The University of the Virgin Islands (UVI) women’s basketball dropped its Gulf Coast Athletic Conference home opener to visiting Fisk University 86-50 on Friday evening at the Elridge Blake Sports and Fitness Center.
In a game that got away early, UVI (0-7, 0-3 GCAC) fell behind 31-12 at the end of the first quarter as the team struggled offensively.
The Lady Bucs’ defense came alive in the second quarter as they were able to slow down the Lady Bulldog offense, giving up only eight points in the 10-minute period while forcing six turnovers. Defensively, UVI was able to hold its conference foes to just 25% shooting from the field and 0-for-4 from behind the Arc. However, UVI still entered the half trailing 39-19.
In the second half, the Lady Bucs were able to get in a groove offensively, but it was just not enough as the Lady Bulldogs were able to pull away and close out the game giving them the wire-to-wire victory.
UVI freshman guard Ashukamayah Phillips put on another double-digit performance as she recorded 19 points to lead her team in scoring. She is the leading scorer for the Lady Bucs and now ranks fourth in the conference in points per game with 13.1.
Graduate transfer Brea Patterson added 14 points, seven rebounds and three assists for the Buccaneers.
For the Lady Bulldogs, Maya Buckhanon led the way with 29 points.
The next game for the Lady Buccaneers will be on Saturday, January 6, as they host
the second game of their homestand against Oakwood University. Tip-off is at 7 p.m.
AST.
About UVI Athletics
The University of the Virgin Islands (UVI) is a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and, as of July 1, 2023, competes in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference (GCAC). Entering the 2023-24 season, the Buccaneers will begin their 17th season of athletic competition. As the only Historically Black College or University (HBCU) in the Caribbean, UVI currently sponsors six sports, including men’s and women’s cross country, men’s and women’s basketball, and men’s and women’s outdoor track and field. For more information on UVI Athletics, visit UVIAthletics.com.