12.31.2011

Box Score

BOONE, N.C. - Longwood University rallied in the second half, but dropped a 64-54 women's basketball decision at Appalachian State University of the Southern Conference on Saturday afternoon in Boone, North Carolina. The Lancers (2-13) trailed 37-17 at halftime but cut the lead to seven (57-50) with 2:08 remaining. Junior Crystal Smith|Richmond (Meadowbrook) led the Lancers with a game-high and season-high 20 points and senior Brittanni Billups|Goldsboro, N.C. (Eastern Wayne) added 14 points. Appalachian State (9-2) was led by Anna Freeman with 18 points. Longwood returns to action on Monday, January 2, when it hosts Coppin State University of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference at 1 p.m. in Willett Hall in Farmville. Admission is free.

The Mountaineers raced out to a 10-0 lead before Billups hit a jumper to put the Lancers on the board with 16:26 remaining in the half. The hosts extended the lead to 23 points and led 37-17 at halftime. Billups scored eight points in the first half, but the Lancers were out-rebounded 24-9.

In the second half, ASU pushed the lead to 39-17, but Longwood went on an 11-0 run to cut the lead to 11 at 39-28 after a three-pointer by junior Mieke Elkington|Hamilton, New Zealand (Cochise College) with 15:14 remaining. A layup by Katie Mallow snapped a 4:53 scoring drought for the Mountaineers and pushed the lead to 13. Appalachian State went on a 9-4 run over the next 3:40 to extend the lead to 50-32 with 10:50 remaining. Longwood scored its next four points from the foul line, then Crystal Smith converted a traditional three-point play to cap a 7-0 run and cut the lead to 50-39 with 8:37 remaining. The Mountaineers extended the lead to 14, but a layup by freshman Megan Baltzell|Stafford (Mountain View) and a pair of free throws by Billups trimmed the lead to 10. The hosts led 57-43 with 3:38 remaining, then Billups hit a layup, and Crystal Smith added a layup and three-pointer to cut the lead to 57-50 with 2:08 remaining. ASU pushed the lead back to 10, then junior Chelsea Coward|Mechanicsville (Hanover) hit a pair of free throws to cut the deficit to 60-52 with 1:21 remaining. That was as close as the Lancers would get as the hosts scored the next four points.

Crystal Smith scored a game-high 20 points (7-17 FG, 5-8 FT) and dished out a team-high four assists. Billups scored 14 points (6-11 FG, 2-4 FT) and Coward grabbed a team-high six rebounds. The Lancers shot 38.3% (18-47) from the field, including 25% (3-12) from behind the arc, and 75% (15-20) from the foul line. Longwood dished out six assists and had six steals and five blocks. Baltzell finished with six points (1-1 FG 4-4 FT) and was the only player off the bench to score.

Anna Freeman paced the Mountaineers with 18 points (6-16 FG, 3-7 3FG, 3-4 FT), while Kelsey Sharkey added 13 points (5-11 FG, 3-9 FT) and a game-high 11 rebounds. Canesha Edward (5-11 FG) and Courtney Freeman (4-9 FG, 2-4 FT) scored 10 points each. ASU shot 36.2% (25-69) from the floor, including 33.3% (4-12) from behind the arc, and 52.6% (10-19) from the foul line. The Mountaineers scored 23 points off of 23 Longwood turnovers and out-rebounded the Lancers 48-30.

Appalachian State leads the all-time series 5-0.