SPARTANBURG, S.C. - Longwood women's basketball does not know the word quit; it is not in their vocabulary. The Lancers trailed by 19 points during the first half but with 20 seconds remaining climbed out of the deficit to within one point of the Terriers. 

Longwood (2-3) outscored Wofford 43-31 in the second half, but the Terriers (1-4) sank two free throws in the closing seconds to hold off the rally and and gut out a 79-76 win Tuesday night at Richardson Indoor Arena. 

"For this team to show the fight they did and come back after being down 19 points to make it a one-possession game is remarkable," Said head coach Rebecca Tillett. " I believe if you lose by less than five points, it is the head coach's fault, so I will take responsibility for tonight and will help us grow in those areas going forward."

The narrow defeat shot down Longwood's opportunity to get above .500 in an early-season surge that has seen the Lancers win back-to-back home games in Willett Hall. Those victories -- 59-58 over UNC Wilmington and 86-76 over Brown -- were powered by a pair of high-scoring efforts from senior Dayna Rouse and freshman Kyla McMakin, who continued their respective tears Wednesday at Wofford.

Rouse amassed her second straight double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds, while McMakin scored in double figures for the notched her fourth double-figure scoring game in her fifth collegiate appearance. McMakin's freshman teammate Anne-Hamilton LeRoy also poured in a career-high 20 points.

However, Wofford countered that production with a high-scoring backcourt trio that included 20 points from Cairo Booker and 18 apiece from Chloe Wanink and Da'Ja Green. Those three sparked Wofford to a hot-shooting first half in which the Terriers hit 20-of-29 field goals and 4-of-5 three-pointers en route to a 48-33 halftime lead. 

The Lancers came out a different team in the second half, though, finding groove and outscoring the Terriers 43-29. Tra'Dayja Smith led the offensive charge in half scoring 13 points and seven assists. McMakin and Rouse contributed eight points apiece in the comeback while combining for eleven rebounds. 

The Lancers' defense held the Terriers offense to nine points in the third quarter as the defense forced four steals, and three blocks. Wofford could not find any space on the court, shooting 19 percent from the field, but the early advantage the Terriers established secured the win. 

Longwood had an opportunity to tie the game after McMakin drilled a thre-pointer with 18 seconds left that cut the Terrier lead to 77-76. Green hit back-to-back free throws to run that run the advantage back to three points at 79-76, and Longwood got the ball to LeRoy for a three-pointer that missed at the buzzer. 

"Anne's competitiveness is powerful for our team," Tillett added. "She has a competitive attitude that might not be heard vocally, but you can see it in her play. It is great for her to perform as she did in her hometown area, in front of her family."

Allysah 'Cookie' Boothe joined LeRoy with a career high, scoring 14 points, with 13 of those coming in the final half of play. Tra'Dayja Smith also came one assist shy of a double-double, adding a career-high nine assists to her 13 points.

"Credit to Dayna for consistency all over the court and not just on offense. I thought she had a tough defensive play on a boxout in the first half that set the tone for the team, and told her teammates that they needed to play just as hard," finished Tillett. 

Longwood will ease back to action after a six-day break allowing the team to assess the past stretch of four games in ten days. The Lancers will strive to remain unbeaten at Willett Hall on November 26 against the Pirates of East Carolina to finish out the month of November. 

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