February 10, 2010

BOX SCORE

FARMVILLE, Va. - The Longwood University women's basketball team held off a resilient Troy University squad 76-70 on Wednesday night in Willett Hall on campus in Farmville. Sophomore Brittanni Billups/Goldsboro, N.C. (Eastern Wayne) scored a career-high 25 points and grabbed eight rebounds to lead the Lancers (6-17).  Troy was led by Donette McNair with 20 points and eight rebounds. Longwood led by as many as 21 points in the first half before the Trojans (11-12) fought back to tie the game midway through the second half before eventually faltering down the stretch. The Lancers return to action on Saturday, February 13, when they host Savannah State University at 2 p.m. in Willett Hall for Senior Day.

The Lancers got off to a quick start, building a 14-3 lead just six minutes into the game. Billups scored seven of the points during the run while freshman Chelsea Coward/Mechanicsville (Hanover) added five. The lead grew to 21 with 4:49 remaining as sophomore Emma Zieverink/West Chester, Ohio (Lakota West) converted on the first of two foul shots. Troy trimmed the lead to 12 at 36-24 at halftime. Troy turned the ball over 18 times in the first half and Longwood scored 20 points off of those turnovers.

Troy slowly chipped away at the lead in the second half, cutting the deficit to seven at 40-33 with 15:15 remaining. The Trojans outscored Longwood 25-12 over the first 10:37 to grab the lead for the first time of the game at 49-48. Two free throws by senior Becky Fernandes/Fort Belvoir (Bishop Ireton) put Longwood on top again at 50-49. A pair of baskets by Billups and three-pointers from Coward and sophomore Morgan Smith/Williamsport, Md. (Williamsport) gave Longwood the 60-53 lead with 6:13 remaining. Troy cut the lead to three at 60-57 with 5:05 remaining but that was as close as they would get. The Lancers went 10-12 from the foul line over the final four minutes to secure the win.

Both teams entered the game shooting below 70.0% from the foul line but each squad improved drastically. The Lancers shot 81.5% (22-27) from the line while the Trojans were even better, converting on 89.3% (25-28) of their opportunities.

Billups paced Longwood with 25 points (10-22 FG) and eight rebounds while dishing out three assists, which tied her career-high. Coward added 14 points (6-10 FG) while freshman Crystal Smith/Richmond (Meadowbrook) scored 13 points, 10 of those coming in the first half. Morgan Smith and Zieverink each scored eight points. Morgan Smith added a career-high two blocks, both of them on the same possession. The Lancers shot 37.3% (25-67) from the field, including 25.0% (4-16) from behind the arc. Longwood scored 28 points off turnovers and finished with 10 steals, including a team-high four by Fernandes.

McNair led Troy with 20 points (5-10 FG, 10-11 FT) and eight rebounds. Brittnie Davis added 18 points while Kirsten Smith scored 11 points and Tenia Manuel added 10. The Trojans outrebounded Longwood 42-34. Troy shot 41.5% (22-53) from the field, including 10.0% (1-10) from behind the arc.