UDC Women Defeat Bowie State University, 55-52

Bowie, MD: January 13, 2009—In a very close contest, the # 23 nationally ranked  University of the District of Columbia Firebirds Women’s Basketball Team rallied to defeat the Bowie State University Lady Bulldogs,55-52, tonight at the A.C. Jordan Arena. Senior guard Deyshia Williams (Camden, NJ) paced the Firebirds to the win with a 15- point, 5 rebounds performance. Joining Williams in double figures for UDC was senior guard DeVaughn Hailey (Camden. NJ) with 12 points, 3 rebounds, and 5 assists. Sophomore center Lillian McGill (Sumter, SC) and freshman guard Stacy Griffith (Fredericksburg, VA) scored 8-points apiece in the win.

The Firebirds got off to a very slow start, enabling Bowie to lead most of the first half as they committed 12 turnovers in the half to Bowie’s 5, who capitalized by scoring 13 points as a result. Yet, in spite of the costly turnovers, UDC only trailed BSU by 1-point as they went into the half-time break trailing, 23-24. UDC actually outshot BSU in the half 41 percent (9 for 22), while BSU shot 32 percent (8 for 25) from the field.

The second half opened in the same manner as the first, with some costly UDC turnovers until the Firebirds took a 32-31 lead at 14:33 into the half on a layup by freshman forward Stacy Griffith. Bowie regained the lead, 38-37, with 8:22 remaining in the game on a 3-pointer by guard Brittney Jackson.

Bowie went on to build a 7-point lead until junior guard Nicole Cooper (Fort Washington, MD) hit a 3-pointer at the 4:22 mark to cut the lead to 4, then after exchanges at both ends of the court UDC knotted the score at 49 on a 3-pointer by senior guard  DeVaughn Hailey, with 2:18 remaining in the game. After two UDC fouls, BSU free throws and a layup by UDC sophomore guard Lillian McGill, and more Bowie fouls Hailey and McGill converted four free throws to give the Firebirds the, 55-52, win. UDC’s bench outscored Bowie’s 12-7 in the second half, and 21-14 for the game.

UDC shot 44 percent (20 for 45) from the field, 46 percent (6 for 13) from beyond the arc, and 64 percent (9 of 14) from the charity stripe for the game, while holding Bowie to 32 percent (15 for 47) from the field, and 31 percent from 3-point range. Bianca  Lee led the Bulldogs in scoring with a game-high 21 points, followed by  Teaunsha Robinson with 13 points and Brittney Jackson with 11 points.

With this win, UDC improves to 13-2, while Bowie falls to 6-6 for the season. UDC will return to action in a home contest on Thursday night, January 15, against Elizabeth City State University, at 6 p.m. Bowie State will face Johnson C. Smith University on January 15, in Charlotte, NC.