UDC Dominates Closing Half in 90-77 Win at Roberts Wesleyan

ROCHESTER, NY – An 18-3 surge late in the second half by the Firebirds catapulted the University of the District of Columbia men's basketball team in front by 14 as it went on to defeat Roberts Wesleyan College, 90-77 at the Voller Center in both teams' East Coast Conference season opener Friday night.

Junior transfer forward Jayone Troutman fueled the Firebirds' victory with game-highs of 20 points, 12 rebounds and three blocked shots. All five UDC starters scored in double-figures, including guards Kasim Chandler and Erin Senegal with 16 points apiece, and senior forward Geran Pope with 14 points and seven rebounds. Junior transfer Martin Campbell also came off the bench to score 14 and haul in six rebounds and two steals.

The Firebirds improved to 3-6 (1-0 ECC) with tonight's win – its first ever in seven tries against the Redhawks since they became a member of the ECC in 2012-13. Roberts Wesleyan, meanwhile, fell to 3-4 (0-1 ECC) with the loss.

The Redhawks were led by five double-figured scorers, including team-highs in points, rebounds and steals by forward Tyrel Dixon (17 pts, 10 rebounds, three steals).

Both teams shot well from the floor for the night, but the Firebirds had the advantage as they shot 56-percent from the floor to the Redhawks' 41-percent. Roberts Wesleyan was the better outside shooting team – converting 8-of-26 from long range to UDC's 3-of-15 – but the Firebirds dominated the paint with a 47-27 rebounding advantage and a 58-34 points in the paint disparity.

The first half featured seven ties and nine lead changes with the Redhawks ever leading by more than four (18-14) and the Firebirds never by more than six (28-22). UDC's 28-22 lead came after a Virgil Fleming layup at the 4:40 mark, but RWC would close out the half on a 10-2 run and take a 32-30 lead into the break.

Quinn Carey extended the Redhawks' lead to a game-high five points, 35-30 with a three-pointer seven seconds into the action, and Roberts remained in front until Pope knotted the score at 42 with a layup near the 16-minute mark.  Later at the 13-minute mark, Senegal knocked down a three-pointer to force a 47-all tie and Pope converted a layup at 12:09 to give UDC its first lead of the closing half.

Mike Stone gave RWC the lead back, 56-55 with a layup at the 8:48 mark, but another three-pointer by Senegal would put the Firebirds ahead to stay with 8:40 remaining. Senegal's triple kick-started a game-changing, 18-3 surge that transformed a one-point deficit into the largest lead of the night (14) by either team. Campbell had five points, and Chandler and Troutman each pitched in four during the four-minute stretch that ended with the Firebirds in front, 73-59 with 4:39 remaining.

Roberts Wesleyan never got any closer than seven points the rest of the way as the Firebirds made 9-of-12 at the free-throw line down the stretch to ice the win.

Next up, the Firebirds visit another ECC foe, Daemen on Sunday, December 13^th at 3 p.m.