Box Score

FARMVILLE, Va. – The Longwood University women's basketball team took the lead for good with just over a minute left in the second half to defeat Big South Conference opponent Winthrop University (7-7, 1-2), 79-74, in a game that saw 11 tied scores at Willett Hall on Saturday afternoon. Senior Crystal Smith|Richmond paced Longwood (6-8, 3-0) with 23 points and 11 rebounds. Three other Lancers scored in double-figures, including freshman Daeisha Brown|Richmond with 20 points. Senior Chelsea Coward was honored prior to the start of today's contest for surpassing 1,000 career points earlier in the season. Longwood will return to action on Thursday, January 10 when the squad travels to league opponent Presbyterian College for a 7 p.m. tilt.

“I'm thrilled for the young ladies,” said head coach Bill Reinson. “They have worked very hard to be successful in conference play. It is nice to see them rewarded for their hard work. That is a very good Winthrop team and they will be near the top of the conference all year. We just need to keep working to get better.”

Winthrop jumped out to an early 5-2 lead, but the Lancers stayed within a possession until the Eagles scored back-to-back three-pointers to take their largest lead of the game at 13-6 with 14:23 left to play in the first half. Longwood answered with a jumper from Coward that sparked a 14-2 run, giving the home squad its first lead of the game, up 20-15, with just under 10 minutes remaining in the period. The teams traded baskets, but the Eagles could not cut their deficit to less than two until they scored layups on consecutive possessions to knot the game at 27-27 with 4:18 to go in the first. Smith quickly regained the lead for LU with a jumper from beyond the arc and added another before the period expired to send the Lancers into the break ahead, 33-29.

Coming out of halftime, the Eagles scored first by converting on two free throw opportunities, but Longwood retaliated with an 11-2 run to take a 44-33 advantage, the largest of the game, with 16:05 still to play. Winthrop would not go quietly, as the visitors outscored their hosts, 14-3, in the next four minutes to tie the game once again, this time at 47-47, with just under 12 minutes to go. The teams battled back and forth, tying seven more times, in the final minutes of the game before the Lancers took the lead for good at 74-72 on a jumper from Brown with 1:34 remaining in the contest. Longwood outscored Winthrop, 5-2, in the final minute to seal the 79-74 victory. 

Smith's game-high 23 points and 11 boards marked her first double-double of the season. She was just one assist shy of making it a triple-double, as she posted a season-high nine assists on the day. Coward also added 11 rebounds in the win to earn her sixth double-double of the season. Senior Mieke Elkington|Hamilton, New Zealand rounded out the double-figure scorers for LU with 12 points. As a team, the Lancers tied a season high with 42 rebounds, while shooting 40% (28-70) from the floor, including 29% (11-38) from beyond the arc, and 80% (12-15) from the line. The team's current three-game win streak is the longest for the program since 2007-08, when LU closed the year with five straight victories.

Winthrop also had four scorers in double-digits in the outing. Ashley Porter led WU with 19 points, while Dequesha McClanahan added 17. Samiya Wright and Diana Choibekova scored 13 and 12 points, respectively. As a whole, the Eagles shot 39% (25-65) from the field, 30% (6-20) from three-point territory and 69% (18-26) from the foul line. Winthrop will play its next contest against South Carolina State on Jan. 8 beginning at noon.

Saturday's contest marked the ninth meeting between Longwood and Winthrop in the sport of women's basketball. Winthrop still holds a slight, 5-4 advantage in the all-time series.