The University of the Virgin Islands (UVI) Lady Buccaneer basketball team dropped the final game of their four-game homestand in a 64-42 loss to the Lady Panthers of Philander Smith University (PSU) on Saturday afternoon at the Elridge Blake Sports and Fitness Center.
UVI (1-14, 1-10 GCAC) fell behind early as PSU opened with a 13-3 lead at the midway point of the first period. Despite the slow start, the Lady Bucs would find their groove offensively as they closed the quarter on an 8-2 run to cut the deficit to four points, 15-11.
In the second quarter, the Lady Panthers began to pull away as they extended their
lead back to 10 points (21-11). However, the Lady Bucs responded with a 10-2 run of
their own. Back-to-back baskets by graduate guard Brea Patterson brought the Lady
Bucs within two points as they trailed 23-21. Seven unanswered points by the Lady
Panthers gave the team breathing room as they entered halftime leading 28-21.
The game got away from UVI in the second half as turnovers hindered the team. The
Lady Panthers were able to take advantage of the Lady Bucs’ mishaps as they built
on their lead and would ultimately cruise to victory.
Freshman guard Ashukamayah Phillips led the way for UVI offensively as she scored 11 points, making this her 10th double-digit performance on the season.
Defensively, the Lady Buccaneers were led by Patterson and junior forward Kashay Bass as they recorded four steals and 11 rebounds, respectively.
For the Lady Panthers, Dasia Turner scored 20 points.
The Lady Buccaneers will play their next three games on the road at Fisk University, Oakwood University, and Wiley University on February 8, 10, and 12, respectively, before returning home to the Sports and Fitness Center to close out the regular season. All three matchups can be seen on Channel 120 of the HBCU+ app.
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.