Box Score

RADFORD, VA. – The Longwood University women's basketball team defeated Radford University (5-6, 0-2), 57-49, on Saturday afternoon in the squad's first ever Big South Conference game at the Dedmon Center in Radford. Two Lancers (4-8, 1-0) posted a double-double in the victory, as senior Chelsea Coward|Mechanicsville led the team with 19 points and 12 rebounds and freshman Daeisha Brown|Richmond followed closely with 18 points and 10 boards. After playing eight straight road games, Longwood returns home to host Big South opponent Gardner-Webb University on Thursday, January 3 beginning at 7 p.m.

Longwood won the opening tip and got on the board when Coward converted on a free throw opportunity. Radford countered with a point of its own before the teams battled scoreless for the next three minutes, knotted at 1-1. The Highlanders broke the silence with a three-point jumper to take a 4-1 advantage with 15:37 left to play in the first half. The teams traded baskets and Longwood pulled within two at 8-6 on another free throw by Coward before RU used a 9-2 run to take its largest lead of the half, up 17-8, with just over seven minutes remaining in the period.

The Lancers retaliated with nine unanswered points to tie the game at 17-17 on layup from Coward with 3:45 left in the first. The squads alternated points and the lead in the waning minutes of the half, but RU knocked down a layup with one second on the clock to take a slight, 23-22 advantage into halftime.

Coming out of the break, LU scored first with a jumper from senior Crystal Smith|Richmond, taking a 24-23 edge, however, Radford answered by outscoring the visitors, 11-2, to create a 34-26 margin with just under 15 minutes left to play in the contest. Longwood took control of the momentum on a layup from senior Erin Neal|Durham, N.C. that sparked a 22-2 run to give the Lancers their largest buffer of the game, up 48-36, with 6:45 remaining. Radford worked to pull within four in the final minute of play thanks to six consecutive points, but Longwood tallied the last four points of the game to seal the 57-49 victory.

Coward's game-high 19 points and 12 boards were good for her fifth double-double of the season, while Brown earned her second. Smith added nine points on the day, while Neal tallied five. As a team, Longwood shot 34% (18-53) from the field, 18% (3-17) from three-point territory and 64% (18-28) from the foul line.

Ashley Buckhannon paced the Highlanders with 20 points in the outing. Jordynn Gaymon added six points and notched a team-best eight rebounds. As a whole, the Highlanders shot 30% (16-54) from the floor, including 22% (4-18) from beyond the arc, and 77% (13-17) from the line.

Saturday's contest marked the 27th meeting between Longwood and Radford in the sport of women's basketball. Radford holds a 16-11 advantage in the all-time series.