Firebirds Fall 86-82 in Barnburner at Bowie State

Video Highlights/Wrapup

BOWIE, MD – Senior guard Erin Senegal had a wide-open look at a three-pointer to tie the game with 15 seconds remaining, but his shot rimmed out as the University of the District of Columbia men's basketball team fell by a final score of 86-82 on the road at crosstown rival Bowie State on Wednesday night.

The longtime Division II HBCU rivals were never separated by more than nine points as this matchup featured seven ties and 10 lead changes. The Bulldogs, who were coming off a 76-72 win over No. 7 nationally-ranked Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) and were ranked No. 2 in the D2SIDA Atlantic Region poll, improved to 3-0 with the win in their season home opener. The Firebirds, meanwhile, fell to 0-3.

UDC was powered offensively by backcourt mates Kasim Chandler and Erin Senegal, who combined for 43 points. Chandler tied for the game-high with 22 points on 6-of-12 FG shooting while adding two assists and a steal, while Senegal knocked down a game-high five three-pointers on his way to a 21-point, three-assist effort. Junior transfer forward Joseph Nickerson continued his solid interior play with a double-double of 17 points, 11 rebounds, four blocks, four assists and three steals.

BSU featured 10 different scorers, including two in double-figures. Forward Jordan Goodman packed the stat sheet with a game-high tying 22 points, game-high seven assists and eight rebounds. Guard Justin Beck added 18 points and seven rebounds, though he turned the ball over seven times to go with just one assist.

The Bulldogs out-shot the Firebirds from the field, 46-percent to 41-percent and from three-point range, 38-percent to 32-percent, and they were the more efficient offense on the night with 17 assists and 15 turnovers compared to UDC's 10 assists and 18 turnovers. Bowie State also edged UDC, 39-38 in rebounds.

A see-saw battle right from the start, the Firebirds were first to gain separation as they used an 8-0 run over a two-minute span to extend a 13-12 lead to a 21-12 lead – the largest lead held by either team all night. Still up 27-19 after a Jayone Troutman jumper nearing the nine-minute mark, UDC allowed the Bulldogs on a 12-3 march over the next four minutes, and Bowie State briefly pulled in front, 31-30 near the five-minute mark.

The sparring continued to heat up between the two rivals as the Firebirds and Bulldogs traded three-pointers – Nickerson knocking down one and Senegal a pair for UDC, and Goodman burying two from long-range for BSU – but two Nickerson layups and a free-throw were the difference as the Firebirds claimed a 44-39 advantage at the 3-minute mark. Still, the Bulldogs clawed and scrapped to stay in the game, out-scoring UDC 8-3 in the final three-minutes to force a 47-all tie at the break.

With momentum on their side, the Bulldogs opene the 2^nd half on an 8-2 surge, culminating in a Beck layup a little over two minutes into the action. But following a timeout called by Head Coach Mike Riley, the Firebirds regrouped and stormed out to a 14-2 run over the next five minutes. Senior forward Geran Pope came off the bench to register two layups and Chandler added five points during that stretch to give UDC a 63-57 lead at the 12:33 mark.

Still a six-point Firebirds lead (71-65) approaching eight minutes, the Bulldogs used a methodical 15-4 run over the next five minutes, making 5-of-6 free-throws and using back-to-back three-pointers by Goodman and Beck to propel BSU to a 80-75 lead with 3:45 to play. A three-pointer by Senegal would stop the bleeding, and a pair of Chandler free-throws forced the game's 7^th and final tie at the 2:45 mark.

On the next two Bulldogs possessions, the Firebirds were whistled for fouls, as they turned the ball over on their offensive possession in between. BSU's Michael Briscoe and Goodman each sunk a pair to extend the Bulldogs' lead to 84-80 with 1:31 showing on the clock. Chandler sliced the lead in half with a driving layup at the 56-second mark, but the Firebirds failed to secure a rebound on the ensuing BSU possession, and were forced to foul again with only 24 ticks left. Beck missed the first, but made the 2^nd to make it a three-point game, 85-82.

Chandler worked the ball up the floor and found an open Senegal for a spot-up three, but his shot rimmed out and bounced out of bounds to give BSU possession. Briscoe went on to ice the win with a 1-of-2 trip at the line, as Bowie State prevailed with an 86-82 victory.

Next up, the Firebirds visit non-conference foe Nyack College on Saturday, November 21^st at 3 p.m.