District of Columbia (9-3, 5-1 ECC)  32-42—74
Daemen (4-10, 1-7 ECC) 31-32—63
 

AMHERST, N.Y. – Junior Telisha Turner (Wilmington, Del.) totaled 19 points to lead the University of the District of Columbia to a 74-63 victory over Daemen College here today in East Coast Conference women's basketball action. UDC, which is receiving votes in the latest WBCA/USA TODAY Division II Top 25, improved to 9-3 overall and 5-1 in the ECC. Daemen, which was playing its first home game since Nov. 23, dropped to 4-10 overall and 1-7 in the league.
 
Turner, who entered the game ranked second among ECC scoring leaders (19.5 ppg.) connected on 8-of-14 shots overall and drained three three-pointers. Junior Denikka Brent (Chesapeake, Va.) added 10 points, 13 rebounds and three assists for the Firebirds, while sophomore Tatyana Calhoun (Disputanta, Va.) chipped in 10 points and eight rebounds.
 
Four of Daemen's five starters reached double figures in points. Sophomore Raeann Stilwell (Cheektowaga, N.Y./St. Mary's of Lancaster) connected on 5-of-13 three-pointers and totaled 19 points for the Wildcats. She also registered three assists and three steals. Freshman Natalie Galus (Hamburg, N.Y./Frontier) registered 15 points, nine rebounds and five blocks, while fellow rookie Taylor Heinold (Hamburg, N.Y./Immaculata) added 14 points and nine rebounds. Senior Lindsay Stoddard (Limestone, N.Y./Allegany-Limestone), who was playing in her 100^th career game, totaled 11 points, 12 assists and five rebounds.
 
UDC secured the win with a 13-3 run midway through the second half that turned a 56-52 lead into a 69-55 advantage. A layup by sophomore Tiara Goode (Brentwood, N.Y.) with 3:39 left capped the run, and Daemen came no closer than nine points (69-60) the rest of the way. UDC held a 32-31 lead at the break and the Firebirds held a 56-48 advantage midway through the second half when the Wildcats got back-to-back buckets by Galus and Stilwell to cut the lead to four, 56-52. A three-pointer by Turner then sparked the Firebirds on their decisive rally.
 
Back-to-back three-pointers by Stilwell and Stoddard gave Daemen an early 12-4 lead and the Wildcats later took their largest lead of the half, 16-5, after Stoddard canned two free throws with 13:22 left before halftime. The Firebirds responded with 12 unanswered points over the next four minutes which gave the visitors a 17-16 advantage. A three-pointer by senior Julissa Anderson (Greensboro, N.C.) ignited the run and a triple by Turner with 9:29 left before intermission capped it. Daemen regained a five-point lead, 26-21, after Stoddard drained a jumper from the top of the key, but UDC outscored the Wildcats 11-5 over the final 3:10 of the half and the Firebirds took a 32-32 lead into intermission.
 
UDC dominated the boards all game and finished with a 57-35 advantage in rebounds. The Firebirds collected 31 offensive rebounds, which led to a 31-10 advantage in second chance points. UDC also finished with a 44-24 edge in points in the paint.
 
Daemen connected on 31-of-85 shots (.365) and made good on 6-of-23 from downtown. UDC shot 38-percent (23-for-60) from the field overall and made 8-of-26 three-pointers (6-for-16 in the second half). UDC also finished with a commanding 32-1 edge in bench points.
 
Daemen is idle until next weekend when it travels to Dowling College (Jan. 17) and the University of Bridgeport (Jan. 18) for ECC games. Daemen's next home game is set for Friday, Jan. 24 when it hosts St. Thomas Aquinas in an ECC game.
 
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