Currently in the midst of a nine-game losing streak, the Longwood women’s basketball team sits at ninth in the Big South conference standings with a 3-19 (1-10 Big South) record with only seven games remaining in the regular season.
Longwood’s only conference win came against Presbyterian on Jan. 6, by a score of 66-56. Since then, the Lancers have dropped multiple games where they could’ve come out with a win, including a heartbreaking loss at Campbell in which they led by 10 at halftime, only for the Camels to outscore them by 22 points in the second half to snatch a win.
Before the season began, the intended plan was for the offense to play a more up-tempo style, while running a full-court press on the defensive side, according to head coach Bill Reinson. However, uncontrollable factors such as injuries hitting the team early caused those plans to be altered.
“The style we were going to play was based on having 13, 14 or even 15 players in the rotation, but with the injuries, it was apparent in the beginning that we weren’t going to be able to do that,” said Reinson.
In the back half of conference play, Reinson said the Lancers must find a way to achieve more consistency on the offensive end and close out games that are there for the taking.
“We just need to get over that hump. I think once we win one and get to see what it feels like, I feel it will be a snowball effect,” said Reinson.
In her final season in a Longwood uniform, senior guard Micaela Ellis said the team needs to make significant improvements to gain momentum heading into the Big South tournament.
“We have to value every possession, figure out how to close games and limit our mistakes as much as possible,” said Ellis. “We’re getting there, and we’re in games but we’re not finishing. We just have to value possessions as much as possible.”
Additionally, she stated limiting scoring opportunities for opponents, locking in and getting stops is key to finish out close games.
So far in February, the women’s team has played two games and have come out on the short end both times against Charleston Southern and High Point.
“High Point had lost two in a row and they were aggressive from the outset, the last time we played them, we really competed and it was a battle. Unfortunately, we haven’t competed consistently over the past three games, we need to find a way to get that edge back,” Reinson said on the official Longwood athletics website.
Four out of the last seven games in the regular season take place on the road for the Lancers, with the next against Presbyterian at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 10.
