati, Ohio. Longwood has been off since its 73-59 victory over Radford on Dec. 3 after its game scheduled for Dec. 11 against Norfolk State was canceled due to a health issue with one of the officials.

Game Details
Opponent: Marshall
Site: Huntington, W.Va.
Facility: Cam Henderson Center
Date: December 15, 2011
Start: 12 p.m.
Live Stats
Live Video

Game Details
Opponent: Wright State
Tournament: Wright State Invitational presented by Holiday Inn
Site: Dayton, Ohio
Facility: Ervin J. Nutter Center
Date: December 18, 2011
Start: 2 p.m.
Live Stats
Live Video

Game Details
Opponent: Central Michigan
Tournament: Wright State Invitational presented by Holiday Inn
Site: Dayton, Ohio
Facility: Ervin J. Nutter Center
Date: December 19, 2011
Start: 2:30 p.m.
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Game Details
Opponent: Southeast Missouri State
Tournament: Wright State Invitational presented by Holiday Inn
Site: Dayton, Ohio
Facility: Ervin J. Nutter Center
Date: December 20, 2011
Start: 2:30 p.m.
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Live Video

Game Details
Opponent: Cincinnati
Site: Cincinnati, Ohio
Facility: Fifth Third Arena
Date: December 22, 2011
Start: 12 p.m.
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Live Video

Last Time Out
The Longwood University women's basketball game against visiting Norfolk State University on Sunday, December 11, was canceled due to a health issue with one of the contest officials. A decision was made by both schools to cancel the game, and re-schedule at a later date if possible.

Longwood Leaders
Longwood is led by seniors Brittanni Billups|Goldsboro, N.C. (Eastern Wayne) (10.5p, 8.3r) and Mina Jovanovic|Smederevska Palanka, Serbia (Salt Lake CC) (9.1p, 3.6r) and junior Chelsea Coward|Mechanicsville (Hanover) (8.9p, 5.3r). Juniors Erin Neal|Durham, N.C. (Hillside) (8.1p, 2.9r, 2.8a) and Crystal Smith|Richmond (Meadowbrook) (5.0p, 3.1r, 3.7a) are also key contributors. The Lancers are shooting 34.7% from the field, including 19.5% from behind the arc, and 60.2% at the foul line while averaging 51.8 points and allowing 68.1 points. Longwood has been out-rebounded by eight boards per game and averages 11.5 assists, 21.4 turnovers, 7.3 steals and 3.8 blocks per game.

Scouting Marshall
Marshall is 6-2 and on a five-game winning streak. The Thundering Herd is coming off a 55-47 victory over Cincinnati on Saturday. Shynisha Johnson (10.8p, 1.5r) and Jasmine Shaw (9.3p, 2.4r) lead the team, while Erica Woods has pulled down a team-best 7.3 rebounds.  Marshall is shooting 39.3% from the floor, including 35.2% from behind the arc, and 70.1% from the foul line while averaging 65.2 points and allowing 54.5 points per game. Marshall has out-rebounded opponents by 4.9 rebounds per game and is averaging 12.6 assists, 21 turnovers, 12.9 steals and 3.4 blocks per game. The Herd is coached by 11th-year head coach Royce Chadwick. Longwood is 0-2 all-time against Marshall, including a 62-54 setback last season in Farmville.

Scouting Wright State
Wright State is 5-3 and coming off a 61-59 home victory over Southern Illinois on Saturday. The Raiders are led by Kim Demmings (16.8p, 5.1r) and Molly Fox (13.4p, 8.7r), while Shaunda Sandifer has added a team-best 8.5 rebounds. WSU is shooting 37.8% from the field, including 32.3% from behind the arc, and 69.9% from the foul line while averaging 69.1 points and allowing 66.8 points. The Raiders have out-rebounded opponents by one rebound per game and are averaging 12 assists, 17.3 turnovers, 6.8 steals and 3.3 blocks per game. WSU is coached by second-year head coach Mike Bradbury. Longwood is 1-2 all-time against Wright State, including a 74-70 victory last season in Farmville. That game was the first under Bill Reinson.

