February 10, 2011

Box Score

BLACKSBURG, Va. - The Longwood University women's basketball team dropped a 62-54 decision at Virginia Tech of the Atlantic Coast Conference on Thursday evening in Blacksburg. The game was tied 24-24 at halftime, but the Hokies went on a 9-2 run to start the second half and led the rest of the way. The Lancers (6-17) were led by junior Emma Zieverink|West Chester, Ohio (Lakota West) with a season-high 12 points and sophomore Crystal Smith|Richmond (Meadowbrook) with 11 points. Virginia Tech (10-14) was led by Alyssa Fenyn and Shanel Harrison with 11 points each. Longwood returns to action on Sunday, February 13, when it travels to Savannah, Georgia, to take on Savannah State University at 1 p.m..

Virginia Tech jumped out to a 6-1 lead with 16:14 remaining in the first half, but back-to-back layups by sophomore Heather Tobeck|La Porte, Texas (La Porte) and junior Mina Jovanovic|Smederevska Palanka, Serbia (Salt Lake CC) pulled the Lancers within one at 6-5 with 15:19 remaining. The hosts built a 17-11 lead with 10:01 remaining in the half, then both teams would go in to a scoreless drought that lasted 4:36 until Zieverink drained a three-pointer to pull the Lancers within three at 17-14 with 5:25 remaining. Monet Tellier made a free throw, then Jovanovic hit a jumper from the corner to pull the Lancers within two. Freshman Emilee Dunton|Forest (Brookville) hit a three-pointer to give Longwood its first lead of the game at 19-18 with 2:01 remaining in the first half. Virginia Tech led 24-21 after a Brittany Gordon layup with 0:08 remaining in the half, but Smith hit a three-pointer at the buzzer to tie the game at 24-24.

The Hokies opened the second half on a 9-2 run to lead 33-26 with 16:48 remaining in the game. The hosts went 5-for-9 from the foul line in the first four minutes of the second half and were in the bonus for the last 17 minutes of the game. Smith scored four-straight points to cut the lead to 33-30 with 15:13 remaining, but Virginia Tech pushed the lead back to four with 13:09 remaining. The lead swelled to as many as 10 points, but Longwood went on a 7-1 run to cut the deficit to 42-38 with 9:19 remaining. Zieverink scored four points and Tobeck converted an old-fashioned three-point play during the run. Tellier made three free throws to extend the lead back to seven before senior Krystal Garrison|Fredericksburg (Courtland) knocked down a pass and took it the other way for the layup. A jumper by Aerial Wilson pushed the lead back to seven, but junior Brittanni Billups|Goldsboro, N.C. (Eastern Wayne) scored the next five points for Longwood to keep the Lancers within striking distance at 49-45. Virginia Tech went 7-for-14 from the foul line over the final four minutes to preserve the victory.

Longwood shot 29.5% (18-61) from the floor, including 31.3% (5-16) from behind the arc, and 65% (13-20) from the foul line. Zieverink scored 12 points (4-11 FG, 3-5 FT) while Crystal Smith added 11 points (3-10 FG) to pace the Lancers. Jovanovic grabbed a team-high six rebounds and dished out three assists with two steals. Longwood turned 27 Virginia Tech turnovers in to 17 points.

Virginia Tech shot 38% (19-50) from the floor, including 25% (1-4) from behind the arc, and 52.3% (23-44) from the foul line. Harrison and Fenyn each scored 11 points, while Evans and Gordon added 10 points each.  Nikki Davis and Gordon each grabbed a game-high nine rebounds and helped the Hokies outrebound the Lancers 60-30. Virginia Tech turned 17 offensive rebounds in to 17 second-chance points.