BOWIE, Md. - The University of the District of Columbia Firebirds made it very interesting in the final two minutes of Monday night's non-conference contest against the Bowie State University men's basketball team, but the Bulldogs held on down the stretch to claim an 89-83 victory in the A.C. Jordan Arena. The win, Bowie State's fourth in a row, improves the Bulldogs record to 5-4 overall while the Firebirds fall to 1-7 on the season.
Senior
Ahmaad Wilson (Baltimore, Md.) tallied a game-high 24 points to pace the Bulldogs. Joining Freshman
Keith Duffin, Jr. (Fort Meade, Md.) came off the Bowie State bench to record a double-double of 19 points and 12 rebounds, both personal career highs. Senior
Omari George (Baltimore, Md.) continued his stellar play, scoring 13 points to go along with eight rebounds and sophomore
Saiquan Jamison (Upper Marlboro, Md.) recorded his fourth double-double of the season, contributing 10 points and 10 rebounds before fouling out late in the game.
The Firebirds trailed by 16 with just under six minutes to play when they went on a 21-7 surge over the next five minutes to close the gap to two, 82-80 with one-minute remaining. Bowie State answered with back-to-back buckets to make it a six-point lead as the Bulldogs would score seven of the game's final 10 points to earn the six-point victory.
UDC's Maurice Waters (Philadelphia, Pa.) paced the Firebirds with 20 points and 11 rebounds, and he also added two blocked shots and two steals, defensively. Khalil Jackson (Brooklyn, N.Y.) contributed 15 points, 14 of which he scored in the second half, including nine in the final 6:15 of the game. Traevon Butler (Lakewood, N.J.) added 12 points, and Quadire Truesdale (Philadelphia, Pa.) pitched in with 11 points.
The first half featured five ties and seven lead changes, with UDC going up by as many as four a handful of times before surrendering the lead for good at the 6:35 mark on a three-pointer by Wilson which put the Bulldogs in front, 23-21. Wilson's trey ignited a 21-10 Bowie State run to end the half, as the hosts took a 41-31 lead into the intermission.
UDC opened the 2nd half on a 7-0 run, closing within three on a three-pointer by Paul Eromosele (Bronx, N.Y.). The Bulldogs countered, however, with a 16-6 run capped by another Wilson three-pointer to give the hosts a 57-44 lead just past the 13-minute mark. Later, Wilson extended the BSU lead to 16 with a pair of free-throws at the 5:50 mark.
But beginning with a tip-in by Jackson, and followed by a three-pointer by Eromosele, the Firebirds clawed their way back into the game with a 21-7 surge. Jackson would score seven during the run, including the run-capping layup at the 1:03 mark to pull UDC within two, 82-80. Jackson had an opportunity to cut the deficit to one with a free-throw after that layup, but one of 18 Firebird missed free-throws on the night cost UDC that opportunity. The Firebirds' Kevin Cox (Lauriston, Carriacou, Grenada) did secure the offensive rebound, but Cox's jumper rimmed out with just under a minute to play.
Bowie State quickly made its way up the floor and George made a layup to make it a two-possession game at the 54-second mark. UDC had two opportunities to score on the next possession courtesy of an offensive rebound by Jackson, but first missed a layup, and then missed a three-point attempt. After securing the defensive rebound, Duffin, Jr. threw down a dunk at the other end to make it a six-point game, and Bowie State went on to win by six, 89-83.
The Bulldogs take to the hardwood on the road at Kutztown (Pa.) University on Wednesday (December 6th) at 7 p.m.
