Bucs Get Payback Win with Total Team Effort
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Virgin Islands | 17 | 23 | 16 | 23 | 79 |
|
Wilberforce | 19 | 18 | 20 | 20 | 77 |
WILBERFORCE, Ohio After leading by as many eight points late in the fourth quarter, the University of the Virgin Islands Women's Basketball team held on for the 79-77 win against host Wilberforce University in Continental Athletic Conference action Thursday afternoon.
With under a minute to play and the Buccaneers ahead 75-72, the Bulldogs missed the potential game-tying three-pointer. After a Wilberforce offensive rebound, Melea Lovelace earned a steal and found a streaking Kaya Evans for the fastbreak layup and a pivotal four-point/five-point swing late.
UVI needed all 79 points, which is a season-high so far. It was Lovelace who led the team in scoring with 19 points. She also had a game-high eight assists and was an impressive five-of-six from deep. Kaeani Berry had a 16-rebound, 15-point double-double with four blocks and three steals and Amber Appiah-Kubi also had a double-double with 15 points and 10 boards, plus four assists and three steals.
THE ESSENTIALS
Final Score: University of the Virgin Islands def. Wilberforce, 79-77
Records: UVI Women's 5-1; Wilberforce 5-4
Location: Gaston Lewis Gymnasium; Wilberforce, Ohio
Date: November 18, 2021
HOW IT HAPPENED
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With 1:37 left on the clock, UVI held its largest lead of the game with the score at 75-67 following an Appiah-Kubi basket on a Lovelace assist. The Bulldogs' E'Taja Thompson answered with a three and then Wilberforce added a layup on the following possession to make it a three-point game. With 55 ticks remaining, Thompson missed on the chance to tie and then came the Lovelace steal and Evans layup.
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Thompson connected on an earlier three to cut UVI's lead to 68-64. Berry, with an assist from Appiah-Kubi, responded with an old-fashioned three-point play, finishing strong through contact and adding the free throw with under four minutes left.
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Trailing 57-56, the Buccaneers scored the first eight points of the fourth quarter to retake the lead. Appiah-Kubi opened the period with a long two, her toe was on the three-point line. Kierra Neal got fouled on a drive and made two free throws and tough layups from Mia Davis and Berry extended the lead to 64-57. Berry's bucket came after she got her own rebound following a contested layup. On her second attempt, she bodied her defender for the make.
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The Bulldogs had not led since the first basket of the second quarter until Thompson's layup with 13 seconds remaining in the third put them up 57-56.
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Every three-pointer for UVI seemed to come at big moments, especially in the first half, where the Buccaneers went five-of-eight from deep. Berry won the jump ball tip and Appiah-Kubi opened the game with a three. Twice in the first period, Lovelace helped UVI regain the lead with three-pointers. Her three-pointer in the third quarter gave the Buccaneers a 50-46 lead and she also connected on two threes in the second quarter.
STAT FACTS
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UVI shot almost 50 percent from the field, going 29-of-59, including 7-of-12 (58 percent; season-high) from behind the arc.
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Davis had nine rebounds and eight points. Neal had 10 points and seven boards. Davis and Neal were part of the collective that outrebounded the Bulldogs, 55-36.
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Kashay Bass added eight points and Evans added four as reserves.
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Kadai Green-Tucker led the Bulldogs off the bench with 19 points on 8-of-11 shooting.
UP NEXT
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The Buccaneers and the Bulldogs have squared off twice now with Wilberforce taking the first matchup and UVI winning the second. November 19 represents the rubber match when the Buccaneers will return to Gaston Lewis Gymnasium to try to take the season series. Tip-off is scheduled for 5 p.m. EST.
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After Wilberforce awaits Central State University. UVI plays the Marauders on November 20 at 1 p.m. EST.
