Firebirds Dominate in 91-68 Victory Over Nyack

NYACK, NY – Five Firebird scorers reached double-figures as a team effort led to University of the District of Columbia's second straight dominant victory, 91-68 over Nyack in the final game of the East Coast Conference vs. Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Challenge on Saturday night.

The Firebirds (2-0) were led offensively by graduate guard Bria White (Homeland Security – Silver Spring, MD/UMBC) and senior forward Denikka Brent (Mechanical Engineering – Chesapeake, VA/Booker T. Washington HS) with 19 points, apiece. Senior guard Telisha Turner (Criminal Justice – Wilmington, DE/Harcum) added 14 points while tying her career-high of seven assists, and reserve guards Diamonique Carr (Criminal Justice – Camden, NJ/Harcum) and ShaKena Williams (Accounting – Washington, DC/Frederick CC) each added 12 points.

Defensively, the Firebirds held Nyack to 36-percent field goal shooting, including an abysmal 24-percent from the field in the second half. UDC also forced 23 turnovers, as White had a game-high four steals and junior forwards Tatyana Calhoun (Architecture – Disputanta, VA/Sussex Central HS) and Iman Scott (Health Education – Hagerstown, MD/Baltimore City CC) each had three. Calhoun also pulled down a team-high 10 rebounds, helping UDC out-rebound Nyack 52-38.

Nyack (0-2) featured three scorers in double-figures, including Tori Trador's team-high 19 points. Jamie McKeither registered a double-double with 16 points and a game-high 12 rebounds, and Raven Makins finished with 10 points and six rebounds.

For nearly the whole first 11 minutes of play, the two teams locked into a see-saw battle that included six lead changes and a tie. UDC began to pull away at the 9:19 mark with the score knotted at 29, as Calhoun's layup sparked an 8-0 Firebirds surge. Still leading 42-34 just past the four-minute mark, Carr pitched in five consecutive points during a 7-0 UDC run to extend the Firebirds' lead to 15, 49-34. They would take a 53-38 advantage into halftime.

The Firebirds came out red-hot in the second half, opening the closing frame on an 11-3 march and claiming a 23-point lead, 64-41. Nyack never got any closer than 17 the rest of the way, as UDC led by as many as 27 before settling for a 23-point margin of victory.

Next up, the Firebirds host their season home opener vs. Virginia State on Wednesday, November 19^th at 5 p.m.