CHARLESTON, S.C. – The Longwood Lancers women's basketball team fell to Charleston Southern in a heartbreaker in overtime by a score of 76-72. Anne-Hamilton LeRoy scored a career-high 26 points and 12 rebounds in the road loss.
 
Longwood Statistical Leaders
 
Points: Anne-Hamilton LeRoy (26)
Rebounds: Anne-Hamilton LeRoy (12)
Assists: Anne-Hamilton LeRoy (3)
Steals: Brooke Anya (4)
 

HOW IT HAPPENED:
 
Longwood (5-16, 4-6) began the game using their formula to success, that being scoring points off of turnovers and playing with a fast pace. Longwood went up 9-4 early in the quarter after Bailey Williams finished through the contact for an and-one opportunity. Points weren't difficult to come by for either side, as the Lancers battled Charleston Southern (4-17, 2-8) back-and-forth throughout the first. The two sides traded buckets throughout the frame, resulting in a closely contested 22-22 game after one.

The Lancers' defensive intensity picked up to open the second, holding the Bucs scoreless until the 7:22 mark in the frame. Madison Adamson scored to give CSU its first points, but the Lancers soon found themselves ahead by seven thanks to great defense and efficiency at the free throw line. The game turned into a bit of a slugfest, as the majority of points were found as a result of fouls. Slowly but surely, the Bucs chipped away at the Lancer lead, culminating with an Adamson fadeaway jumper at the buzzer to send CSU to the locker room trailing Longwood 37-34.

After the Bucs got on the board first to begin the second half, Adriana Shipp-Davis responded with a pull-up triple to put Longwood up four. The gritty style of play continued for both sides, as players were forcing turnovers and getting physical on the floor. Janay Turner showed off for the Lancer fans in attendance with a smooth finger-roll finish around the rim that put the Lancers up by two halfway through the quarter. The game kept teeter-tottering back-and-forth, but Longwood remained in the lead. That was until a Catherine Alben three-pointer put the Bucs ahead by three, with the score ultimately landing in favor of CSU 52-49 at the break.

Brooke Anya got things started for Longwood in fourth, cutting the CSU lead to one off of a nice post hook. Longwood regained control of the lead thanks to stifling defense and smart plays on offense. Anne-Hamilton LeRoy found a cutting Bailey Williams at the seven-minute mark with a no-look pass that got the Lancers bench off their feet. The lead would change three times in the fourth quarter, with neither side generating more than a five-point lead. In the waning seconds of the game with the Bucs down three, Sha'Mya Leigh was fouled from distance and knocked down each free throw to tie the game at 63 apiece. Longwood didn't score on the ensuing possession, and to overtime we went.

The overtime period provided much of the same, as neither team was able to pull away from the other. Longwood would pull ahead briefly, and CSU seemed to respond on the other end. With only 13 seconds to go, the Bucs pulled ahead by three and the Lancers needed a triple on the other end. Longwood was unable to convert, and ultimately fell in the team's first overtime game of the season.
 

WHAT THEY SAID:
 
"Our execution in overtime could've been better," said head coach Erika Lang-Montgomery on the overtime loss. "We can definitely work on our late-game situational stuff, we haven't been in that position [this season]."

"Anne is a really special player for us. She brings her best game every night, and it really showed," said Lang-Montgomery on Anne-Hamilton LeRoy's career night. "I see her contributing in all areas…I don't think there's anything more we could've asked of her tonight."

"It's a new ball game," said Lang-Montgomery on the second half of conference play. "This is the second go around [in the Big South schedule], so everybody's scouting…it is about making those little tweaks and adjustments."
 

ADDITIONAL NOTES:
 
Today's game marked the 26^th all-time Division-I matchup between the Lancers and Buccaneers, with Longwood leading the series 14-12.
 
Longwood shot 87.5% (28-32) from the free throw line, the highest percentage and most attempts for the Lancers this season.
 
Longwood forced 23 turnovers, scoring 23 points off of them. This marks the fourth consecutive game that Longwood has scored 20 or more off of turnovers.
 
Anne-Hamilton LeRoy scored a career-high 26 points in today's game on an efficient 50% from the field.
 
LeRoy's 12 rebounds were a career-high and marks her first career double-double.
 
LeRoy's ten made free throws tie her career-high.
 
Janay Turner's 19 points mark her fourth consecutive double-digit scoring output.
 
 
UP NEXT:
 
The Lancers return to Farmville to host the Winthrop Eagles on Wednesday, February 1^st. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. at Willett Hall.
 
Tickets for the Big South Championships in Charlotte, N.C. on March 1-5 are now available at this link!

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