The Opening Tip• Longwood squares off against N.C. Wesleyan Saturday afternoon inside Willett Hall. The game marks the first contest the Lancers have played against a non-Division I opponent since facing N.C. Central, who was reclassifying from Division II to Division I athletics during the 2009-10 season.
• N.C. Wesleyan is one of two non-Division I opponents that Longwood will face this season. The Lancers will also host Notre Dame College (Md.) Dec. 20.
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Daeisha Brown has looked more and more comfortable since returning to the court after missing the final 27 games of last season. Brown has scored in double figures in three of her last four games.
Last Time Out• Presbyterian sophomore Allie Wagner secured her first career double-double with 14 points to go along with 12 rebounds, as the visiting Blue Hose posted a 59-38 win over Longwood Saturday afternoon inside Willett Hall.
• Wagner finished the game 6-of-10 from the floor to post a career-best 14 points, while grabbing 12 rebounds to go along with one steal in 29 minutes. In addition, Wagner's teammate Taylor Petty tallied 14 points of her own.
• Longwood guard
Raven Williams scored a season-best 12 points for the Lancers, including five points in the first quarter. The senior also added seven rebounds, three assists and one steal in 29 minutes of play.
By The Numbers• The Lancers will square off against three schools from Power-Five conferences — No. 9 Oregon State, Virginia and West Virginia. The three games against the power five is the third most of any team in the Big South.
• Longwood opens the 2015-16 season with six of its first seven games on the road. The first two games of the season came against NCAA Tournament squads in 2015 with Oregon St. and James Madison. In addition, Virginia -- the third opponent for the Lancers -- was among the field at the 2015 WNIT.
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Raven Williams and
Daeisha Brown are poised to break the 1,000 point mark this season. Williams sits 175 points shy of the 1,000 point mark, while Brown is 144 points away.
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Micaela Ellis is among the top-12 in the league in assists (2.7 APG) this season.
• In her return to the court this season, redshirt-junior
Daeisha Brown has started all but one game on the season and has scored in double figures in each of her last three games against N.C. Central and UNCG. Brown scored a season-high 20 points in her last game against High Point.
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Raven Williams is the Big South's lone returning player to rank among the top-10 in the league in points (14.3 PPG, 4th), assists (2.2 APG, 6th), steals (1.5 SPG, 6th), and minutes played (34.7 MPG, 3rd).
• Junior college transfer
Eboni Gilliam has had an immediate impact for the Lancers. The Richmond, Va., product ranks among the top-20 in the league in rebounding.
Scouting the Battling Bishops• The Battling Bishops, who enter the game with a 3-2 record (Div. III), are led by an experienced starting lineup that features five returning players, three of which were starters a season ago.
• N.C. Wesleyan is coming off the second of three straight games on the road at William Peace College, where the team captured a 65- 62 win. Junior Alexis Fitzgerald scored 11 of her team-high 14 points in the second half, while Kenyatta Harris neared a double-double with nine points and 11 rebounds in the victory.
• Kenyata Harris leads the team in scoring with 10.4 points per game, while ranking third on the team in rebounds per game (7.4).
• N.C. Wesleyan leads the USA South Athletic Conference in rebounds, grabbing 49.8 boards per contest.
