WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Gallaudet University women's basketball team earned its biggest win of the season Saturday before a pink-clad crowd at the Field House as the Bison defeated College of St. Elizabeth, the second-place team in the North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) South Division, 74-63. The Bison, decked out in pink shoelaces and pink head bands, had four players reach double figures in points while two guards had double-doubles on pink day as GU participated in the Women's Basketball Coaches Association "Play 4Kay" initiative to raise awareness for breast cancer.
It was a fast-paced game from the start as both teams traded offensive and defensive possessions as neither gained the upper hand. Gallaudet (6-15, 4-11 NEAC South) held onto a slim 37-36 lead with 14:23 left in regulation before going on an 18-4 scoring run to place the Bison up 15 points to pull away from St. Elizabeth (14-8, 11-4 NEAC South). The Bison used their size advantage and inside game in the second half to force the visiting Screaming Eagles into foul trouble. St. Elizabeth accumulated 25 fouls (18 in the second half) as Gallaudet made 22 of 35 shots from the free-throw line.
Sophomore guard Stephanie Weiss (Wellington, Fla.) paced all scorers with a career-high 19 points (13 points in second half) as she grabbed five rebounds and passed out four assists for the Bison. Weiss was impressive from three-point range as she made 5 of 9 shots. Freshman guard Claire Tucker (Middletown, Md.) had her first collegiate double-double (13 points, 12 rebounds) to go along with a team-high five assists. Sophomore guard Britny Latham (Cleveland, Tenn.) was the other Bison to notch a double-double (15 points, 10 rebounds), her first of the season. GU's inside game had a one-two punch in freshman forwards Arlene Ngalle (Washington, D.C.), who tallied 11 points, and Elena Ciccarelli (Whitesboro, N.Y.), who grabbed a game-high 13 rebounds.
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