District of Columbia Dominates Down the Stretch in 68-53 Win at Virginia Union

RICHMOND, VA – After allowing the Panthers to close within one point near the five-minute mark in regulation, the Firebirds slammed the door on Virginia Union with an 18-3 surge to close the game, as the University of the District of Columbia women's basketball team improved to 2-0 with a 68-53 win on Saturday afternoon at Barco-Stevens Hall.

Sophomore forward Tatyana Calhoun (Environmental Science – Disputanta, VA/Sussex Central HS) was dominant in the paint for UDC, notching the second double-double of her career with team-highs of 20 points and 10 rebounds. Junior guard Denikka Brent (Electrical Engineering – Chesapeake, VA/Booker T. Washington HS) was just one rebound shy of a double-double as she registered 14 points and nine boards while making 6-of-13 from the field and blocking a game-high three shots. Meanwhile, on the perimeter, team newcomers Telisha Turner (Criminal Justice – Wilmington, DE/Harcum) and ShaKena Williams (Accounting – Washington, DC/Frederick CC) each canned three shots from behind the arc and finished with 14 and 13 points, respectively.

Ashle Freeman led three Panthers (1-2) scorers in double-figures with a game-high 22 points on 10-of-24 from the field. Lady Walker and Melyse Brown added 12 and 10 points, respectively, Carla Cowherd pulled down a game-high 13 rebounds, and ShaHadah Barret handed out a game-high seven assists.

The Panthers raced out to a 9-3 lead in the first 2:40 of action on the strength of two consecutive three-pointers by Brown. Later, consecutive jumpers by Freeman would give VUU their largest lead of the afternoon, 15-6. The hosts maintained that nine point edge at 19-10 with 9:15 to go when a three-pointer by Turner ignited a 14-3 surge which catapulted UDC in front, 24-22, nearing the six-minute mark. Still leading by two, 31-29 with 1:38 to go before intermission, the Firebirds converted back-to-back layups by Williams and Turner, and took a 35-29 lead at the break.

UDC looked as though it might run away with the game when Williams knocked down a three-pointer capping a 7-2 run to start the second half and giving the Firebirds their first double-digit lead of the afternoon, 42-31. However, the Firebirds were outscored 18-8 over the next 10 minutes as the Panthers closed within one, 50-49, with a little over five minutes left to play.

Following a media timeout, Calhoun earned a trip to the line and sank a pair of free-throws to bolster the Firebird lead back up to three. Then, two consecutive Firebirds steals each led to back-to-back three-point plays. The first was a steal by junior reserve guard Diamonique Carr (Criminal Justice – Camden, NJ/Harcum), which led to an and-one layup by senior guard Teara Shaw (Health Education – Bronx, NY/Indian River St.). Next was a steal by Shaw that set up a long-range bomb by Williams. The three-point dagger by Williams made it 58-49, UDC with 3:14 left to play, and forced a Virginia Union timeout. From there, UDC grew its lead to as much as 17 and ultimately won by a comfortable, 15-point margin, 68-53.

The two teams were very even shooting percentage-wise (VUU 38-percent/UDC 37-percent), but the Panthers were better from three-point range, making 4-of-9 (44-percent) to the Firebirds' 6-of-16 (38-percent). The Firebirds, however, were much more efficient at the free-throw line, making 12-of-14 (86-percent) to VUU's 7-of-11 (64-percent). UDC also was very opportunistic on the defensive end, forcing 25 Panther turnovers and cashing them in for 27 points.

UDC, which received votes in the last USA Today Coaches' Poll released on November 3^rd, will host the No. 11 nationally ranked Holy Family Tigers on Tuesday, November 19^th at 5:30 p.m.