1.21.2012

Box Score

FARMVILLE, Va. - The Longwood University women's basketball team defeated Dartmouth College of the Ivy League 86-76 on Saturday afternoon in Willett Hall in Farmville. Senior Brittanni Billups|Goldsboro, N.C. (Eastern Wayne) and junior Crystal Smith|Richmond (Meadowbrook) paced the Lancers with 21 points each to lead four Lancers in double-figures. The Lancers led 41-30 at halftime and led by as many as 17 points in the second half en route to scoring the most points in a game since the 2007-08 season. Dartmouth (2-13) was led by Faziah Steen with 29 points. Longwood (5-17) returns to action on Monday, January 23, when it travels to Murray, Kentucky, to face Murray State University of the Ohio Valley Conference at 8 p.m. ET.

Longwood led 11-10 after a pair of free throws by junior Heather Tobeck|La Porte, Texas (La Porte) with 12:35 remaining in the first half. The Lancers went on a 13-3 run to lead 24-13 with 8:56 left in the half. The Big Green cut the lead to five, but Longwood answered with a 12-4 run over the next 3:45 to lead 41-28 with 0:48 remaining before intermission. The Lancers led 41-30 at halftime.

Longwood opened the second half on a 7-2 run, capped by a jumper by junior Erin Neal|Durham, N.C. (Hillside) with 18:21 remaining to lead 48-32. The visitors slowly cut the lead to seven (58-51) with 8:14 left in the game, but the Lancers went on a 14-4 run over the next 3:51 to lead 72-55 with 4:25 remaining. Billups and Neal scored six points each during the run. The visitors cut the lead to seven (78-71) with 0:40 remaining, but Longwood went 6-for-6 from the foul line the rest of the way and added a layup by junior Chelsea Coward|Mechanicsville (Hanover) to win 86-76.

Crystal Smith (6-17 FG, 3-7 3FG, 6-10 FT) and Billups (5-10 FG, 11-13 FT) paced the Lancers with 21 points each, while Neal added 16 points (7-13 FG, 2-5 FT) and Elkington scored 13 points (5-9 FG, 1-1 3FG, 2-2 FT). Billups grabbed a team-high eight rebounds and Elkington added seven boards, six in the second half. Longwood turned 25 Dartmouth turnovers in to 25 points and scored 13 second-chance points on 14 offensive rebounds. The Lancers shot 46.7% (28-60) from the floor, including 36.4% (4-11) from behind the arc, and 72.2% (26-36) from the foul line. Crystal Smith dished out five assists with no turnovers, while Billups, Neal and Elkington added three assists each.

Steen scored 29 points (11-19 FG, 4-5 3FG, 3-4 FT) to pace the Big Green, while Milica Toskovic added 14 points (5-11 FG, 2-5 3FG, 2-2 FT) and Tia Dawson scored 12 points (5-9 FG, 2-2 FT) with seven rebounds. Arianne Hunter grabbed a team-high eight rebounds. Dartmouth out-rebounded Longowod 38-35 and scored 17 second-chance points. The Big Green shot 47.5% (28-59) from the field, including 46.2% (6-13) from behind the arc, and 73.7% (14-19) from the foul line.