ASHEVILLE, N.C. – A 14-2 run over the final eight minutes of the third quarter and a game-high 16 points to go with six assists from Jessica Wall led the Bulldogs past the Longwood women's basketball team 80-55 Tuesday night inside Kimmel Arena.

Winners of two of the last three Big South Championships, the Bulldogs increased an eight point halftime lead to 19 with its run in the third quarter. Jimeshia Lawson led the way for the Asheville run, scoring six of her 14 points to lead the surging Bulldogs (9-9, 4-3 Big South) to their fourth straight win in Big South play. Wall and Lawson were two of four Bulldogs to finish in double figures, as Zip Scott finished with 15 on 5-of-7 shooting and Ali Trani added 10 points.

Playing without the services of reigning Big South Player of the Week and 2016-17 Big South Tournament MVP Sonora Dengokl, UNC Asheville overcame a team-high 13 points from Longwood (1-15, 0-6 Big South) guard Ciarah Bennett while Stephanie Guihon joined her in double figures with 12 points along with three rebounds, three assists and a block. Khaila Hall also finished in double figures, scoring seven of her 10 points in the second half.

"We can't be a team that plays well only when things go well offensively," said Longwood first-year head coach Rebecca Tillett. "We can't define ourselves in that way because every team in the country has an off shooting night. We have to be a defensive team. Tonight, they shot .491 from the field and .688 from three, so we can't keep letting teams and individual players have that kind of success against us."

The Bulldogs put together its third performance of the season in making at least 10 three-pointers, as Asheville matched its season-best performance with 11 triples to shoot .688 (11-of-16).. Wall paced Asheville with her four three-pointers while Scott finished 3-of-3 from long distance, as five different players scored from beyond the arc. 

Bennett and Guihon combined for 25 points, as Bennett scored in double figures for the second straight game and the fourth time in the last seven games to average 7.4 points per game over that stretch. Meanwhile, Guihon continues her breakout sophomore campaign, as Tuesday marked the ninth time she's finished in double figures after doing so just four times last season as a freshman.  Hall scored in double figures for the first time in Big South play, as she finished 4-of-6 from the floor and 2-of-3 from beyond the arc.

Up next, Longwood will play the second of back-to-back road games, as it travels to conference newcomer USC Upstate Saturday, Jan. 26 for a 2 p.m. opening tip. That game is set to be broadcast on ESPN3 and will be part of a doubleheader along with the Longwood men's basketball team.

"We're going to continue teaching the fundamentals but our main focus needs to be taking pride in our defense and having a sense of urgency to stop teams," Tillett said.

#GoWood