Box Score

CONWAY, S.C. – The No. 7 seed Longwood University women's basketball team led by as many as 11 in the first half, but faced a comeback situation late in the game before sealing the 54-51 victory against in-state foe and No. 6 seed Radford University in a semifinal thriller at the 2013 VisitMyrtleBeach.com Big South Conference Women's Basketball Championship at the HTC Center in Conway, South Carolina. Senior Erin Neal/Durham led three double-digit scorers for the Lancers with 16 points. Longwood advances to the tournament's championship game on Sunday, March 10 at 5 p.m., marking just the third time in Big South women's basketball history that the No. 7 seed has advanced to the finals and is the first to do so since 2004. The Lancers will square off No. 1 Liberty University for the conference title.

The outcome came down to the final five minutes of the ball game, as the Longwood advantage that had stood for the duration of the game was erased and Radford took its first and largest lead of the night at 49-46 with 5:19 still to play. Freshman Daeisha Brown/Richmond came through in the clutch with four consecutive points by way of a layup and a pair of free throws to put Longwood back on top at 50-49 with just over four minutes to go. On the next possession, senior Chelsea Coward/Mechanicsville threw up the initial shot that missed, but collected her own rebound and banked in the second-chance layup as she fell to the ground, extending LU's buffer to three at 52-49. The Highlanders responded quickly, hitting a jumper to make it a one-point game. Longwood controlled the ball with just one minute left, but a missed opportunity gave Radford the ball. With seconds left, RU raced to its offensive end to set up a play, but Neal chased down the ball handler, and in a last ditch effort to retain the lead, slapped the ball out of the opposition's hands into the open arms of Brown, who held on tight. The Highlanders were forced to foul with four seconds on the clock, sending Brown to the line to convert on both ends of the one and one and secure the 54-51 victory.

Longwood went to work early in the first half, shooting 50% (13-36) from the floor, to establish a 36-27 advantage at the break. The squads were tied on three occasions early on, with the last at 11-11 with less than 13 minutes remaining in the first period, but senior Crystal Smith/Richmond converted on a pair of free throws and Neal drained a deep three, sparking a 13-4 run that put the Lancers ahead, 24-15 at 6:23 in the first. Radford responded with 10 of the next 15 points to cut the deficit to just four at 29-25, but Longwood ended the first on a 7-2 run to create it nine-point buffer.

The Highlanders hit back-to-back layups coming out of the break to make it a two-possession game at 36-31, but Smith and Neal got the Lancers back on track with a 40-31 advantage at 17:24. The Highlanders made the game the thrilling one it became by mounting a 15-6 run to knot the score at 46-46 with just under six minutes to play.

In addition to Neal's 16 points, the co-captain added a team-best four steals. Brown and Coward added to the offensive effort with 14 and 10 points, respectively. Coward logged team highs with three blocks and seven rebounds, as well. As a team, the Lancers shot 33% (18-54) from the floor, including 23% (3-13) from beyond the arc, and 79% (15-19) from the line.

Radford was paced by a double-double effort from Victoria Hamilton with 14 points and 11 boards. Breshara Gordon tallied 13 points, as well. As a whole, the Highlanders shot 31% (19-61) from the field, 17% (1-6) from three-point territory and 63% (12-19) from the foul line.

Saturday's contest marked the 29th meeting ever between Longwood and Radford in the sport of women's basketball. The Highlanders still hold a 17-12 advantage in the all-time series.