Big South Weekly Report

FARMILLE, Va. – The Longwood University women's basketball team picked up a pair of Big South Conference home wins last week to improve to 9-9 overall and 6-1 in conference action. The team defeated Campbell University, 77-75, with a last second layup from senior Crystal Smith|Richmond on January 17. The Lancers then battled back from a 17-point deficit to down Coastal Carolina University, 77-63, on Jan. 19. Longwood, who sits atop the current conference standings, will look to stay hot in two road games this week, beginning with a 7 p.m. tilt at High Point University on Thursday, Jan. 24, and followed by a 5 p.m. matchup at in-state rival Liberty University on Saturday, Jan. 26. 

Recapping Campbell
Campbell scored the first points of the game and took an early 12-6 advantage with just under 14 minutes remaining in the first half. Longwood cut the margin to one possession, but CU used a 12-4 run to take its largest lead of the night, up 24-13, at 9:18. The Fighting Camels maintained at least a 10-point advantage until seniors Smith and Erin Neal|Durham, N.C. combined for three, fast-break layups, making it a 28-24 game. Campbell quickly increased the buffer to eight once again, but LU outscored the visitors, 10-3, in the final minutes of the half to head into the break down just one at 35-34.

Longwood scored eight points open the second half and take its first lead of the game, up 42-35. The Fighting Camels would not go quietly, mounting a 12-4 run to regain the lead at 47-46 13:53 to play. Longwood pulled back ahead by four on buckets from freshman Daeisha Brown|Richmond and senior Mieke Elkington|Hamilton, New Zealand, but the lead soon evaporated, as Campbell outscored its hosts, 14-1, to take a 64-55. Longwood battled back to tie the contest at 67-67 before the squads alternated points, tying on three more occasions, including at 75-75 with just over a minute left. With seconds remaining, Smith broke hard towards the basket and threw up an off kilter layup that bounced in to earn the 77-75 victory for LU. Thursday's contest marked the ninth meeting ever between Longwood and Campbell in the sport of women's basketball. Campbell still holds a slight, 5-4 advantage in the all-time series, but the Lancers remain undefeated at home against the Fighting Camels.

Head Coach Bill Reinson on Campbell
“It was an exciting finish to a great game between two very good basketball teams. One play here or there and Campbell could have just as easily won that game. The difference in tonight's game was the play of Crystal Smith. She has been playing very well and was absolutely terrific tonight.”

Recapping Coastal Carolina
Longwood scored the first bucket of the game with a layup from Brown, but would lead just once more in the first half at 4-3. The Coastal Carolina offense sparked a 22-6 run, putting the Chanticleers on top, 25-10, with 8:10 still to play in the first half. Elkington knocked down a jumper and Brown hit a three-pointer for the Lancers, but CCU took its largest lead of the game, up 32-15, at 7:31. The Chanticleers maintained at least a 13-point margin throughout the remainder of the period to head into halftime with a 38-25 advantage.

Smith converted on a layup coming out of the break to cut the Longwood deficit to 11, but the visitors led by 12 on two more occasions before Coward drained a deep three to ignite an 18-3 Lancer run, putting LU up, 47-44, with 13:31 left to play in the outing. Coastal cut the buffer to one on a pair of free throws, but would not come any closer, as Longwood outscored its opponent, 19-7, in the next six minutes to pull ahead by a score of 66-53 at 7:31. The Chanticleers quickly pushed the margin back to nine with four straight points, but Longwood closed the game on an 11-6 run to seal the 77-63 victory. Saturday's contest marked just the third meeting ever between Longwood and Coastal Carolina in the sport of women's basketball. The Lancers hold an undefeated 3-0 record in the all-time series.

Head Coach Bill Reinson on Coastal
“We still must work on our energy in the first half, but we continue to play very well after the break. Mieke Elkington was outstanding today. Every game, she continues to defend players who are much taller than her and plays them tough. Crystal Smith and Chelsea Coward get well deserved recognition for their play, but we wouldn't be where we are without Mieke.”

Scouting High Point
The Panthers are currently 11-7 overall and 5-2 in the Big South following a 71-63 victory at Liberty on Jan. 17 in their most recent outing. High Point, under the direction of first-year head coach DeUnna Hendrix, is led by junior Cheyenne Parker with a double-double average of 17.9 points per game and 13.2 rebounds per game. Redshirt-sophomore Stacia Robertson has added to the offensive effort with 10.6 points per game, while junior Tayler Tremblay is averaging 8.9 points. Tremblay has a team-best 4.3 assists per game, as well. As a whole, the Panthers are shooting 39% (442-1140) from the floor, 30% (77-256) from beyond the arc and 63% (208-331) from the line.

Scouting Liberty
The Flames, who are 14-6 overall and 6-2 the Big South, split a pair of games last week, taking a 65-58 decision against Campbell on Jan. 19 after falling to High Point, 71-63, on Jan. 17. Liberty, under the direction of 14th-year head coach Carey Green, is paced by redshirt-senior Devon Brown with 16.7 points per game. Redshirt-senior Tolu Omotola and junior Jasmine Gardner have added to the offensive effort with 12.6 and 7.2 points, respectively. Omotola has a team-best 7.4 rebounds per game so far this season, as well. As a squad, the Flames are shooting 43% (504-1185) from the floor, 31% (93-297) from beyond the arc and 72% (315-440) from the line.

Leading the Charge for Longwood
Through 18 games, Crystal Smith paces the squad with 16.9 points per game. Chelsea Coward is second on the team with 16.0 points per game. Coward leads the team with 9.0 rebounds per game, as well. Daeisha Brown rounds out the double-digit scorers for the Lancers with 12.3 points per game. As a whole, Longwood is shooting 37% (414-1118) from the field, including 30% (122-414) from three-point territory, and 70% (235-336) from the free throw line.

