#3 Longwood Knocks Off #6 UNC Asheville, Advances to Semifinals

#3 Longwood Knocks Off #6 UNC Asheville, Advances to Semifinals

Bookmark and Share

For the second time in program history, Longwood is moving on to the semifinals of the Big South Women's Basketball Championship.
 
Extending a record-breaking season that has seen the Lancers (14-10) set program records with 12 Big South wins, a third-place Big South finish, and a .565 regular-season Big South winning percentage, No. 3 seed Longwood rode its Big South-leading offense to an 83-69 win over No. 6 seed UNC Asheville in the conference quarterfinals Monday evening in Willett Hall.
 
Now moving on to the Big South semifinals for the first time since their inaugural season in the league in 2013, the Lancers will face No. 2 seed Campbell this Thursday, March 11, on the Fighting Camels' home court in Buies Creek, N.C.
 
Earning Longwood that semifinal matchup Monday night against UNC Asheville (10-14) were four double-figure scorers, with All-Big South first-team guard Kyla McMakin leading the way with 19 points. Among those was the 1,000th point of her career, making the two-time All-Big South honoree the fastest player in Longwood women's basketball history to join the 1,000-point club, doing so in just 54 career games.
 
Big South Defensive Player of the Year Akila Smith also contributed her conference-leading 14th double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds, while All-Big South honorable mention honoree Tra'Dayja Smith scored 18 and fellow backcourt mate Anne-Hamilton LeRoy added 16.
 
Smith, who ranks third nationally with 3.4 blocks per game and fourth in the Big South with 2.0 steals, lived up to her Player of the Year resume as well, racking up three more rejections and two swipes to help hold the Bulldogs to a .325 shooting clip from the floor.  
 
That widespread offensive effort built Longwood a double-digit lead for the majority of the second half and contributed to the Lancers' sixth double-digit win over a Big South foe this season.

Now with Thursday's date against No. 2 seed Campbell set, the Lancers will prepare for a Big South semifinal that includes the top four seeds in the bracket alongside No. 1 High Point and No. 4 Gardner-Webb.