March 4, 2011

Box Score

FORT MYERS, Fla. - The Longwood University women's basketball team dropped a 62-53 decision to SIU Edwardsville on Friday evening on the first day of the FGCU Classic in Fort Myers, Florida. The Lancers (7-21) were led by senior Krystal Garrison|Fredericksburg (Courtland) and sophomore Crystal Smith|Richmond (Meadowbrook) with 13 points each while Jazmin Hill scored a game-high 18 points to pace the Cougars (10-17). Longwood returns to action on Saturday, March 5 when it faces host Florida Gulf Coast University at 7:30 p.m. in Fort Myers.

The Lancers jumped out to a quick 4-0 lead with 18:56 remaining in the first half after a pair of running jumpers by Garrison. The Cougars went on a 15-0 run to lead 15-4 with 10:20 remaining. Crystal Smith hit a three-pointer to break the scoring drought for the Lancers and Longwood went on a 13-2 run over the next 6:19 to tie the game at 17-17 with 4:01 remaining in the first half. Crystal Smith scored six points and Garrison added five points during the run. The Lancers trailed 25-24 at halftime.

Freshman Bria White|Silver Spring, Md. (Bethesda-Chevy Chase) hit a three-pointer to give LU the 27-25 lead before a layup by Michaela Herrod tied the game at 27-27 with 18:27 remaining. White added a layup to put the Lancers back on top 29-27 with 18:04 remaining. Raven Berry and Hill each made one free throw over the next 15 seconds to tie the game. A pair of free throws by Berry put the Cougars ahead for good at 31-29 with 16:14 remaining. SIUE slowly built a 40-33 lead and then Hill made a pair  of three-pointers around a Crystal Smith jumper to put the Cougars ahead 46-35 with 10:17 remaining. The Lancers cut the lead to six after a jumper by Crystal Smith and a three-pointer by sophomore Chelsea Coward|Mechanicsville (Hanover) with 8:19 remaining. Courtney Kenner drained a three-pointer and Berry added a layup to push the lead back to 11 at 53-42 with 7:31 remaining. A layup by sophomore Erin Neal|Durham, N.C. (Hillside) cut the lead to nine but that is as close as the Lancers would get until a three-pointer by Coward cut the lead to 60-51 with 2:36 remaining.

Longwood shot 37% (20-54) from the floor, including 31.6% (6-19) from behind the arc, and 70% (7-10) from the foul line. Crystal Smith (5-9 FG, 2-4 3FG) and Garrison (5-9 FG, 1-4 3FG) each scored 13 points while junior Brittany Jones|Richmond (North Florida) scored six points and grabbed a season-high and game-high nine rebounds.

SIU Edwardsville shot 36.1% (20-61) from the floor, including 35.7% (5-14) from behind the arc, and 68.4% (13-19) from the foul line. The Cougars were led by Hill with 18 points (7-21 FG, 3-8 3FG), Berry with 13 points (4-10 FG, 5-9 FT) and Kenner with 10 points (3-6 FG). SIUE turned 32 Longwood turnovers in to 20 points and added 24 points in the paint. The Cougars also added 19 steals.