FARMVILLE, Va. - Longwood finished the week defending Willett Hall and remaining unbeaten at home. The Lancers used Senior Dayna Rouse's first double-double of the season, and four double-digit scoring performances for their first back-to-back victories since 2016.
After trailing for twenty-six minutes of play, Longwood (2-2) captured the lead in the final eleven minutes and did not look back, scoring 48 points in the second half on 43% shooting.
Longwood pulled away from Brown (2-2) in the fourth quarter as Rouse took control of the Lancer offense scoring eight points, shooting 3-3 from the floor. Anne-Hamilton LeRoy dropped seven of her 19 total points in the quarter, including a three-point, run killing, dagger to the Bears momentum.
"Credit to our women for responding to the challenge," said head coach Rebecca Tillett. "We dug ourselves a hole, and we challenged them as a staff to overcome the deficit, and they came out and made the decision that they were going to make the run."
Senior Dayna Rouse recorded her first double-double of the 2019-20 season, scoring a season-high 20 points, and padding her stat sheet with ten rebounds, and three blocks.
"We challenged Dayna on her rebounding," Tillett said. "The first few games she was not getting the number we are accustomed to her getting. For her to come out and get ten on a night that we needed her to is big."
Junior Tra'Dayja Smith and the Lancers' defense for the second straight game stepped up. Smith, in the closing minutes of the fourth quarter, used her quick hands to grab two steals, as the defense went on to force seven turnovers in the final quarter. The Lancers outscored Brown 24-17 in the last quarter, securing the victory for Longwood.
Two Lancers had career-games with Anne-Hamilton LeRoy scoring a career-best 19 points on 6-12 shooting from the floor, 2-4 from behind the three-point line. Tra'Dayja Smith joined in on the fun with career-bests 18 points and seven assists.
"Sometimes players have an aura about them, and Anne had that about her all day," added Tillett. "I kept thinking during pre-game, she is going to have a day. You could see the focus and intensity on her today...There is so much that is demanded of point guards, to be able to control the tempo, make the right calls, play good defense, and Tra'Dayja is doing it all of us right now."
Kyla McMakin contributed in the victory, as the fourth Lancer to reach double-digits, scoring 16 points from the field. McMakin fell one rebound short of joining Rouse and recording her first collegiate double-double.
Longwood showed their strength down low scoring 50 of their 86 points in the paint and 14 points off second-chance opportunities. The Lancers grabbed 41 rebounds off the glass, marking a new team-high on the season, and outrebounding their opponents for the second straight time.
Today's victory for the Lancers was the first 15-point deficit Longwood had overcome since December 2017, when Longwood overcame a 14-point deficit against Milligan. Also, for the first time since February 2019 against Hampton that the Lancer offense had four individuals finish with double-digit point totals.
The Lancers will now turn their attention and preparation for November 20, when Longwood travels to Spartanburg, S.C., to take on the Terriers of Wofford University. The midweek matchup is available for live steam on ESPN+, with tip-off set for 7 p.m.
#GoWood
