The University of the Virgin Islands (UVI) Lady Buccaneer basketball team fell short in a 63-50 loss to the Lady Bleu Devils of Dillard University at the Elridge Blake Sports and Fitness Center on Thursday night. In celebration of Cultural Night, fans in attendance were treated to the sights and sounds of the Rising Stars Steel Orchestra, the St. Thomas Majorettes and the UVI Cultural Titans.
The Lady Bucs (0-12, 0-8 GCAC) got off to a slow start offensively and were down 11-6 in the opening period. Midway through the second quarter, UVI was down 23-9 in a game that seemed to be one-sided. However, the Lady Bucs came storming back on a 12-4 run led by senior guard Brea Patterson. The Lady Bucs went into halftime with a six-point deficit (27-21) after a buzzer-beating half-court heave by Patterson.
The second half was an offensive display of scoring for freshman guard Ashukamayah Phillips as she attempted to keep her team in the ball game. At the three-minute mark in the third quarter, Phillips delivered a three-pointer to cut UVI’s deficit to just four points.
She scored 14 of her 17 points in the second half while shooting 5-of-7 from the field. Dillard responded with a 9-3 run to close the quarter to take a comfortable lead going into the final period. Despite the effort from the Lady Bucs, the Lady Bleu Devils were able to slowly pull away in the fourth quarter and cruise to victory. Junior guard Mia Davis made her presence felt on both ends of the floor in her return for UVI. Davis recorded 10 points and added seven rebounds and two steals.
Junior rim protector Kashay Bass controlled the paint for the Lady Bucs as she tallied eight rebounds and two blocks and helped to limit Dillard to only 12 points in the paint.
The Lady Buccaneers continue their homestand as they host Southern University at New Orleans (SUNO) on Saturday afternoon. The last matchup between the two was a 65-61 thriller in which SUNO came out on top. Action tips-off at 4 p.m. AST. Local first responders will be recognized as UVI celebrates First Responders Night.
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.