Player of the Week
Crystal Smith was named the Big South Conference Women's Basketball Choice Hotels Player of the Week twice this season: on Jan. 7 and on Jan. 21, both times after leading the team to back-to-back conference home wins. The senior averaged 27.5 points, 8.5 rebounds and 7.0 assists, while shooting a perfect 100% (16-16) on free throw opportunities through two games to earn the honor on Jan. 7. In addition, on Jan. 3, the senior guard set a new career high with 32 points, including a personal-best 12 made free throws against Gardner-Webb. She followed that performance with her first double-double of the season, tallying 23 points and 11 rebounds, against Winthrop. She garnered her second award by averaging 26.0 points, 7.5 rebounds and 38.5 minutes in two games. The 5-8 veteran guard made a career-high 11 field goals to tally her second 30+ point game of the season and propel Longwood past Campbell, and followed that performance with a 20-point, eight-rebound effort against Coastal Carolina.

Freshman of the Week
Daeisha Brown was named the Big South Conference/The Crons Brand Freshman of the Week twice this season: on Jan. 2 and on Jan. 7. She was first recognized for her performance in a three-game span, during which she shot 60 percent from the field, averaging17.3 points and 6.3 rebounds, and tallied her second double-double of the season, along with a personal-best seven steals to help lead the Lancers to their first-ever Big South win at Radford on Dec. 29. Most recently she was honored for her role in the squad's two consecutive, conference home wins in which she notched 17.0 points per game and added seven rebounds, seven assists and five steals.

In the Record Books
Chelsea Coward surpassed 1,000 career points at Arizona on Dec. 20. The senior became the 19th member of Longwood's prestigious 1,000 Point Club and the first to achieve the milestone in the program's Division I era. (last: 2005-06, twins Ashley and Amber Mason). Coward then posted five boards to achieve 500 career rebounds against Gardner-Webb on Jan. 3 (504). Coward is currently tied for fifth on Longwood's all-time record list with 104 made three-point buckets. She is also 10th in the program's history with 87 blocked shots.

Approaching Another Milestone
With her 20 points against Coastal Carolina, Crystal Smith totals 992 career points. She is just eight points shy of becoming the 20th member of Longwood's 1,000 Point Club and the second this season to do so. If she reaches 1,000 points, it will mark the fourth time in program history that two players achieved the career milestone in the same season.

Doubling Up
Chelsea Coward opened her senior season with a double-double (16 points, 15 rebounds) at Richmond on Nov. 9. She then notched a double-double in three consecutive games: against Murray State (Nov. 17 – 15 points, 17 boards); at Coppin State (Nov. 20 – 18 points, 11 boards); and at Pitt (Nov. 26 – 17 points, 10 boards). She added another at Radford (Dec. 29 – 19 points, 12 boards), against Winthrop (Jan. 5 – 15 points, 11 boards), at Charleston Southern (Jan. 12 – 23 points, 12 boards) and against Coastal (Jan. 19 – 15 points, 11 boards) for a total of eight this season. She has posted double-digits points in all but one game this season.

Seeing Success
The team's 15-point margin of victory at Charleston Southern on Jan. 12 was its largest all season. Longwood also won its two most recent outings to put together its second, three-game win streak of the season. Longwood's nine wins so far this year marks the program's most victories since the 2009-10 season.

Performing Under Pressure
The Lancers have performed well in close games this season. The squad is a perfect 3-0 in games decided by five or less points.

Comeback Kids
The Lancers have a knack for making things interesting this season, mounting several second-half comebacks. The team has trailed at halftime in seven of the nine games that it has won so far this year. And of the seven games that the squad has come back to win, Longwood faced a double-digit, first-half deficit in four of them (Air Force – down by 12, Gardner-Webb – down by 18, Campbell – down by 11, Coastal – down by 17).

Under Control
As a team, Longwood has exhibited more ball control since beginning conference play. The squad set a season best with just seven turnovers against Gardner-Webb on Jan. 3. Longwood is averaging 11.9 turnovers per game against Big South opponents, compared to an average of 16.1 turnovers against all opponents this season. The team is currently second in the conference with a +3.50 turnover margin.

Big South Stats
Longwood currently leads the conference with 6.8 three-pointers made per game and is second with a 3.50 turnover margin. The squad is ranked fourth in assist/turnover ratio (0.7) and in scoring offense (65.8). The Lancers are also ranked fifth in free throw percentage (.699), and sixth in steals (9.6) and defensive rebounds (24.6). Crystal Smith is third in the Big South in scoring (16.9) and second in assists (4.5), while Coward is third in blocked shots (1.8) and three-point field goal percentage (.362).

Home Sweet Home
With conference affiliation comes the promise of at least nine home games every year. In 2012-13, Longwood plays 11 contests inside the friendly confines of Willett Hall, where the squad has always fared well. LU posted a 5-3 record at home last season and is 5-1 so far, giving the program a 36-27 record in Farmville since becoming Division I-eligible in 2007-08 (five seasons).

Coaches and Captains
Longwood is playing in 2012-13 under the direction of third-year head coach Bill Reinson. He is assisted by Wanisha Smith, Sarah Williams and Adria Crawford. Seniors Chelsea Coward and Erin Neal are serving as captains for the first time in their respective careers.

Up Next
Following the team's games at High Point (Jan. 24, 7 p.m.) and Liberty (Jan. 26, 5 p.m.), Longwood completes its four-game road swing at Coastal Carolina (Jan. 31, 7 p.m.) and Campbell (Feb. 3, 1 p.m.).