Lady Buccaneers Drop Conference Opener to Fisk University
The University of the Virgin Islands (UVI) women's basketball team dropped their conference opener 91-65 to Fisk University in their first game of the Historically Black Colleges and University Athletic Conference (HBCUAC) Crossover. The game was played at the Gaston Lewis Arena, a neutral site, on the campus of Wilberforce University.
UVI (0-2, 0-1 HBCUAC), struggled early against the Lady Bulldogs in a game that witnessed the Lady Buccaneers trailing at halftime 54-25. Despite a spirited second-half effort, the Lady Buccaneers were unable to bridge the substantial gap. The game culminated as the Lady Bulldogs put the game out of reach midway through the fourth quarter, keeping the Buccaneers at bay for the victory.
Top scorers for the Lady Buccaneers were Ashukamay'ah Phillips with 12 points followed closely by Mia Davis who added 11 points. Other notable contributions included Jordan Carter and Kashay Bass each putting up nine points, with Bass rounding her performance on the defensive end of the floor with five rebounds and three steals.
For the Lady Bulldogs, Courtney Lumpkins scored 23 points.
Head coach Stephanie Cooper reflected on the team's performance, stating, "We had a slow start and didn't come out with good energy, we did pick up our intensity in the second half but allowing well over 20 points per quarter didn't allow us to catch up on the scoreboard. In order to give ourselves a chance to win we have to stay within our system and play to our strengths."
The next opportunity for the Lady Buccaneers to rebound from the loss comes quickly, as they are set to face Voorhees University on December 14, again at the Gaston Lewis Arena. The team remains hopeful to turn their early season struggles around and secure their first win of the season.
