Firebirds Earn Pivotal ECC Win at Bridgeport, 100-92

BRIDGEPORT, CT –The University of the District of Columbia men's basketball team earned a pivotal East Coast Conference win on the road at the University of Bridgeport, 100-92 on Saturday afternoon at Hubbell Gym.

This marked UDC's first ever win vs. Bridgeport at Hubbell Gym, and the first victory over the Purple Knights in eight tries since February 18^th, 2012. The Firebirds have now won four straight games, including three victories this week where they scored 100 or more points.

With this win, UDC (13-11) also evened the season series vs. its ECC nemesis, and the Firebirds overtook Bridgeport for 3^rd place in the conference standings as they improved to 11-5 in league play. The Purple Knights (12-10) lost their 2^nd straight ECC game to fall to 9-5 in league play.

The Firebirds had five scorers in double-figures, including junior transfer forward Joseph Nickerson's game-high 24 points. Nickerson shot 11-of-17 from the field and 2-of-2 at the FT line, and he also contributed seven rebounds, four assists and one steal.

Meanwhile, four UDC guards reached double-digits as well, led by senior Erin Senegal's 21 points on a perfect 5-of-5 day from behind-the-arc (7-of-9 total FG) and 2-of-2 at the foul line. Junior transfer point guard Kasim Chandler was a perfect 9-of-9 at the free-throw line and registered 17 points, six rebounds and a game-high five assists. Also, sophomore Traevon Butler contributed 14 points and seven rebounds, and junior transfer Martin Campbell came off the bench to add 12 points and six rebounds.

With the team's leading rebounder, Geran Pope limited to just four minutes of game action, the Firebirds had seven players with four or more rebounds and still managed to out-rebound the Purple Knights, 45-37.  UDC also out-shot Bridgeport 52-percent to 46-percent from the field, 55-percent to 33-percent from long range, and 84-percent to 65-percent at the foul line.

The Purple Knights were led offensively by Muhammed Ahmed (17 points and six rebounds), Antoine Brown (15 points, two assists) and Ernest Rouse (14 points, six rebounds, three assists).

Brown converted a three-point play on an and-one layup just 31 seconds in, and the Purple Knights charged out to an 8-2 lead a little over two minutes into the action. A three-pointer by Senegal at 17:38 kicked off a 9-3 Firebirds burst aided by two Chandler baskets, the 2^nd of which forced an 11-all tie just past the 16-minute mark. Twelve lead changes and five more ties would ensue over the next 11 minutes, but, trailing 36-35, UDC embarked on a 9-0 run and took a 44-36 lead on a Nickerson layup at 4:28. The Firebirds would lead 52-45 at halftime.

The Firebirds, which turned it over 16 times to UB's nine for the game, had two turnovers in the first minute of the 2^nd half as the Purple Knights opened on a 6-0 run and closed the gap to two, 52-50. Senegal stopped the bleeding with a three-point jump shot, and that led to a 9-0 run culminating in a Nickerson layup to put UDC up 61-52 at 16:55.

Bridgeport pulled within two once more on a Stefano Osuji layup at 12:13, but Butler's three-pointer started an 8-1 Firebirds response, culminating in a Campbell three-pointer to put UDC back up nine, 76-67.

The Firebirds never allowed the Purple Knights any closer than four the rest of the way, and they went on to win by an eight-point margin.

Next up, UDC will look to even the season series with ECC foe Mercy College as they visit the Mavericks in White Plains, NY on Thursday, February 18^th at 7:30 p.m.