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GU rolls past Hood by 18, first win over the Blazers since 1996-97 season

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The last time Gallaudet University defeated Hood College in a women's basketball game the current Bison roster was either in kindergarten or early stages of grade school. In what is turning into a special season for the Bison another long losing streak came to an end on Wednesday night as Gallaudet defeated Hood 70-52 at home. The victory over the Blazers is the first for GU since the 1996-97 season.

Gallaudet (9-4, 4-2 CAC) improves to 8-1 at home this season. The Buff and Blue are 8-2 in the last 10 games, the second best mark in the league over that span. The Bison sit in third-place in the conference standings as their overall win and conference win totals are the most since the 1999-2000 season when the Bison finished tied for second in the CAC with a 9-5 mark and 14-12 overall record.

Junior forward Easter Faafiti (Pittsburg, Calif.) recorded her eighth double-double of the season in the first half as she scored 17 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in 18 minutes of action. She ended the game with a new career-high mark of 27 points to go with 13 rebounds, five steals and three assists. Faafiti, the reigning CAC Player of the Week, was nearly perfect from the field as she shot 11-of-12 and only missed one shot in the first half.

Fellow junior Nukeitra Hayes (Anderson, Ind.) added 14 points, six rebounds and made a season-high four blocks. Freshman guard Shaquana McDonough (Pembroke, Mass.) was the third Bison to reach double figures as she recorded 11 points to go with four rebounds and four assists. Gallaudet led from start to finish in the game. The Bison took a 37-20 lead into halftime.

This is only the second time Gallaudet has beaten Hood (3-10, 0-6 CAC) in the series history where the Blazers hold a 5-2 advantage. The two teams haven't played each other every year but for the past two seasons the Blazers have been a part of the CAC and have faced Gallaudet twice each year. Needless to say this is the first time the Bison have beaten Hood since they joined the CAC. Gallaudet beat Hood 100-53 on November 26, 1996.

The Bison will look for their 10th win of the season on Saturday, January 16, when Gallaudet travels to face CAC foe St. Mary's (Md.) College (2-11, 1-4 CAC) for a 2 p.m. contest.