On Tuesday, March 4, 2014 at 1 p.m., Longwood’s women’s basketball team will be playing Presbyterian College in the first round of the Big South Conference Tournament.
“The way that they (Presbyterian) run stuff, they’re pretty [predictable] in what they do; if you can guard it, you’re successful,” said Head Coach Bill Reinson. “If you don’t guard it, then it’s trouble for you.”
Last season, the Lancers took the Big South by surprise and made their way to the Big South Championship game. Unfortunately, they came up just short against Liberty University.
With all of the injuries sustained this season, and the constant starting roster changes, it’s going to take plenty of hard work to achieve last season’s success.
“We’re going to have to make some shots,” said Reinson. “We haven’t shot the ball well all year. So, if we can do that, we can play with anybody, and we have people that can score; we just haven’t been consistent with it.”
Through all of the injuries, the team has still stuck together and stayed positive.
“Everyone’s pretty excited, and everyone’s been encouraging,” said freshman guard Brenna Robbins. “Everyone knows that we have to work hard and give it our all. We have pretty much everyone healthy now, so we should be in good shape.”
Robbins is one of the many young and talented players on the roster that wasn’t part of last year’s tournament run.
“A lot of players have been saying how anything can happen here, and it just comes down to who wants it the most,” said Robbins.
In the first two match-ups against the Blue Hose, sophomore guard Raven Williams led the Lancers with 14 points in the first matchup and 12 in the second. If Longwood wants to be successful against Presbyterian, Williams will need someone else to have as big an impact.
“I think Khalilah Ali needs to have a big game tomorrow; she’s our best rebounder, and she needs to neutralize [Presbyterian forward] Kiana Allen,” said Reinson. “She might not be able to stop her from getting rebounds, but if she can neutralize her and get some of her own, then she can score around the basket.”
The Lancers will look to the starting five of Daeisha Brown, Raven Williams, Khalilah Ali, Heather Tobeck and Deborah Headen against the Blue Hose.
