AMHERST, N.Y. – Senior Taj Baldwin-Kollore (Newport News, Va.) scored 15 of her game-high 21 points after halftime to lead the University of the District of Columbia to a 66-60 victory over Daemen College in women's basketball action here today. The Firebirds improved to 6-3 overall and 2-0 in the East Coast Conference. It marked the 2015-16 ECC opener for Daemen, which dropped to 2-4 overall.

Sophomore Sarah Saba (Lancaster, N.Y./Lancaster), who scored 23 points in an overtime loss to Edinboro yesterday, totaled a team-high 14 points for the Wildcats this afternoon and also added four blocks and three steals. Junior Leah McDonell (North Tonawanda, N.Y./Cardinal O'Hara) added 11 points, five rebounds and three assists for the hosts, while senior Raeann Stilwell (Cheektowaga, N.Y./St. Mary's of Lancaster) chipped in nine points and seven assists.

Senior forward Tatyana Calhoun (Disputanta, Va.) helped the UDC cause with 13 points and 13 rebounds, while classmate Tiara Goode (Brentwood, N.Y.) chipped in 14 points off the bench.

The game was tied at 4-4 four minutes into the first quarter when back-to-back layups by junior Natalie Galus (Hamburg, N.Y./Frontier) and Saba sparked the Wildcats on a 14-2 run. Galus and Saba both scored four points during the run and a jumper by Saba with 3:37 left in the quarter capped the run and gave the hosts an 18-6 lead. Daemen took a 20-12 lead into the second quarter.

A three-pointer by junior Jesse DeWaters (Lockport, N.Y./Niagara County CC) two minutes into the second quarter gave the Wildcats a 26-14 lead, but the Firebirds responded with a 6-1 spurt and cut the lead to seven points, 27-20, following a jumper by Goode with 4:21 left before halftime. Daemen regained a double-digit lead, 31-20, with under two minutes to play in the quarter, but UDC scored the final four points of the quarter and Daemen took a 31-24 lead into the break.

UDC outscored the Wildcats 8-1 over the first four minutes of the third quarter and pulled to within a point, 33-32, following a layup by Goode. The lead was still one point, 38-37, with over three minutes left in the quarter when the Wildcats closed out the frame with a 7-1 spurt. A jumper by McDonell capped the run and gave the Wildcats a 45-38 after three quarters.

The Wildcats extended their lead to 49-38 after Saba canned two free throws two minutes into the four quarter, but the Firebirds scored the next five points--all from the charity stripe--and the hosts later tied the game at 51-51 following a conventional three-point play by senior Iman Scott (Hagerstown, Md.) with 3:44 left in the fourth quarter. UDC opened up a 55-52 lead following a putback by Baldwin-Kollore, but Stilwell tied the game with a three-pointer at the other end with 2:13 left.

The tie was short-lived, as UDC answered with a three-pointer from the top of the key by junior Jenka Stiasna (Zvolen, Slovakia). The Wildcats came up empty on their next possession and UDC took a 60-55 lead after Goode canned two free throws with 1:34 left. Daemen was still alive after Saba made two free throws with 15 seconds left to make it 62-60 UDC, but Baldwin-Kollore canned two free throws at the other end and after Daemen came up empty on its next possession the Firebirds closed out the scoring with two free throws by Scott with 0:07 left.

After shooting 50-percent (8-for-16) in the first quarter the Wildcats made just 11-of-46 shots over the final three quarters and finished 19-for-62 (31%) for the game. The Wildcats made eight three-pointers in the game, but went just 14-for-23 from the charity stripe. UDC shot just 27-percent (17-for-62) from the field overall and made just 2-of-10 three-pointers. The Firebirds made top for their shooting woes at the free throw line, as the visitors canned 30-of-42 freebies in the game. UDC finished with a 48-47 edge in total rebounds.

Daemen is idle until next weekend when it travels to Dowling College (Dec. 18) and the University of Bridgeport (Dec. 20) for ECC games.

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