Firebirds Fall to NYIT in East Coast Conference Opener

WASHINGTON, DC – The University of the District of Columbia women's basketball team was defeated by NYIT, 73-65 in both teams' East Coast Conference openers on Wednesday night at UDC Sports Complex.

The Firebirds (6-2, 0-1 ECC) shot just 32-percent (24-of-75) from the field and 15-percent (4-of-26) from three-point range while NYIT (5-1, 1-0 ECC) shot 51-percent (26-of-51) from the field and 31-percent (5-of-16) from behind-the-arc to overcome a 46-37 rebounding disparity. Neither team's offense truly gelled as the two teams combined for 47 turnovers, but the Bears' shooting, particularly in the second half (55-percent shooting on 12-of-22) that helped them pull away late in the game.

Junior forward Tatyana Calhoun (Architecture – Disputanta, VA/Sussex Central HS) put forth an extraordinary effort, hustling all over the court in 32 minutes of work to finish with a team-high 18 points and a game-high 15 rebounds – including 11 on the offensive glass. Her fellow front-court mate, Denikka Brent (Mechanical Engineering – Chesapeake, VA/Booker T Washington HS) was equally tenacious, registering 13 points, a game-high six steals, five assists and five rebounds.

However, UDC's dynamic scoring duo of guards Bria White (Homeland Security – Silver Spring, MD/UMBC) and Telisha Turner (Criminal Justice – Wilmington, DE/Harcum), who each came in averaging at least 15 points per-game, combined for just seven points on 2-of-15 shooting from the field.

Meanwhile, NYIT was led by guard Shanice Allen's game-high 22 points and a near-double-double by forward Shannon Duer (nine points, 13 rebounds). Forward Dina Ragab was also a huge impact player in the paint, as she added 12 points, five rebounds, a game-high five blocks and four assists.

UDC took advantage of 10 offensive rebounds and three Bears turnovers within the five minutes of action to race out to an early 13-6 lead. Nearly three minutes went by before either team scored, but consecutive two-point baskets by NYIT helped the Bears climb back within three, 13-10 at the 11:36 mark. Following a three-pointer by Shantrel Oliver (one of only three makes out of 19 attempts in the first half) to put UDC up 16-10, the Bears went on a 6-0 charge to force a tie as the first half approached the nine minute mark. With the score knotted again at 18, junior guard Tajruba Baldwin-Kollore (Criminal Justice – Newport News, VA/Denbigh HS) scored six consecutive points to give UDC a six-point cushion yet again, 24-18, with just under seven minutes remaining in the opening half. NYIT would end the half on a 16-6 run, however, and took a 34-30 lead and the game's momentum into intermission.

Both teams struggled offensively when play resumed for the closing half, with NYIT taking nearly three minutes to score and the Firebirds taking 3:19 to get on the board. Still trailing by four (40-36) with 14:34 to play, UDC went on a 9-2 surge to take their largest lead of the second half, 45-42 with a little under 12 minutes remaining. Over the next five minutes, however, Allen led the Bears on a 14-5 run as she canned two consecutive three-pointers, the last of which put NYIT ahead, 56-50 at the 6:46 mark. Twice, the Firebirds closed within three, but Allen's third three-pointer of the second half cushioned the Bears' lead back up to six with 2:08 to play. NYIT made 4-of-6 from the foul line down the stretch as UDC only managed a pair of free-throws by Calhoun in the final two minutes of regulation, and the Bears went on to win comfortably by an eight-point margin.

NYIT, which entered the week ranked No. 10 in the D2SIDA East Region Poll, has now won four straight games. UDC, which was No. 4 in the poll, had its three-game win streak snapped with this loss.

The Firebirds will look to bounce back as they host LIU Post in a rematch of last year's ECC Championship Final on Saturday in the nation's capital. Tip-off is at 1 p.m.