Box Score

CONWAY, S.C. – The No. 7 seed Longwood University women's basketball team suffered a 54-45 defeat against No. 1 seed and in-state rival Liberty University (27-6) in the 2013 VisitMyrtleBeach.com Big South Women's Basketball Championship finals to finish as the tournament's runner-up at the HTC Center in Conway, South Carolina on Sunday evening. The Lancers (14-19) were paced by senior Chelsea Coward with 14 points and seven rebounds in the outing. Coward, who averaged 12.3 points per game during Longwood's post-season run, was named to the Big South All-Tournament Team following the game. 

Liberty won the opening tip and drained a three on the first play of the game to jump in front early. Senior Erin Neal/Durham, N.C. continued to drive her team just has she had done throughout the tournament, tallying the first five points for Longwood with a pair of free throws and a three-pointer to knot the score for the first time in the outing at 5-5 with 17:08 remaining in the first half. Liberty broke the stalemate with another three-ball, but the Lancers answered with buckets on the next two possessions, including a jumper from beyond the arc by senior Mieke Elkington/Hamilton, New Zealand to give Longwood its first advantage at 10-8 with just over 16 minutes to go in the half. The Lancers burst of energy continued on the next time down the court, as Coward knocked the ball away from the opposition near the basket and raced to the other end for the lay in, making it a 12-8 Lancer lead.

Liberty quickly retaliated, though, breaking the game open with eight consecutive points en route to a 15-2 run that resulted in a 23-14 margin with 6:18 still to play in the first. The teams traded baskets, as the Flames maintained at least a seven-point buffer, until Longwood scored five of the last seven points in the period to head into halftime down just 29-23.  

Coming out of the break, Longwood struck first when senior Crystal Smith/Richmond drove to the hoop to cut the deficit to four. Liberty hit back-to-back layups before Elkington knocked down one of her own, making it 35-29 at 16:14 in the second. The Flames extended its lead to double-digits by mounting an 11-2 run that spanned almost seven minutes, giving the higher seed a 46-31 margin with less than 10 minutes to go.

The Lancers continued to fight, getting a boost from five-straight points by Coward to pull within 10 at 46-36. Liberty scored four straight points, but Coward knocked down another three to make it 50-39 with less than three minutes to play. The Flames scored its final points of the outing with four free throws, and although freshmen Raven Williams/Richmond and Kyndal Skersick/Orlando, Fla. each drained a three-point jumper in the final seconds, Liberty had done enough to earn the 54-45 championship victory.

In addition to Coward, Neal recorded nine points in the contest, while Elkington and Williams added five apiece. Elkington and Neal posted three steals each, as well. As a team, the Lancers shot 27% (15-55) from the floor, including 25% (6-24) from beyond the arc, and 82% (9-11) from the line.

Liberty was paced by Tolu Omotola with 16 total points, while Ashley Rininger added 10 points. Devon Brown logged a team- and game-high 13 rebounds, as well. As a whole, the Flames shot 36% (19-53) from the field, 27% (3-11) from three-point territory and 54% (13-24) from the foul line.

Sunday's contest marked the 31st meeting ever between Longwood and Liberty in the sport of women's basketball. The Flames now hold a slight 16-15 advantage in the all-time series.