Graduate guard Brea Patterson’s 21 points lifted the University of the Virgin Islands (UVI) women’s basketball team to its first victory in a 54-47 win over the Lady Wildcats of Wiley University on Thursday evening at the Elridge Blake Sports and Fitness Center. Patterson’s 21 points led all scorers.
UVI (1-13, 1-9) got off to a slow start and fell 12-2 after the opening tip. Despite the slow start, the Lady Bucs were prepared for the challenge as they would score 10 unanswered points to even things up. The Lady Wildcats pulled slightly ahead of the Lady Bucs, but UVI would battle its way back into the game knotting things up at 18 all.
A steal by Junior guard Mia Davis led to a layup on the end of the floor by Patterson,
giving the lady Buccaneers their first lead of the ball game with 4:03 left in the
half. The Buccaneers would enter halftime with a 24-20 lead.
The Lady Buccaneers opened the second half on a 9-1 run as they looked to assert their
dominance. A three-point shot by freshman guard Ashukamayah Phillips put UVI up 33-21,
the largest lead of the evening. The Lady Wildcats were persistent, though, and clawed
their way back into the game, cutting the deficit to just one point (37-36) early
in the fourth quarter.
However, a three-point basket by sophomore guard Ariana Renault jump-started the Lady Bucs’ offense and allowed them to pull away from their opponents again. A second three-point shot by Renault gave the Lady Bucs a 10-point lead and would serve as the dagger to put the Wildcats away.
As a team, the Lady Buccaneers were able to shine defensively holding Wiley to 21.7% shooting from the field and an ice-cold 0-for-26 from behind the arc. The Buccaneers were also able to force 28 turnovers and score 24 points off of those turnovers.
Mia Davis was the anchor of the defense for the Lady Bucs as she recorded six steals and one block.
For the Lady Wildcats, Minnie Miller scored 12 points.
The Lady Buccaneers will close out their homestand on “High School Day” as the team plays host to Philander Smith University from Little Rock, Arkansas at the Sports and Fitness Center on Saturday, February 3. All local high school students are invited to experience the college atmosphere at UVI. Tip-Off is at 4 p.m. AST.
About UVI Athletics
The University of the Virgin Islands (UVI) is a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and, as of July 1, 2023, competes in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference (GCAC). Entering the 2023-24 season, the Buccaneers will begin their 17th season of athletic competition. As the only Historically Black College or University (HBCU) in the Caribbean, UVI currently sponsors six sports, including men’s and women’s cross country, men’s and women’s basketball, and men’s and women’s outdoor track and field. For more information on UVI Athletics, visit UVIAthletics.com.