2.13.2012

LongwoodULancers YouTube Game Highlights

BOX SCORE

FARMVILLE, Va. -- Longwood University dropped a 72-59 women's basketball decision to the University of Richmond from the Atlantic 10 Conference Monday night at Willett Hall in Farmville.  The Lancers (5-22) trailed 40-24 at halftime but rallied back to within 42-35 early in the second half before the Spiders (20-5) scored 11 unanswered points en route to their road victory.  Longwood was led by junior Crystal Smith|Richmond (Meadowbrook) with a game-high and season-high 24 points and classmate Chelsea Coward|Mechanicsville (Hanover) with a career-high 23 points.  Richmond was led by Abby Oliver with 18 points and Rachael Bilney with 14 points.  Longwood will play again next Monday night, February 20, hosting future Big South Conference opponent Gardner-Webb University for Senior Night at Willett Hall in Farmville at 7 p.m.

Longwood fell behind early as Richmond scored the first seven points to lead 7-0 at 18:06 before a timeout.  The Lancers were down 10-2 at 17:17 after a three-point field goal by Oliver, before battling back with a 9-3 run to pull within 13-11 at 12:14 on a layup from junior Erin Neal|Durham, N.C. (Hillside).  LU tied it at 16-16 with 9:41 left in the first half after a jumper by Coward, but the Spiders scored six-straight points to lead 22-16 at 7:58 behind a three-pointer by Bilney and three free throws from Liz Brown.  Another basket by Coward made it 22-18 at 7:47, before UR scored 14-straight points to lead 36-18 at 4:36, getting another three-pointer from Bilney and two triples from Oliver as the visitors led 40-24 at halftime.

Richmond scored the first basket of the second half to lead 42-24 at 17:51, but Longwood fought back with 11-straight points of its own to close to within 42-35 with 14:01 on the clock.  Coward and Smith each made three-pointers during the run, as did junior Mieke Elkington|Hamilton New Zealand (Cochise College), along with a layup from Neal.  The Spiders once-again responded, and scored 12 unanswered points to take control at 54-35 with 11:10 left to play following an old-fashioned three-point play from Oliver for their largest lead of the contest.  The Lancers made a final run behind 10 points from Smith and pulled within 67-56 at 1:31, before UR secured its triumph with 5-9 free throws over the final 1:27, including 3-4 by Becca Wann.

Smith led Longwood with her game-high 24 points to equal her season-high as well, adding five assists, five rebounds, and two steals.  Coward finished with her career-high 23 points, including 11-16 field goals (1-1 3FGs) for the Lancers.  LU shot 41% (23-56) from the field, including 36% (5-14) on three-pointers, and 73% (8-11) at the free throw line.

Oliver led Richmond with 18 points while playing only 19 minutes, adding four assists.  Bilney had 14 points, including four three-pointers, while Wann finished with nine points and a game-high 10 rebounds for the Spiders.  UR shot 49% (24-49) from the field, including 53% (10-19) on three-pointers, and 70% (14-20) at the line.

It was the 15th meeting between the two schools in the sport as Richmond now leads the all-time series at 8-7.