WASHINGTON, D.C. – The strong start to the 2010-11 season for the Gallaudet University women's basketball team continued on Saturday at the Field House on the first day of the GU Holiday Tournament. The Bison rolled past Penn St.-York, 83-27, and will face-off against nationally ranked Lebanon Valley College in the tournament championship game on Sunday, November 28, at 4 p.m.
Gallaudet (2-0) won its second straight 56-point plus game to begin the season. The Bison are averaging 92 points a game and a margin of victory of 58 points per game. The statistics will go out the window tomorrow against No. 17 Lebanon Valley as the Bison face their first nationally ranked opponent this season. The Dutchmen (5-0) defeated Medgar Evers College 84-44 in the other women's game on Saturday. The Sunday consolation game will feature Penn St.-York (0-4) against Medgar Evers (0-6) at 2 p.m., as one of the two teams will leave the nation's capital with a win.
All-American Easter Faafiti (Pittsburg, Calif.) paced the Bison with 18 points, nine steals, five rebounds and four assists in only 17 minutes against the Lions. Senior center Nukeitra Hayes (Anderson, Ind.) was a rebound shy of a double-double as she scored 16 points and grabbed nine boards. GU had four players in double digits as sophomore guard Shaquana McDonough (Pembroke, Mass.) and freshman center Shawnese Taylor (Great Mills, Md.) came off the bench to net 14 and 13 points, respectively. McDonough added four rebounds, three assists and two steals while Taylor was a rebound shy of her first collegiate double-double as she tied Hayes with nine rebounds.
Junior guard Andrea Amati (Frederick, Md.) had a nice all-around game as she scored six points, brought down seven rebounds and passed out three assists. Freshman guard Zamica Gage (Washington, D.C.) poured in eight points, three rebounds and made three assists in the win.
Gallaudet outrebounded Penn St.-York 66-23 and received 39 points from its bench. GU also outscored the Lions 68-14 in the paint. Gallaudet scored the game's first 24 points before the Lions got on the board with five minutes before halftime. The Bison took a 38-12 lead into the intermission.
The Bison and the Lions faced each other in the GU Holiday Tournament last season where Gallaudet won 76-38 before it lost to Penn St.-Altoona in the championship 81-66.
GU will be making its third consecutive appearance in the Holiday Tournament championship game where the Bison are currently 0-2 during that time frame. Lebanon Valley last made an appearance in this tournament in 2007 and won the two-day tournament with a 76-59 win over Meredith.