Firebirds’ Fierce Second Half Comeback Results in Resounding Win vs. Virginia Union

WASHINGTON, DC – Trailing visiting Virginia Union 51-43, the Firebirds out-scored their guests 36-10 during the final 12:33 of regulation en-route to a resounding, 79-61 out of region win for University of the District of Columbia on Monday night at UDC Sports Complex.

Senior guard ShaKena Williams (Accounting – Washington, DC/Calvin Coolidge HS) and junior guard Tajruba Baldwin-Kollore (Criminal Justice – Newport News, VA/Denbigh HS) were the second half spark plugs for UDC, each scoring 14 points in the closing period to help the Firebirds (8-2) chase down their fifth win in their last six outings. Baldwin-Kollore led all UDC scorers with a career-high 17 points while also adding a season-high nine rebounds and two assists. Williams had a game-high four three-point field goals and finished with 16 points on 6-of-12 field goal shooting to go with four rebounds and three assists.

Virginia Union – a member of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA), fell to 4-5 overall with tonight's loss. The Panthers were led by guard Ashle Freeman, who registered 26 points, three steals and two assists in a losing effort. Forwards Taylor White (18 points, seven rebounds) and Lady Walker (seven points, 14 rebounds) were also very impactful in the paint.

While UDC was out-shot 43-percent to 38-percent from the field, the Firebirds took advantage of 27 offensive rebounds to out-score the Panthers, 24-11 in second-chance points. The hosts were also the more efficient offense with 15 assists to 11 turnovers compared to Virginia Union's 12 assists and 21 turnovers. The Firebirds cashed in for 17 points off of those 21 Panther miscues.

The two teams traded baskets early on, with Freeman forcing the game's third tie at 14 with a  layup at the 12:33 mark. Following a 30-second timeout by UDC, Williams and Baldwin-Kollore led the Firebirds on a 7-0 run to give UDC its largest lead of the first half, 21-14. The Firebirds still led 29-24 with 2:55 left in the opening period when the Panthers ended the half on a 6-0 run, culminating in a Walker layup with 11 seconds before the horn. Virginia Union, which had not led since the 17:09 mark, took a 30-29 lead into halftime courtesy of Walker's basket.

Freeman continued to power the Panthers offense in the second half, scoring 11 points to help VUU out to its largest lead of the night, 51-43 with 12:33 remaining in the game.

Back-to-back three-pointers by Baldwin-Kollore and Williams and later a pair of free-throws by junior forward Tatyana Calhoun (Architecture – Disputanta, VA/Sussex Central HS) all amounted to an 8-0 run by the Firebirds which tied the score, 51-all at the 10:41 mark. Then, following a layup by VUU's White, senior guard Telisha Turner (Criminal Justice – Wilmington, DE/Harcum) began and ended another 8-0 run with a three-pointer and a jump shot, respectively. UDC was now in front 59-53 with just under nine minutes to play.

A pair of free-throws by White at the 8:31 mark made it 59-55, but a 13-2 Firebirds surge, highlighted by three, three-point field goals by Williams, resulted in a commanding, 72-57 lead for UDC with just under five minutes to play. The Firebirds went on to win by their largest margin of the night, 79-61.

UDC, ranked No. 7 in the latest D2SIDA East Region Poll, finished its non-conference schedule 7-1 with tonight's win, as the Firebirds will only host East Coast Conference opponents from here on out. UDC is currently 1-1 in league play and will host Roberts Wesleyan on Friday, December 19^th to close out the calendar year.