Scouting Central Michigan
Central Michigan is 3-5 and coming off a 75-62 victory over #12 Purdue on Sunday. The Chippewas are paced by Crystal Bradford (15.4p, 7.1r), Jessica Green (12p, 5r) and Jas'Mine Bracey (11.3p, 7.5r). CMU is shooting 39.8% from the field, including 31% from behind the arc, and 62.4% from the foul line while  averaging 70.9 points and allowing 72.1 points per game. The Chippewas have been out-rebounded by 2.2 rebounds per game while averaging 13.4 assists, 20.6 turnovers, 12.1 steals and 5.6 blocks. CMU is coached by fifth-year head coach Sue Guevara. Longwood and Central Michigan have never met in the sport of women's basketball.

Scouting Southeast Missouri State
Southeast Missouri State is 2-8, but 2-2 over the past four contests after starting the season on a six-game losing streak. Bailie Roberts (8.9p, 5.8r) and Karley Evans (7.7p, 2.1r) pace the Redhawks, while Courtney Shiffer has added a team-best six rebounds per game. SEMO has shot 31.7% from the floor, including 24.7% from behind the arc, and 67.9% from the foul line while averaging 46.8 points and allowing 60.4 points per game. The Redhawks have been out-rebounded by 2.9 boards per game and are averaging 9.1 assists, 18.9 turnovers, 5.7 steals and 2.2 blocks per contest. SEMO is coached by first-year head coach Ty Margenthaler. Longwood and Southeast Missouri State have never met in the sport of women's basketball.

Scouting Cincinnati
Cincinnati is 6-2 and on a two-game losing streak after starting the season with six-straight victories. The Bearcats are coming off a 55-47 setback at Marshall on Saturday. Cincinnati is led by Dayeesha Hollins (14.3p, 5.5r, 4.4a) and Bjonee Reaves (12.5p, 4.4r) while Tiffany Turner has grabbed a team-best 7.8 rebounds per game. The Bearcats are shooting 42.4% from the field, including 34.5% from behind the arc, and 60.4% from the foul line while averaging 61.2 points and allowing 49.5 points per game. Cincinnati has out-rebounded opponents by 4.1 rebounds per game while averaging 14 assists, 14.9 turnovers, 9.8 steals and 4.4 blocks per contest. The Bearcats are coached by third-year head coach Jamelle Elliott. Longwood and Cincinnati have never met in the sport of women's basketball.

Coach Reinson On The Upcoming Road Trip
“Our upcoming tour of West Virginia and Ohio will be a difficult stretch for our basketball team. We have played well at home over the past few years, but have really struggled on the road. Our ability to focus on the game plan and compete for a full forty minutes will be put to the test. Hopefully, we will rise to the occasion and play some solid basketball over the next two weeks.

“Marshall is on a five-game winning streak, including a recent victory over Cincinnati. They are athletic and play well at home - a very tough match-up.  

“Wright State is well-coached, they shoot a ton of 3's and we play them in the first game of a three day tournament at their place. We beat them at Longwood last season, but they are a much different team now. Central Michigan has played an extremely tough schedule this season. Their record is not indicative of how good they will be by the end of the year.  They are a fast paced team that will run at every opportunity. It will be interesting to see if we'll be able to control the tempo of the game. Southeast Missouri has struggled to score so far in 2011-2012. We will need to play stellar defense, and not allow them to get their offense going against us.

“Cincinnati is another challenging Big East opponent.  They are big and athletic.  Their recent setback at Marshall shouldn't diminish the caliber of their basketball team and how well they play at home.

“Overall, it is going to be a very challenging couple of weeks.”

Bench Scoring
After scoring just 18.5% of the points through the first seven games of the season, players coming off the bench scored 24 points (32.8%) in a 73-59 victory over Radford (12.3). Senior Morgan Smith|Williamsport, Md. (Williamsport) and Chelsea Coward scored nine points each, while freshmen Rianna Frazer|Baltimore, Md. (Seton Keough) and Megan Baltzell|Stafford (Mountain View) added five points and one point, respectively.

