BOX SCORE Box Score
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The University of New Haven women’s basketball team dropped a non-conference match-up to the District of Columbia on Saturday afternoon by the final score of 67-48 in its first game of the UDC Classic. With the loss, the Chargers descended to 2-6 on the season, while the Lions improved to 7-3.
The first half of action featured a back and forth battle between the two squads. The Chargers defense was tremendous in the opening stanza, holding the Lions to just 34 percent shooting from the floor. Coupled with their stifling defense, the Chargers used a balanced attack to put together a strong showing through the first 20 minutes. Nicole Pollard, Jill Baranger and Lauren Boivin each scored four points en route to a 28-28 tie score at halftime.
After the intermission, once again the two teams played a close contest. Ayana Duncanson led the offense through the first 10 minutes, knocking down three baskets underneath to keep the score within one possession. Audrey Cunningham and Yasmin-Ithier Vicenty each chimed in with buckets of their own, as the Chargers trailed by one point with 8:14 left in regulation.
However, the Lions broke the game open over the next seven minutes, exploding on a 24-6 run to close out the affair. The Chargers only made two field goals down the stretch, resulting in their second non-conference loss of the campaign.
Cunningham led the way offensively for the Chargers, as she connected on 4-of-10 from the floor, also adding two steals and two rebounds to her stat line. Pollard finished with nine points and a team-high 10 rebounds, while Duncanson and Anh-Dao Tran each poured in eight points.
The Lions were led by a trio of athletes on the offensive end, receiving 18 points from Jamile Bonner, 16 from Dohnay Banice and 13 from Lilliam McGill. The Lions forced 29 Charger turnovers, resulting in 28 points on the other end. In addition, they dominated the paint, outscoring UNH by 14 underneath.
The Chargers return to action tomorrow with their final game of the mini-tournament. UNH faces off against Shaw University at the University of the District of Columbia, scheduled to start at 1 p.m.
