Box Score
LEWISBURG, Pa. – The Longwood University women's basketball team defeated Bucknell University (5-4) of the Patriot League, 60-52, on Saturday evening in Lewisburg, Pa. Senior
Crystal Smith|Richmond posted a team-high 13 points to lead the Lancers (3-6) for the third consecutive game. Senior
Chelsea Coward|Mechanicsville also scored in double-figures with 11 points, in addition to recording a team-best seven rebounds. Longwood travels to Arizona for its final two, non-conference games of the season beginning with a tilt against the University of Arizona on Thursday, December 20. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.
“We got into foul trouble early and we fought through the first half with a lot of poise,” said head coach
Bill Reinson. “Bucknell has a great post player in Audrey Dotson, but we knew that once we got to the second half, we'd have Chelsea (Coward) back. We made a few adjustments at halftime and the girls came out ready to play. I'm really proud of how they stayed together and pulled out the win. We've really been trying to focus on putting two halves together and we did that today.”
The Bison converted on a pair of free throws to open the game, but Longwood quickly took control with seven straight points, creating its largest margin of the half with 17:14 left in the first. Bucknell cut the Lancers' lead to two before senior
Erin Neal|Durham, N.C. hit a layup to make it 9-5 at 16:15. The Bison's offense went to work, using a 10-2 run to regain the lead at 15-11 with just over 12 minutes remaining in the period. Longwood pulled within a bucket until Bucknell took advantage of back-to-back free throw opportunities and made a layup to go up, 22-15, with less than nine minutes to play in the half. The Lancers battled back, outscoring the host 11-6 in the final minutes of the first to head into the break down just 28-26.
Coming out of halftime, Longwood came from behind to tie the game twice, at 28 and 30, before BU took its final lead of the game at 34-30 with just under 16 minutes to play. Freshman
Deborah Headen|Herndon knocked down a jumper from beyond the arc to make it a one point game before Smith made a layup to put her squad up, 35-34, and give the Lancers the lead for good at 14:53.
Longwood scored five unanswered points to extend its margin to 40-34, and the teams traded baskets until the Bison scored on two straight possessions to make it a one-point game at 44-43 with 9:59 remaining in the contest. The home team would not come any closer, though, as Longwood quickly reclaimed a five-point buffer. LU would maintain at least a three-point advantage for the next three minutes before scoring the game's final five points to seal the 60-52 victory.
Smith added five rebounds to her team-high 13 points. Three Lancers posted season-high point totals in the victory, as Neal tallied nine points, and freshmen Headen and
Jaclyn Reagan|Crossville, Tenn. recorded seven apiece. As a team, Longwood combined for a season-low 10 turnovers, while shooting 36% (23-64) from the field, 21% (4-19) from three-point territory and 77% (10-13) from the foul line.
Audrey Dotson paced the Bison with a double-double of 27 points and 17 rebounds. Shelby Romine added to the offensive effort with eight points and 11 rebounds. As a squad, Bucknell shot 31% (16-52) from the floor, including eight percent (1-12) from beyond the arc, and 76% (19-25) from the line.
Saturday's contest marked the first meeting ever between Longwood and Bucknell in the sport of women's basketball.
