Lady Tigers Hold Off Longwood

January 27, 2008
SAVANNAH, Ga- Longwood held Savannah State without a field goal for the final three minutes, nineteen seconds of the game but SSU made five key free throws down the stretch in a 56-52 win over the Lancers.

SSU led 55-48 with 25 seconds remaining but Longwood's Courtney Dyer hit a 3-pointer and a free throw to cut their deficit to three. Antionette Williams made a free throw for Savannah State with five seconds left to give SSU the four point win and improved their record to 10-11.

Williams led all scorers with 21 points and had a team-high eight rebounds and three steals. LaShara Smith added 13 points and Ivy Smith chipped in 10 and four assists.

SSU led 8-4 in the early going before Longwood came back and took a 9-8 lead. SSU answered with a 12-5 run to go ahead by six with 3:53 left before intermission.

The Lady Tigers led 24-18 at the half as they held Longwood to shoot 27.8 percent from the floor in the first half.

Longwood began the second period with a 11-5 spurt to tie the game at 29 but Savannah State scored the next seven points to go ahead 36-29 with 8:51 on the clock.

Two free throws by Becky Fernandes and one by Anna Steg got Longwood within 41-37 with 5:39 left but SSU responded with a 10-2 run to go ahead by 12 with 3:20 remaining.

Longwood won the rebounding battle 37 to 26.

Dyer led the Lancers (11-11) with 11 points.