BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – In another back-and-forth affair that has become a staple between Longwood women's basketball and Gardner-Webb, Gabrielle Caponegro hit a go-ahead jumper with under one second remaining as the Runnin' Bulldogs pulled out a narrow 75-73 win over the Lancers on Saturday night.
Caponegro's clutch shot snapped a three-game win streak for the Lancers (12-9, 11-5 Big South), and offset a Longwood effort in which they survived an early 15-0 Gardner-Webb run, 25-14 first quarter deficit and four-point fourth quarter deficit to take a four point lead with 1:48 remaining, 73-69.
However, the Runnin' Bulldogs (8-12, 8-7 Big South), celebrating their senior day at Paul Porter Arena, rallied to end the game on a 6-0 run. Lauren Bevis hit a huge three to tie the game late and Caponegro hit the game-winner in the closing seconds.
"I wouldn't say it was a heart breaker for us. We want to win every game and be great every time, but I thought our women did everything they could to put us in a position to win and sometimes things in a game don't go your way. That's true in life, that's true in basketball. You want to put yourself out of a one possession game so that anything that goes on that might not fall your way doesn't have the type of impact that it had."
Longwood's rally was its second in as many days, as they came from behind to beat Gardner-Webb in the series opener a day prior, 84-80. Today's gutsy performance was led by
Kyla McMakin, who scored 24 points on an efficient 9-of-15 from the field, and
Anne-Hamilton LeRoy, who added 19 points on 8-of-11 from the field.
The Lancer defense also locked up in the final quarter, as Longwood allowed just 4 points across the first eight minutes of the fourth quarter to put themselves in a position to secure a second consecutive comeback win on the road on Gardner-Webb's senior night.
"I thought our women's effort in the fourth was incredible defensively," added Tillet. "Ot's what we are trying to look for in more than one quarter at a time, but I thought they did exactly what they needed to do to be in that position."
However, the Runnin' Bulldogs offensive rallied in the final 1:48. After Jhessyka Williams hit 1-of-2 from the line to pull Gardner-Webb within three, Lauren Bevis connected from deep with just 18 seconds remaining to tie the game, 73-73.
After Longwood failed to convert at the free throw line, Alasia Smith, who finished with 20 points for the Bulldogs, attempted a layup with five seconds remaining that was off the mark, leading to a scramble for the loose ball. The ball ended up in the hands of the senior Caponegro on the baseline, who knocked down a jumper with 0.5 seconds left to cap a 6-0 Gardner-Webb run and secure the win, 75-73.
"I think what everyone is trying to do right now is build some momentum for the postseason, finish out the conference season strong. They are a very formidable opponent year in and year out. I think we learned a lot from this game, and film will teach us a lot. I thought our women had the toughness that they needed to win, but a couple things didn't go our way down the stretch."
Longwood will stay on their road for their next series, paying a visit to first place High Point Feb. 25-26.
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