Homecoming not enough to propel UDC past Mansfield, lose 82-68

Washington, DC: November 20, 2010 – In a back-and-forth game the UDC Firebirds (0-4) came up on the short-end of an 82-68 loss to the Mansfield University Mountaineers (3-0) on homecoming weekend 2010.

Leading the way for the Firebirds in the loss were junior guard David Sanders (Information Technology – Upper Marlboro, MD), and junior guard Brandon Herbert (Sociology – Baltimore, MD), each with 16 points. Also in double figures were freshman forward Ziad Ashmawy (Political Science – Cairo, Egypt) with 13 points, and senior guard Tim Ellison (Mass Media – Alexandria, VA) with 10 points.

As a team the Firebirds shot 43.6% from the field and 57.1% from three-point range for the game. The Mountaineers shot 46.9% from the field and 25% from beyond the arc.

Mansfield began the game on a 10-0 run, and opened up a 21-5 lead before seven minutes had gone by in the first half. Then, UDC started to come back thanks to a 17-6 run fueled by three-pointers from Ellison, Herbert, and Sanders. The Firebirds cut the Mountaineers lead to one with 5:54 to go in the first half on a lay-up by Herbert, and eventually took the lead on a jumper by Ellison with 2:40 remaining.

Despite stretching their lead to nine points in the second half, however, the Firebirds could not hold on as they were outscored 44-26 in the final period. Senior forward Yuseff Carr and senior guard Derrison Anthony each had 19 points to pace the Mountaineers, who won for the second time in as many years against the Firebirds. The two teams match up again in Pennsylvania on December 9.

Next up for the Firebirds is a trip to Florida to face Tampa on Tuesday, November 23, at 7:00pm. The Firebirds return home Monday, November 29, against Clarion.