High-Scoring
Longwood scored 73 points against Radford (12.3), the most points of the 2011-12 season and the most since a 77-point outing against UNC Asheville on February 8, 2011.

52% - That's More Than Half!
Longwood shot 52% (26-50) from the floor in its 79-53 victory over visiting Radford (12.3). It was the first time the Lancers have shot better than 50% since they went 23-46 from the field in an 84-64 loss to VCU on December 28, 2009.

Career Day
Mina Jovanovic scored a career-high 15 points on 7-for-10 shooting at William and Mary. Six of her baskets were layups, and five of those were assisted.

Double-Double
Brittanni Billups recorded her first double-double of the season at High Point, scoring 10 points with a season-high 10 rebounds. She added her second double-double of the season against Radford (15p, 10r). She has 10 double-doubles in her four-year career, including a career-best five as a junior during 2010-11.

Career Record Watch
Junior Heather Tobeck|La Porte, Texas (La Porte) and Brittanni Billups are both ranked in the Top 10 in blocked shots on the all-time list. Tobeck has blocked 100 shots, good for third on the all-time list, seven away from the career record. Billups has 92 blocks for seventh on the all-time list.

Multi-Talented
Three members of the women's basketball team pull double-duty at Longwood. Megan Baltzell and senior Courtney Long|Mechanicsville (Hanover) are both members of the softball team, while senior Kacie Oliver|Portsmouth, R.I. (Portsmouth) recently completed her four-year career with the women's soccer team. Long is a three-year starter at first base, while Baltzell is expected to see playing time behind the plate for the Lancers. Oliver finished her career with 12 goals and seven assists for 31 points, including six goals and one assist during her senior campaign.

Short Bench
Six Longwood players have averaged more than 24 minutes per game so far this season, led by Mina Jovanovic with 32 minutes. Crystal Smith (29.9), Chelsea Coward (28.3), Brittanni Billups (28.3), junior Mieke Elkington|Hamilton, New Zealand (Cochise College) (26.1) and Erin Neal (24.0) have also contributed significant playing time. Heather Tobeck (17.5) is the only other player averaging more than 10 minutes per game. Last season, 12 players averaged 11+ minutes, with only two averaging 24 minutes.

Schedule Overview
Longwood plays 30 games during 2011-12, including nine home games and 19 true road matchups. The Lancers also play a pair of neutral-site games at the Wright State Invitational. Longwood faces opponents from 15 different conferences, including three Big East games and two Atlantic Coast Conference matchups. The Lancers will travel to 13 states, playing 10 games in Virginia.

Road Warriors
Longwood plays 19 road games during 2011-12, including seven-straight contests away from Willett Hall in December. The Lancers also have two four-game road stretches.

Nationwide Travelers
Longwood will play in 12 different states in addition to Washington, D.C., during 2011-12, including 10 games in Virginia, four in North Carolina and Ohio, and two in Indiana and Kentucky. The Lancers will play one game in California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, New Jersey, Utah, Washington, D.C., and West Virginia.

On The Road Again
Longwood will travel 15,176 miles during 2011-12, including 8,056 miles by airplane and 7,120 by bus. The Lancers will fly to Miami and Notre Dame, as well as San Diego State, Air Force and Utah Valley. Longwood has three bus trips longer than 1,000 miles, including a 1,400 mile trip to Murray State and Eastern Kentucky.

Feels Like The First Time
Longwood will face 11 opponents for the first time during 2011-12.  The Lancers are 0-2 against first-time opponents this season. Longwood will host two of those opponents, Coppin State and Dartmouth, and face Air Force, Central Michigan, Cincinnati, Georgetown (L, 45-56), Miami (L, 43-92), Murray State, Notre Dame, San Diego State and Southeast Missouri State on the road.

Next Up...
Longwood returns to the road, traveling to South Bend, Indiana, to face the third-ranked University of Notre Dame of the Big East on Wednesday, Dec. 28, at 2 p.m.. The Lancers return to Farmville briefly, then play at Appalachian State University of the Southern Conference on Saturday, Dec. 31, at 12 p.m. in Boone, North Carolina.