The University of the Virgin Islands (UVI) women’s basketball team fell 73-58 to the Lady Ambassadors of Oakwood University in the final road game of the regular season on Saturday night at the Ashby Auditorium in Huntsville, Alabama. The loss brings the team to 1-17 on the season and 1-13 in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference.
UVI got off to a slow start as they fell behind shortly after tip-off in their rematch
with their conference foe. The team struggled to shoot from the field as the game
began to slip away early. At the end first quarter, the Lady Buccaneers found themselves
down 22-10.
In the second quarter, UVI found its grove offensively, shooting 57.1% from the field
as a team during an attempt to cut into Oakwood’s lead. The Lady Bucs went on a 16-8
run to in as they battled their way back into the ball game. A three-point jump shot
by freshman guard Ashukamayah Phillips brought her team within four points. However,
the Lady Ambassadors went on a run of their own as they closed out the half with a
45-33 lead.
The second half began with Lady Buccaneers finding themselves on the wrong end of an 11-3 run. Gradually, the lady ambassadors would extend their lead before eventually putting the game out of reach and cruising to victory over the Lady Buccaneers.
Graduate guard Brea Patterson led the way for UVI offensively as she scored 18 points.
Mia Davis was the anchor on the defensive end of the floor for the Lady Buccaneers
tallying a game-high six steals. Davis also coupled 11 points with 13 rebounds to
record her first double-double of the season.
Sydney Taylor provided a spark off the bench for UVI as she contributed eight points
seven rebounds and two assists.
For Oakwood, Trenisha Adams had 29 points.
The Lady Buccaneers will return home to the Elridge Blake Sports at Fitness Center for back-to-back matchups as they close out the regular season against Rust College and Tougaloo College on February 15 and 17, respectively.
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