Firebirds battle to the finish in conference opener against Spartans

WASHINGTON, DC – The University of the District of Columbia Men's Basketball team went toe-to-toe with St. Thomas Aquinas College in a tightly contested ECC opener Wednesday night, but the Spartans outlasted the Firebirds 71-67 at the EB Henderson Sports Complex.

UDC came out firing and held a one-point edge at halftime, 29–28. The Firebirds shot 38.0% from the field and 40.0% from behind the arc, while knocking down an efficient 80.6% from the free-throw line — their best performance at the stripe this season.

Ty Williams sparked the Firebirds off the bench, delivering a team-high 16 points on 5-of-8 shooting, including a clutch triple late in the contest. Williams also contributed two steals and an assist in 25 high-energy minutes.

Michael Harrell made his presence felt with 12 points and a team-leading 6 rebounds, while Kevon Corley added 7 points and 5 rebounds. Oliver Spence added 8 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 blocks off the bench. David Pope rounded out the double-figure scorers with 13 points, going 4-of-6 from the field and 1-of-2 from deep.

Defensively, the Firebirds forced 15 Spartan turnovers and recorded 10 steals, generating several key transition opportunities. However, STAC's late free-throw efficiency and a 45–38 rebounding advantage allowed the visitors to escape with the road win.

UDC continues ECC play on Saturday as the Firebirds travel to Mercy University for another conference doubleheader.