Radford Rad 8-12,4-5 Big South

Longwood LWU 5-15,4-5 Big South

Radford Rad

8-12,4-5 Big South

Final

Jan. 25, 2023

Longwood LWU

5-15,4-5 Big South

Score By Periods
Team	1	2	3	4	F
Radford Rad	11	13	16	20	60
Longwood LWU	15	15	16	22	68

Summary
Box Score

Rob Simmons

Game Recap: Women's Basketball | 1/25/2023 9:03:00 PM

Wagner’s Career Night Not Enough at Longwood

FARMVILLE, Va. – The Radford women's basketball program fell in a tough one Wednesday night 68-60 to Longwood despite a career-best performance from freshman Olivia Wagner who scored 17 points.

Wednesday's game got off to a great start for the Highlanders who immediately jumped out to a 7-0 lead thanks to five quick points from Wagner. A layup by Carmen Williams would push Radford up 9-3 four minutes into the game, but the Lancers responded with an 11-0 run over the next four minutes to claim a lead they'd never relinquish.

The Highlanders would continue to battle throughout the half, trading punch for punch with the Lancers and refusing to go away quietly. Rachel LaLonde lit up for three points while Vanessa Blake supplied a layup in a low-scoring start to the second quarter. Radford used an 8-2 run over the final two and a half minutes to pull within just a 30-24 deficit at the half.

Coming into the third quarter Radford would shoot a strong 53% with eight makes from the floor, but second chance opportunities proved costly in giving Longwood seven more shots in the quarter to maintain their lead. Wagner scored Radford's last four points of the quarter to halt a Longwood run and keep it a 46-40 game.

Ashley Panem got her incredible fourth quarter started with the team's first three-pointer since the start of the game and pulled Radford closer. A pair of LaLonde free throws made it a two-point game at 47-45, but the Lancers once again responded with a 7-0 run. Panem would hit again from deep, but the Lancers offense stayed hot and ballooned their lead to as much as 11 with under a minute to go.

From there, Panem took over and tried to will the Highladners to an improbable comeback. After a Blake layup, Panem scored six straight points and Radford was suddenly on an 8-0 run and it was a 63-60 game. Longwood, one of the better free throw shooting teams in the conference, was able to hold on at the charity stripe however for the 68-60 final.

TURNOVERS SPELL DOOM
The Highlanders shot 44% overall and 29% from three tonight, outpacing the Lancers in both marks. At the end of the day, 21 turnovers proved too costly to overcome. Longwood scored 26 points off Radford turnovers tonight and it was the true deciding factor. While Radford was able to cause 15 Longwood turnovers led by Wagner's four steals, the team was only able to take advantage of 14 points off those Lancers' turnovers.

PANEM SETS NEW HIGH
After her incredible fourth quarter performance, Panem set a new season-high for points with the Highlanders tonight finishing the game with 14 points. Needing answers from deep, Panem was that answer hitting all three of her three pointers over the final 10 minutes of the game. Panem's crucial and-one late was clutch for Radford and helped fuel one last comeback effort on the night.

UP NEXT
The Highlanders are finally back home this weekend for their first rematch of the conference schedule. Radford will host USC Upstate on Saturday, January 28th at 2 p.m. for their annual Pink Game with action also being streamed on ESPN+.

Follow Women's Basketball on Social Media
For more information on the Radford women's basketball team, follow @Radford_WBB on Twitter and Instagram or Radford Women's Basketball on Facebook.

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