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| Iman Scott (#24) led all players with 28 points, 11 boards & 4 steals |
From our friends at UDC Athletics...
Firebirds Succumb to Undefeated NYIT, 78-72 in Battle of ECC’s Top Teams
Senior forward Iman Scott led all scorers with 28 points, but the University of the District of Columbia women's basketball team was defeated on its home floor by the East Coast Conference's top team, New York Institute of Technology, 78-72 on Monday night at UDC Sports Complex.
The Firebirds fell to 16-6 overall and 11-3 in league play despite Scott shooting 11-of-17 from the field and 5-of-7 from long range while registering game-highs of 11 rebounds and four steals. Her frontcourt counterpart Tiara Goode added 14 points and seven rebounds, and guard Tajruba Baldwin-Kollore pitched in with 14 points, five assists and four steals.
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| Tiara Goode (#14) added 12 points & 7 rebounds |
NYIT won its 15th straight overall to stay atop the ECC standings at 14-0 and improve to 20-5 overall, as the Bears have now won three of the last four meetings between these two ECC powers as well as the last two at the UDC Sports Complex.
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| Taj Baldwin-Kollore (#22) scored 14 points |
The Bears out-shot the Firebirds 48-percent to 36-percent from the field, 41-percent to 29-percent from long range, and 86-percent to 80-percent at the foul line. UDC, which won the rebounding battle, 39-34 and doubled-up NYIT 22-11 in offensive rebounds, took 12 more field goal attempts but still made two fewer baskets.
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| Mia Wynn (#34) added 2 points, 1 rebound & 1 block |
Four of NYIT's starting five and one reserve scored in double-figures. The Bears were led offensively by forward Dina Ragab (18 points, nine rebounds, four assists) and point guard Nina Vukosavljevic (18 points, seven assists.)
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| Jenka Stiasna (#25) scored 3 points off the bench |
Scott was 3-for-3 from long range in the first quarter as she helped the Firebirds get out to early leads of 5-0 and 13-7. The Bears answered, though, as Audrey Knowlton and Julie Williams made back-to-back three-pointers at 3:03 and 2:20 to tie the score, and NYIT closed the first quarter on a 10-4 run to force a 17-all tie at the end of the period.
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| 1 block & 1 rebound for Amber Bryson (#40) |
NYIT's Williams and Shanice Allen made back-to-back three-pointers to kick things off in the 2nd quarter as the Bears marched to a 17-6 run to start the period. Ragab and Vukosavljevic combined for 15 points in the quarter as NYIT out-scored UDC 26-18 took a 43-35 lead at halftime.
The Firebirds came out aggressive in the 3rd quarter, starting the 2nd half on a 7-3 run and closing within four after three consecutive free-throws by Goode at 7:51. The Bears responded with a 6-0 run though, and pushed their lead to 52-42 after a Tiara Place layup at 5:54.
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| Head Coach DeWayne Burroughs talks strategy |
But back came UDC once more, as junior transfer guard Brandi Henton kick-started an 8-0 surge by the Firebirds, and four consecutive points by Goode helped UDC pull within two, 52-50 at 2:57. Ragab stopped the bleeding for NYIT with a layup at 2:36, and the Bears closed the 3rd quarter on a 7-2 spurt to take a 57-52 lead heading into the 4th quarter.
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| 4 points, 4 assists & 2 steals for Brandi Henton (#20) |
NYIT's lead hovered between four and nine for the entire 4th quarter as UDC pulled within 74-70 on a pair of Tatyana Calhoun free-throws at 33 second, but the Bears made 4-of-4 at the foul line to ice the victory as they won by a six-point margin.
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| Tatyana Calhoun (#32) grabbed 7 offensive rebounds |
Next up, UDC will host ECC foe Dowling College on Wednesday, February 10th at 7 PM.
Click here for today's box score.
