Virginia State Dominates UDC with Fast Breaks and Strong Defense

Ettrick, VA – The Virginia State University (VSU) Women's Basketball team earned an 85-71 victory over the University of the District of Columbia (UDC) Firebirds on Sunday, November 24, 2024. The Trojans' fast-paced transition offense and aggressive defense were the keys to the win as they controlled the tempo throughout the game.
 
The game began with both teams struggling with turnovers. UDC's Kristian Harris missed an early layup, and Virginia State capitalized by securing the rebound and pushing the ball down the court. Early in the game, both teams committed turnovers, including Harris and VSU's Tiyanna James, which led to steals for both sides.
Virginia State's Amesha Miller put the Trojans on the board first, sinking two free throws at the 9:30 mark, giving VSU an early 2-0 lead. Meanwhile, UDC's Jada Bouknight and Nia Ford struggled to find their rhythm in the paint, missing opportunities to score early.

As the game progressed, Virginia State's defense began to take over. Mihjae Hayes was particularly effective, contributing steals and key defensive rebounds. One of her steals led to a fast-break layup, increasing Virginia State's lead to 6 points midway through the first half. The team's depth, especially the contributions from Kweti and Spearman off the bench, allowed them to maintain momentum.
By the second quarter, Virginia State had extended their lead to 27-10, capitalizing on UDC's turnovers and converting fast-break opportunities. Kweti and Miller were particularly effective in the paint, making strong moves to the basket and collecting offensive rebounds, which helped push the lead to 30-10 as the first half wound down.
Coming out of the break, Carmen Kweti continued her dominant performance, grabbing offensive rebounds and scoring key tip-ins. Miller also stepped up, adding crucial free throws and layups to keep the Trojans' lead growing. Despite some missed opportunities early in the second half, Virginia State responded quickly to maintain control.
For UDC, Kristian Harris and Jada Bouknight had opportunities but struggled to convert, unable to get past Virginia State's tough defense. Tiyanna James and Mihjae Hayes also faced difficulties generating offense, and the Firebirds struggled to get into a rhythm, often forced into difficult shots.

Although down by a significant margin, UDC showed resilience with some late-game three-pointers. Laci Johnson nailed a fast-break three-pointer at the 9:23 mark of the second half, cutting the lead to 60-37. Nia Ford followed with a deep three-pointer later, narrowing the deficit to 76-56. Kensley Benjamin added some important layups, but Virginia State responded each time to keep the Firebirds from making a serious comeback.

In the final minutes, Virginia State's depth proved decisive. The team's ability to rotate fresh players kept the pressure on UDC offensively and defensively. Spearman added a crucial layup in the late stages, while Benjamin and Johnson continued to fight for UDC but were unable to close the gap. Virginia State's defense, led by Hayes, remained stout, contributing key steals and rebounds to keep the Firebirds at bay. With several players contributing offensively and excellent free-throw shooting to close the game, Virginia State secured the victory.

Virginia State's defensive dominance and efficient transition play were the major factors in their 85-71 victory. The Trojans dictated the tempo from start to finish, with Miller, Kweti, and Hayes stepping up in key moments. While UDC showed some fight, their inability to convert on opportunities and Virginia State's depth proved too much to overcome.