Double-Double Effort from Todd Highlights Firebirds’ Battle at Queens

Flushing, N.Y. — The University of the District of Columbia women's basketball team dropped a hard-fought 67–57 decision to Queens College on Saturday afternoon at Fitzgerald Gymnasium. The Firebirds kept pace early but were outscored in the third quarter as the Knights pulled away in the East Coast Conference contest.

UDC led 15–13 after the opening quarter and trailed by just two at halftime, 24–22, before Queens used a 24-point third quarter to create separation.

Le'Asia Todd led the Firebirds with 16 points on 7-of-12 shooting, while pulling down a team-high 10 rebounds and adding three blocks in the effort. Nhaikyia Smith added 13 points, knocking down three shots from beyond the arc, while Calista Gaymon and Maya Johnson each chipped in seven points off the bench.

UDC forced 33 turnovers, converting them into 29 points, and held Queens to just 18.2 percent shooting from three-point range. The Firebirds also finished with an 81.8 percent mark from the free-throw line, going 9-of-11 at the stripe.

Queens was led by Chinyere Ukaegbu's 21 points and Nkiru Awaka's double-double performance, as the Knights shot 45.8 percent from the field for the game.

The Firebirds will return home next weekend, hosting Daemen on Friday before welcoming D'Youville on Sunday in continued East Coast Conference action.