FARMVILLE, Va. — Four players scored double figures, led by senior guard Malea Brown with a game-high 21 points on 7-for-16 shooting, as the Longwood women's basketball team opened the season with a 81-70 victory over Lincoln (Pa.) at the Joan Perry Brock Center on Monday.

Brown posted the third 20-point game of her Longwood career, helping the Lancers (1-0) to their first win in a season opener since beating Campbell, 71-48, in the Lancer Classic at Willett Hall on Nov. 12, 2010.

"We wanted to set the tone for who and what we wanted to be this season and so protecting our home court, that's important to us," said Longwood head coach Erika Lang-Montgomery. "We wanted to pick up that momentum that we had at the end of last season, as well. And so it feels good. Sometimes I would call this an ugly win [but] you've got to find a way and we found a way to get the job done."

Longwood shot 45 percent from the field, also getting 13 points from graduate guard Kiki McIntyre, 12 points and eight rebounds from sophomore forward Frances Ulysse and 11 points from Towson transfer Mariah Wilson in the win. Sophomore Otaifo Esenabhalu chipped in a team-leading 10 rebounds and scored five points.

Longwood forced 30 turnovers and grabbed 17 steals, led by McIntyre's game-best five.

Longwood led, 23-10, after the first quarter, 41-26, at the half, and 60-43 after three.

The NCAA Division II Lions, out of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association, outscored the Lancers 27-21 in the final period to make it a game. Lincoln got as close as 66-56 with five minutes remaining on an Alaina Walker basket, before McIntyre hit a 3-point off of a Jaci Bolden feed with 2:24 to play as the lead grew to 76-61.

Lincoln responded to cut the deficit to just eight late, but three Bolden free throws accounted for the final margin.

Lincoln held a 40-35 rebounding edge, but Longwood used a balanced scoring attack to earn the victory as all nine Lancers to see the floor scored.

Longwood closed the first quarter on a 10-0 run. Wilson, one of three to score in the run, tallied five in the stretch.

The lead ballooned to 20 at 35-15 with 6:06 left in the first half on a Ulysse jumper and stayed that way until the Lions' fourth-quarter run.

Lincoln's Ciani Montgomery scored 19 points, adding eight boards, to pace three players in double digits for the visitors.

Longwood is back in action Thursday at Norfolk State. Tip time is 7 p.m.