BUIES CREEK, N.C. – The Longwood Lancers women's basketball team stunned the Campbell Camels on the road, winning by a score of 65-61. The game was back-and-forth the whole way through, but the Lancers held on to claim their first road victory of the season.
 
Longwood Statistical Leaders
 
Points: Anne-Hamilton LeRoy (17)
Rebounds: Anne-Hamilton LeRoy, Adriana Shipp-Davis, Steph Davis (5)
Assists: Bailey Williams (3)
Steals: Janay Turner (5)
 

HOW IT HAPPENED:
 
Longwood (6-17, 5-7) found themselves trailing through the first five minutes of play, having committed several early fouls that put Campbell (13-10, 8-4) to the free throw line. After taking some time to settle in, the Lancers went back to their bread and butter of forcing turnovers and scoring points off of them. Longwood nabbed five steals in the frame and led a 14-3 run in the final four minutes of the quarter. Solid defensive possessions and efficient three-point shooting gave the Lancers a 20-16 lead after the first.

The Lancers continued to apply defensive pressure to begin the second quarter, eating into every Campbell possession by applying a tight full court press. This strategy seemed to work for Longwood, who was able to extend their lead to eight points following a Daysha Reid and-one play. After playing gritty basketball to begin, the Camels returned the favor, holding the Lancers to only six points following Reid's bucket at the 6:55 mark. Campbell stormed back, retaking the lead 33-31 with under a minute to play. However, Longwood was able to tie the game headed into the locker room on two late Reid free throws.

Points were hard to come by at stretches in the third on both sides. Campbell was matching Longwood's continued intensity on the defensive end, turning several Lancer possessions into turnovers. However, the game remained closely contested, with a four-point difference being the largest lead for either side in the frame. Longwood pulled ahead briefly towards the end of the quarter on two Adriana Shipp-Davis free throws, but Campbell's Audrey Fuller knocked down a deep three with only eight seconds remaining to put the Camels ahead 49-47 with only one period to go.

Prospects of a Lancers comeback weren't promising to begin the fourth, as Campbell was able to extend their lead to six early in the frame. Longwood wasn't deterred, promptly tying the game on a Brooke Anya triple a few possessions later. Anya scored again on the ensuing possession to put the Lancers up two, and the away team didn't look back after that. It was tooth and nail the rest of the way through, but Longwood kept themselves in the lead despite how close the game became down the stretch. Janay Turner, Adriana Shipp-Davis and Anne-Hamilton LeRoy all hit big free throws in the final 15 seconds to seal Longwood's first road win of the season.
 

WHAT THEY SAID:
 
"We talked about playing forty minutes and how every possession matters," said head coach Erika Lang-Montgomery following the win. "We had some good minutes from our bench and we were able to stay together. I'm proud of everyone's effort tonight."

"Scoring from the free throw line is a big part of our offensive philosophy," said Lang-Montgomery on the team's success from the line. "80% from the free throw line is great, especially to have that focus late game to make them when it matters. Those free throws and defense wins games."

"You don't know how to do something until you've actually done it," said Lang-Montgomery. "We've learned some of those things about holding a lead late. Keeping possessions, valuing the ball…we learned how to win and now we have a chance to do it again on Wednesday night against Presbyterian."
 

ADDITIONAL NOTES:
 
Today's game marked the 31^st all-time Division-I matchup between the Lancers and Camels. This is the Lancers first win in Buies Creek since the 2020-21 season.
 
Longwood shot 82.1% from the free throw line, the third consecutive game the Lancers have shot 80% or higher from the line.
 
The lead changed hands nine times throughout the course of the game as well as nine ties of the score.
 
Janay Turner's five steals were a career-high for the junior guard.
 
Every active Longwood player scored in the game, a first on the season.
 
Six players recorded four or more rebounds in the game.
 
Longwood forced 24 turnovers in the game, scoring 17 points off of them.
 
 
UP NEXT:
 
The Lancers will be back on the road to face the Presbyterian Blue Hose on Wednesday, February 8^th. Tip-off is set for 6:30 p.m. in Clinton, S.C.
 
Tickets for the Big South Championships in Charlotte, N.C. on March 1-5 are now available at this link!

#GoWood