Women's Basketball Grinds Out Gritty Win in Conference Opener

Washington, D.C. - The University of the District of Columbia women's basketball team earned a nail-biting 66-65 victory over D'Youville University (DYU) on Friday evening at the E.B Henderson Sports Complex. Three Firebirds scored in double figures to lead the charge securing the Firebirds' first conference win of the season. This also marks the programs first win over DYU for the first time since the 2022-23 season. 

The Firebirds started strong with a 19-12 lead at the end of the first quarter but faced tough resistance as D'Youville outscored UDC in the second. A dominant third quarter by UDC, where they outscored D'Youville 23-15, gave the Firebirds enough of a cushion to withstand a furious fourth-quarter rally by the visiting Saints.

Kristian Harris had a standout performance, recording a career-high 19 points, 8 rebounds and 7 assists while shooting an impressive 75% from the field. Kensley Benjamin added 15 points off the bench, including three crucial three-pointers, helping UDC hold on for the win. Laci Johnson led all scorers with 21 points, knocking down four shots from behind the arc. 

Key Performances

• Laci Johnson (UDC): 21 points, 4 rebounds, 4 three-pointers
• Kristian Harris (UDC): 19 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists
• Kensley Benjamin (UDC): 15 points, 5 rebounds, 3 three-pointers

Team Statistics

• Field Goals: UDC 27-65 (41.5%), D'Youville 22-69 (31.9%)
• Three-Point Shooting: UDC 9-23 (39.1%), D'Youville 13-35 (37.1%)
• Free Throws: UDC 3-4 (75.0%), D'Youville 8-10 (80.0%)
• Rebounds: UDC 39, D'Youville 46
• Turnovers: UDC 14, D'Youville 16

UDC (2-6, 1-0 ECC) is back in action on Sunday, hosting conference foe Daemen University at the E.B Henderson Sports Complex at 1:00pm.