Lillian McGill,senior captain, Division II All-Independent First Team member and two-time ICAA Player of the Year

Posted: Jan 20, 2010

UDC Downs Apprentice, 72-59

Newport News, VA: January 20, 2010-- Shooting 45 percent ( 29 for 65) from the field and 80 percent ( 8 of 10) from the charity stripe, the University of the District of Columbia Firebirds Women's Basketball Team defeated the Apprentice School Builders , 72-59, tonight in Newport News, Virginia. UDC improved to 8-12 with this win while Apprentice fell to 7-11.

Junior center Lillian McGill (Sumter, SC), recording her 13th double double of the season, paced the Firebirds to victory with a 20 point- 16 rebound performance. She was joined in double figures by Norfolk, Virginia native junior guard Tiffany Church, who scored 18 points, grabbed 3 rebounds and made 2 steals, along with senior guard Nicole Cooper ( Fort Washington, MD), who scored 14 points and dished out 3 assists.

Church got the Firebirds on the board draining the first of 4 -three pointers at 18:49 and scoring all of them in the first half. Church scored 16 of the Team's 36 first half points, taking them into the break with a 9 digit lead.

UDC shot 38 percent (14 for 37) from the field and 100 percent ( 4 of 4) from the charity stripe in the half, while Apprentice shot 44 percent (11 for 25) from the field and 60 percent ( 3 of 5) from the charity stripe. UDC held an 11-point lead twice in the first half, before Apprentice trimmed it to 9 with 23 seconds remaining in the half on a jumper by Shameka Warren.

McGill opened the half scoring on two straight layups to bring the score back up to 9 after Apprentice trimmed the lead to 7 with 18:05 remaining. Cooper led the second half scoring with all of her 14 points coming in the period. UDC led by as much as 17 points when sophomore guard Jasmine Rich (Willingboro, NJ) scored on a layup with 1:05 remaining.

The Firebirds scored 42 points in the paint, capitalizing on their 40-31 rebound advantage and converting second chance opportunities into 16 points to the Builders' 9. Apprentice held the advantage in bench points, getting 14 to UDC's 12. UDC made 8 fast break points to Apprentice's 2.

Jasmine Gerald led the Apprentice scoring as one of two players in double figures. She scored 25 points and grabbed 5 rebounds, while Warren scored 12 points and collected 3 rebounds. LaTorya Grimes and Ashley Johnson scored 8 points apiece to round out the Apprentice scoring leadership.

UDC will see action again on January 28, against the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.