The Longwood Lancers women’s basketball team faced a vital two game homestand in which they defeated the Winthrop Eagles 100-79. Their next game was even more crucial, in a battle with likewise 4-0 Big South team, the High Point Panthers. The visitors took down the Lancers 68-54 using a dominant third quarter.
The Winthrop game started off rocky for the Lancers as the visiting Eagles spread out an early lead to 10 late in the first quarter. The home crowd surged the Lancers forward to take the lead at halftime as Senior forward JaMya Robinson nailed a triple to have Longwood up 45-44 at halftime. Longwood shot 57% from the floor in the second quarter and went 5-8 from three-point range in that frame.
In the second half, Longwood looked like a completely different team as soon as it began. Their high intensity press began to irritate the Eagles as the visitors only shot 26% in the third frame as turnovers also began to pile up. While Winthrop’s offense dropped off, Longwood’s didn’t.
Graduate Student guard Malea Brown caught fire from deep making multiple triples as the lead only got larger and eventually spread to over 20 points in the final minutes.
Winthrop ended the game with 25 turnovers and only shot 35% from the field in the second half. The Lancers emptied their bench for the final minutes and freshman guard Kayla Washington hit a three to give the Lancers 100 points in a game for the third time this season. It was a moment that didn’t seem like it took place in the same game as Winthrop’s commanding first quarter.
“Winthrop’s a great basketball team,” said Longwood head coach Erika Lang-Montgomery. “They came out with a lot of energy and punched us early…that’s part of basketball, there’s going to be runs. It’s about your response and I thought our response was outstanding.”
Brown’s career night only compounds the success she’s already having, being named Big South co-player of the week two days before the game. “She’s a stat filler,” Lang-Montgomery said. “She does everything the right way and she does everything a graduate [student] is supposed to do.” Brown was effective on defense as well, notching four of Longwood’s 11 steals. “When we play together…[feeling] the energy from others pouring into you makes it easier and fun to play out there,” Brown said. Longwood had seven players with double-digit point totals which is the most they have had in one game in Lang-Montgomery’s time as head coach.
The Lancers welcomed High Point in a titanic Big South showdown on Saturday, January 17.
The undefeated Lancers and Panthers traded blows throughout the first half with the visitors holding a 30-27 lead at the half. High Point started the second half with seven unanswered points that began to sink Longwood’s hopes. The Lancers fought well in the fourth quarter, but the deficit never got closer than 12 points in the final frame. High Point shot 56% from the field in the second half.
“High Point are a really solid defensive unit,” Lang-Montgomery said. “They do a good job of communicating [on defense], they play off each other really well…they stifled us in that third quarter.” Senior guard Jasmine Peaks was the only player in double figures with 11 points. “She’s more than just a facilitator or distributor, she can score the ball as well. I liked that she was more aggressive tonight offensively,” Lang-Montgomery said.
The Lancers next head to Radford on Wednesday, January 21 before hosting the USC Upstate Spartans on Saturday, January 24. Both games will air on ESPN+.
