January 24, 2011

Box Score

ASHEVILLE, N.C. - The Longwood University women's basketball team topped UNC Asheville of the Big South Conference 76-66 on Monday evening in Asheville, North Carolina. The Lancers (4-13) were paced by senior Krystal Garrison | Fredericksburg (Courtland) with a career-high 25 points while freshman Emilee Dunton | Forest (Brookville) added career-bests of 13 points and six assists. The Bulldogs (8-10) were led by Kendall Shepard with 14 points. The Lancers went 7-for-8 from the foul line over the final 1:44 to secure their first road win of the season. Longwood returns to action on Friday, January 28, when it hosts Davidson College of the Southern Conference at 7 p.m. in Willett Hall in Farmville.

The Lancers built a six point lead at 25-19 with 10:36 remaining in the first half on a Garrison jumper. The hosts trimmed the lead to four on a pair of Brittney Bowser free throws, but an old-fashioned three-point play by junior Mina Jovanovic | Smederevska Palanka, Serbia (Salt Lake CC) pushed the lead to seven. Dunton drained a three-pointer to put the Lancers ahead 31-22 with 7:34 remaining. A layup by junior Brittany Jones | Richmond (North Florida) gave Longwood its largest lead of the first half at 36-25 with 5:36 remaining. The hosts cut the lead to 41-36 at halftime.

In the second half, a layup by Jovanovic pushed the lead to nine at 47-38 with 17:32 remaining before the hosts went on a 12-0 run to take the 50-47 lead with 14:37 remaining. The Lancers answered with a 6-0 run to lead 53-50. Bowser made a pair of free throws to cap a 6-0 run for the hosts and gave the Bulldogs the 56-53 lead with 8:29 remaining. The Lancers answered with a 14-2 run over the next 3:02 to take the 67-58 lead. Garrison and Jovanovic scored five points each during the run. UNCA cut the lead to six after a pair of Lindsey Montgomery free throws, but that was as close as it would get as Dunton hit a jumper and Garrison added a pair of free throws to push the lead to 10. The Lancers went 5-for-6 from the foul line in the final 1:30, including a perfect 4-for-4 from Garrison to secure the 76-66 victory.

Longwood shot 42.3% (30-71) from the floor, including 58.3% (7-12) from behind the arc, and 81.8% (9-11) from the foul line. Garrison scored 25 points (8-11 FG, 3-3 3FG, 6-7 FT), the most by a Longwood player this season, while Dunton added 13 points (5-7 FG, 3-4 3FG) and six assists. Jovanovic scored 12 points (5-10 FG) while Jones added 10 points (5-9 FG). Junior Brittanni Billups | Goldsboro, N.C. (Eastern Wayne) grabbed a team-high eight rebounds. The Lancers dished out 19 assists and turned 19 UNCA turnovers in to 23 points. Longwood outrebounded the Bulldogs 44-37 and had 19 offensive rebounds and 19 second-chance points. The Lancers had just 14 turnovers, their lowest total since they had 13 turnovers against Wright State on December 11.

UNC Asheville shot 38.9% (21-54) from the floor, including 35.7% (5-14) from behind the arc, and 70.4% (19-27) from the foul line. Shepard led the Bulldogs with 14 points while Grace Blaylock added 13 points and Montgomery scored 10 points. Kelli Riles grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds for the Bulldogs.

Longwood and UNC Asheville have met three times in women's basketball with the Lancers leading the series 2-1, including victories in the past two meetings.