University of the District of Columbia Women's Basketball Suffers 61-42 Setback Versus Dowling
WASHINGTON, DC – The University of the District of Columbia women's basketball team had its eight-game win-streak snapped as the Firebirds succumbed to Dowling, 61-42 in a battle of the East Coast Conference two top teams on Saturday afternoon at UDC Gym.
The Firebirds fell to 18-4 overall and 9-3 in league play as they suffered their first home loss of the season. Meanwhile Dowling ended its two-game losing skid and improved to 10-2 (17-5 overall) and took back the top spot in the league standings. The Lions became the only team in the ECC to beat UDC twice this season.
Senior guard Lauren Brittingham (Washington, DC – Potomac HS) led the Firebirds offensively with nine points and four assists. Senior forward Stacy Griffith also had a team-high seven rebounds and three steals.
Dowling, which made 12-of-24 (50-percent) from long-range as a team and held a commanding 47-30 rebounding edge, was led by Julia Koppl (20 points, 7-of-14 FG, 5-of-10 3pt. FG) and Christine Verrelle (5-of-6 3pt. FG). Sarah Schicher also had a double-double of 12 points and a game-high 10 rebounds.
The Firebirds had more turnovers (six) than points through almost nine minutes of play, and they trailed Dowling 9-4 as the game approached the 11-minute mark. Still down 12-5 after a conventional three-point play by the Lions' Sarah Schicher, freshman center Britenique Harrison (Nassau – St. Augustine's College HS) sparked an 11-0 Firebirds run with a layup off an assist by Denikka Brent (Chesapeake, VA – Booker T. Washington HS). Harrison also put the finishing touches on the run with a layup at 5:44 to give UDC an 18-12 advantage. Dowling would take the lead right back with three consecutive three-pointers, including two by Hannah Krueger. The Lions led 21-18 after Kreuger's second trey, but Brittingham answered with a long-range bomb to send the game to its third tie of the half, 21-all. Dowling went on to score four of the final five points of the half and took a 25-22 lead into halftime.
The Lions outscored UDC, 7-2 over the first five minutes of the second half and opened up an eight-point lead, 32-24 on a layup by Schicher. A three-pointer by Jasmine Rich (Willingboro, NJ – Willingboro HS) ignited a 6-0 Firebirds surge to cut the deficit to 32-30 at the 11:42 mark, but Koppl answered for Dowling with two consecutive three-pointers, and it was all Lions from there. The visitors outscored UDC, 19-2 over the next 5:24 to take a commanding, 51-32 advantage with 6:24 left to play in regulation. The lead stretched to as many as 23 before UDC closed out the game on a 4-0 run to make the final score, 61-42.
Dowling, which was held to 39 points in a loss to STAC its last time out, shot 8-of-12 from behind-the-arc and 44-percent from the field in the second half as they outscored UDC 36-20 in the second frame. The Lions 6th ranked defense in the country held the Firebirds to 27-percent shooting for the game (15-of-55) and forced 20 turnovers. Dowling also benefitted from 17 second-chance points on 16 offensive rebounds.
"You've got to give Dowling credit - they played a very good game today," head coach Lester Butler, Jr. said. "They shot lights out from three-point range, and we couldn't get stops when we needed them. We just had a tough day on both ends of the court, and could never get it going. I was very dissapointed with our effort today with first place in the conference on the line, but we will bounce back and give a better effort against Mercy."
The Firebirds will go on the road to take on ECC foe Mercy on Wednesday, February 15th at 5:30 PM.
* - Lauren Brittingham was honored before the game for going over 1,000 points in her collegiate career.
