Box Score FARMVILLE, Va. – Senior guard
Crystal Smith|Richmond hit an off balance layup with just one second left on the clock to propel the Longwood University women's basketball team to a 77-75 victory against Big South Conference opponent Campbell University (12-5, 4-2) at Willett Hall on Thursday evening. Smith tied a career high and posted a game high with 32 points in the outing. Seniors
Chelsea Coward|Mechanicsville and
Erin Neal|Durham, N.C. rounded out the double-digit scorers for the Lancers (8-9, 5-1) with 13 and 12 points, respectively. Longwood returns to action on Saturday, January 19 when they welcome conference opponent Coastal Carolina University for a 2 p.m. tilt.
“It was an exciting finish to a great game between two very good basketball teams,” said head coach
Bill Reinson. “One play here or there and Campbell could have just as easily won that game. The difference in tonight's game was the play of
Crystal Smith. She has been playing very well and was absolutely terrific tonight.”
Campbell scored the first points of the game and after the Lancers knotted the score on two occasions, the visitors tallied six unanswered points to take a 12-6 advantage with just under 14 minutes remaining in the first half. Longwood cut the margin to one possession, but CU used a 12-4 run to take its largest lead of the night, up 24-13, with 9:18 still to play in the first. The Fighting Camels maintained at least a 10-point advantage until Longwood collected six points when Smith and Neal combined for three straight, fast break layups, making it a 28-24 game with 5:23 to play in the period. Campbell quickly increased the buffer to eight once again, but LU outscored the visitors, 10-3, in the final minutes of the half to head into the break down just one at 35-34.
Longwood scored the first eight points of the second half to take its first lead of the game, up 42-35, with 18:30 to go. The Fighting Camels would not go quietly, mounting a 12-4 run to take a slim, 47-46 lead at 13:53. The teams traded baskets and tied for the fifth time in the contest at 50-50. Longwood pulled ahead by four on a layup by freshman
Daeisha Brown|Richmond and a jumper by senior
Mieke Elkington|Hamilton, New Zealand, but the lead soon evaporated, as Campbell outscored its hosts, 14-1, to take a 64-55 lead with 8:22 remaining in the game. Longwood battled back to tie the contest at 67-67 on a free throw from Smith with less than five minutes to go. The squads alternated points, tying on three more occasions, including at 75-75 with just over a minute left. After a CU miscue, Longwood took possession and called a timeout with 12 seconds left to draw up the final play of the game. The Lancers let the clock run down until Smith broke hard towards the basket and threw up an off kilter layup that bounced in with one second on the clock to earn the 77-75 victory for LU.
Smith made a career-high 11 field goals en route to her game-high 32 points. She added a team-high seven boards, as well. Neal's 12 points marked a new season best. Freshman
Deborah Headen|Herndon tied a personal best with seven points. As a team, the Lancers tied a season high by shooting 45% (28-62) from the floor, including 26% (6-23) from beyond the arc, and 68% (15-22) from the line.
Three Fighting Camels posted double-digit points to pace Campbell. Tonisha Baker and Monique Spry posted 20 points apiece, while Kiera Gaines tallied a double-double of 11 points and 15 rebounds. As a whole, the Buccaneers shot 46% (26-57) from the field, 57% (8-14) from three-point territory and 71% (15-21) from the foul line. Campbell will play its next contest at Liberty on Jan. 19 beginning at 7 p.m.
Thursday's contest marked the ninth meeting ever between Longwood and Campbell in the sport of women's basketball. Campbell still holds a slight, 5-4 advantage in the all-time series, but the Lancers remain undefeated at home against the Fighting Camels.
