#2 Longwood Wins 2022 Hercules Tires Big South Women's Basketball Championship
With its 86-47 victory over top-seeded Campbell, Longwood claimed its first-ever conference title at the 2022 Hercules Tires Big South Women's Basketball Championship and punched its ticket to the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament Sunday evening at Bojangles Coliseum.
Longwood extended its win streak to nine since losing 58-45 to the Camels on Feb. 5 at Farmville, Va. The Lancers made 10 of their first 13 shots, led 24-11 after the first quarter and 38-13 at the half against a Campbell team that had won eight of the last nine meetings between the league rivals.
All-tournament team member Kyla McMakin led Longwood with 22 points on 7-of-10 from the floor and 7-of-8 from the line plus six steals, while tourney MVP Tra’Dayja Smith added 21 points and made all five of her 3-pointers. Big South player of the year Akila Smith added 12 points and six rebounds for the Lancers, who shot 60 percent (30-of-50) on the night and made 10-of-16 threes.
Faith Price led the Camels with 13 points, Shy Tuelle added 11, including 3-of-6 beyond the arc, and Brittany Staves finished with nine points and eight rebounds. The Lancers held Campbell’s all-conference performers Taya Bolden and Luana Serranho to a combined six points on 2-of-17 shooting.
Longwood learns its NCAA Tournament fate on Sunday, March 13 at 8 p.m. on ESPN.
2022 All-Tournament Team
Tra'Dayja Smith, Longwood (MVP)
Akila Smith, Longwood
Kyla McMakin, Longwood
Luana Serranho, Campbell
Nadiria Evans, UNC Asheville