SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Longwood Lancers women's basketball team dropped a closely contested defensive battle to the USC Upstate Spartans by a score of 55-42. The lead changed hands six times throughout the afternoon, but a fourth quarter Upstate run put them ahead for good.
 
Longwood Statistical Leaders
 
Points: Adriana Shipp-Davis (13)
Rebounds: Adriana Shipp-Davis (10)
Assists: Five players (1)
 

HOW IT HAPPENED:
 
Longwood (3-14, 2-4) found themselves playing quite a bit of defense early on, as USC Upstate (7-9, 4-1) generated three straight offensive possessions to begin the game. Despite this, the Lancers locked in and held the Spartans scoreless through the first three minutes of gameplay. Upstate matched Longwood's defensive urgency, simultaneous holding the Lancers scoreless during the stretch. The game's first points wouldn't come until the 5:45 mark when Upstate's AC Markham knocked down two from the line, shortly followed by an Anne-Hamilton LeRoy bucket in response. The two teams would trade a few buckets the rest of the way, but five unanswered in the final minute set Longwood ahead 12-7 after the first.

The second quarter began similarly to the first, as neither team's offense generated points for about the first three minutes. LeRoy and Janay Turner were able to extend Longwood's lead to seven, but Upstate came surging back midway through the period. Slowly but surely, the Spartans crawled back into the lead and held an advantage with less than a minute to play. However, some big defensive plays including an impressive block from Bailey Williams kept the Lancers within one possession. Three points from Chardonnay Hartley in the final minute of the half secured a 21-19 Longwood lead heading into the locker room.

After being held scoreless in the first half, Adriana Shipp-Davis got herself going early in the third, scoring two quick buckets to put Longwood up by four. The gritty and defensive pace of play continued into the second half, as no easy buckets came for either team. In total, Upstate outscored Longwood 17-12 in the frame. A late five-point swing at the end of the third put the Spartans ahead 36-33 with only ten minutes left to play.

After an Upstate three-pointer opened the fourth, Shipp-Davis responded for Longwood, scoring with a tough finish and a subsequent triple to bring Longwood within one point. The Spartans then locked in defensively, conducting an 11-0 run in the four and a half minutes following Shipp-Davis' shot from outside. Upstate's run proved to be the deciding one, and the Spartans held on for their fourth conference victory on the year.
 

WHAT THEY SAID:
 
"We're starting to find some chemistry defensively on the court," said head coach Erika Lang-Montgomery on her team's defensive prowess throughout the game. "The first half we were really active and forced Upstate into some turnovers. We just have to keep working to be better rebounders and finishing plays."

"We had a really good first half defensively, but we're still having some offensive struggles," said Lang-Montgomery. "I thought the ball stuck a little bit in some places offensively. We need a little bit more ball movement and ball reversals so we can get their defense shifted and find open looks."

"We've got Monday and Tuesday to prepare for a very good Gardner-Webb team," said Lang-Montgomery. "Just working on those offensive improvements, finding ways to score the ball so that we can have better offensive production."
 

ADDITIONAL NOTES:
 
Today's game marked the 11^th all-time Division-I matchup between the Lancers and the Bulldogs. The two teams will face one another again on February 15^th in Farmville.
 
Longwood leads the all-time series 6-5, with the first matchup coming in 2009.
 
Adriana Shipp-Davis recorded her first career double-double, scoring 13 points while hauling in ten rebounds.
 
Chardonnay Hartley grabbed four steals in today's game following a career-high five steals on Wednesday against UNC Asheville.
 
Janay Turner's eight rebounds were a career-high for the junior guard.
 
 
UP NEXT:
 
The Lancers are back in action on Wednesday, January 18th against Gardner-Webb. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. in Boiling Springs, N.C.

#GoWood