Box Score

TUCSON, Ariz. – The Longwood University women's basketball team used a 17-2 run to mount a second-half comeback and pull within 11 points before falling to the University of Arizona (8-3) of the Pacific 12 Conference, 86-68, on Thursday afternoon in Tucson. Four Lancers scored in double-figures, including freshman Daeisha Brown|Richmond, who paced the team with 14 points. Senior Chelsea Coward|Mechanicsville tallied 12 points to push her career total to 1,005 and join Longwood's prestigious 1,000 Point Club. Longwood (3-7) returns to action to close out its non-conference schedule at Arizona State University on Saturday, December 22. Tipoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. ET.

The Wildcats scored the first points of the game, but the Lancers answered with a deep three from senior Erin Neal|Durham, N.C. to go up, 3-2, with 18:40 still to play in the first. The teams traded buckets from beyond the arc and the Lancers took a 6-5 advantage before Arizona used a 17-2 run to pull ahead, 22-8, with 12:59 left in the half. Brown broke the silence for Longwood with a layup and Coward posted one of her own to make it a 13 point game, but AU retaliated with seven in a row to take a 32-12 advantage with 8:37 to play in the first. The Lancers would cut the deficit to 18 on a three-point jumper from freshman Kyndal Skersick|Orlando, Fla., but would head into halftime trailing the Wildcats, 51-30.

Arizona outscored Longwood, 13-6, in the opening minutes of the second half to take its largest advantage of the game, up 66-36, with 15:10 remaining in the contest. The teams traded baskets before Coward knocked down a layup to spark a 17-2 run for the Lancers, making it 73-62 with 4:16 to go. Davellyn Whyte hit a free throw to snap the LU streak. Although Longwood outscored Arizona, 38-35, in the second half, the Wildcats used a 12-6 run in the waning minutes of the contest to seal the 86-68 victory.

In addition to Brown and Coward, two other Lancers scored in double-figures. Senior Mieke Elkington|Hamilton, New Zealand notched a season-high 13 points, while freshman Khalilah Ali|Suffolk added 10 points. Coward led the team on the boards with seven rebounds. As a team, Longwood shot 40% (25-62) from the field, 32% (7-22) from three-point territory and 73% (11-15) from the foul line.

Whyte paced the Wildcats with 25 points. Kama Griffits added to the offensive effort with 21 points. Cheshi Poston posted a team-best 11 rebounds. As a whole, the Wildcats shot 46% (29-63) from the floor, including 53% (10-19) from beyond the arc, and 69% (18-26) from the line.

Thursday's game marked the first ever meeting between Longwood and Arizona in the sport of women's basketball.