Dayna Rouse / Team Huddle
The Opening Tip
• Longwood is set to host their first Big South tournament game after receiving the No. 8 seed for the 2020 Hercules Tires Big South Championship tournament against No. 9 Presbyterian College.
• This marks the first time in program history that Longwood will host a Big South tournament game after matching the program record of eight Big South Conference wins this season.
• Four Lancers received All-Conference recognition with Kyla McMakin earning Freshman of the Year, First-Team, and All-Freshman honors. Senior Dayna Rouse was named Second-Team, Anne-Hamilton LeRoy selected to All-Freshman, and Mallory Odell was recognized on the All-Academic Team
• Longwood and Presbyterian meet for the third time this season with the road team winning both matchups in the regular season
Last Time Out
• A dominating performance from the start for Longwood led the Lancers over Charleston Southern 63-52 to spoil the Buccaneers Senior Night.
• Longwood had three Lancers in double-figures, including a 16 point, 14 rebound performance from sophomore Akila Smith for her second double-double of the season.
• Joining Smith in double-figures but the Big South Conference-leading scorers, Kyla McMakin, and All-Big South forward, Dayna Rouse. McMakin matched Smith 16 points, leading the team from the free-throw line, converting 6-of-9 shots from the stripe. Rouse contributed to the win with 10 points and added six rebounds and two blocks to her double-digit performance.
• The victory was the eighth conference win by the Lancers, matching a program-best for conference victories in a single-season.
By the Numbers
• Longwood's offense is one of the top offenses in the Big South Conference as the Lancers are averaging 67.8 points per game. Efficiency is a crucial characteristic for the Lancers offense, converting a conference-best .410 percent of field-goals taken this season.
• Offense is not all the Lancers bring to the court. Longwood's defense is one of the best in the nation in blocked shots, ranking eighth in Division I with 175 blocks and eighth in blocks per game, averaging 6.0 blocks per game. This marks the sixth Longwood team to record 100+ blocks dating back to the 2008-2009 season.
• Finding the open Lancer is key to Longwood's offense, and the Lancers are second in the Big South in distributing the ball. Longwood ranks second in the conference averaging 13.9 assists per game.
• The duo of Big South Freshman of the Year, Kyla McMakin, and All-Big South Dayna Rouse are responsible for the offensive success the Lancers have experienced this season. McMakin has made an immediate impact in the Big South in her freshman campaign, ranking first in scoring at 18.6 points per game. Rouse averages 15.1 points per game.
• A five-tool player is rare, but Longwood has one in Dayna Rouse. Rouse finds herself in the top-10 in the Big South in scoring (15.1), rebounding (7.3), double-doubles (8) FG% (.540), blocks (2.0), minutes (33.3).
• Junior Tra'Dayja Smith has a knack for distributing the ball and finding the open Lancer. Smith leads the Big South and ranks sixth in Division I in assists, distributing an average of 6.5 assists per game.
• Blocks are a common theme for the Lancers' defense. Akila Smith set the single-season record with 72 blocks this season. Smith is one of two Lancers with 50 or more blocks this season as Dayna Rouse is closing in on Smith with 59 blocks this season. The pair of shot-blockers have combined for 131 blocks this season, more than any other team in the Big South Conference.
• Freshman Kyla McMakin broke Longwood's single-season freshman scoring record of 484 points set by Marita Meldere in 2000-2001. McMakin currently ranks 5th on the single-season scoring list with 539 points.
• Junior Tra'Dayja Smith broke the Longwood single-season assist record of 161 set by Caren Forbes in 1986-87 as Smith is currently at 181 assists and counting.
• Sophomore Akila Smith shattered the single-season block record as Smith is averaging 2.4 blocks per game, with 73 blocks this season.
• All-Big South Dayna Rouse became the first Lancer (male or female) with 1,000 points, 500 rebounds, and 100 blocks in Big South Conference history.
• Kyla McMakin is the fourth women's player in Big South history to score 500+ points in their freshman season. McMakin joins Erica Williams of Winthrop and Kaylah Keys of High Point (2013-14) and Elena Kisselva of Liberty (1996-97).
Series History
• Longwood and Presbyterian meet for the third time this season after splitting the two previous contests this season.
• The road team has won both meetings between the Lancers and Blue Hose, with Longwood winning at Presbyterian and Presbyterian winning at Longwood.
• Freshman Kyla McMakin set Longwood's Division I era single-game point record the last time the two programs met. McMakin finished 11-of-22 from the court, with six treys, and a record 36 points.
#GoWood
