Bison remain dominate at home with a 35-point rout of Medgar Evers

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Two days after its worst shooting performance of the season the Gallaudet University women's basketball team bounced back with a 69-34 rout against non-conference opponent Medgar Evers College on Monday evening at the Field House. The Bison shot 48.4 percent from the field (31-for-64), third-best percentage this season, as Gallaudet posted its third biggest margin of victory this year.

Gallaudet (8-4) scored the game's first eight points in the opening minutes and never looked back. Medgar Evers (5-8) answered with a three-pointer from Shantee Goggins (10 points, 10 rebounds) but the Bison ripped off 13 unanswered to take a 21-3 lead at the 12:55 mark. Gallaudet waltzed into halftime up 46-19. The first half point total tied a season best for Gallaudet set back at the start of the season against Hollins on November 15, 2009.

Junior forward Easter Faafiti (Pittsburg, Calif.), three-time Capital Athletic Conference Player of the Week, reached her season average as she scored 19 points in 15 minutes of action in the first half. She logged four minutes in the second half as she finished with a game-high 19 points, four assists and two steals.

Freshman Shaquana McDonough (Pembroke, Mass.) scored a lot of fast-break points for the Bison in the second half as she netted 15 points to go with four steals, four rebounds and three assists. Junior Nukeitra Hayes (Anderson, Ind.) was the third Bison to reach double digits as she scored 12 points to go with six rebounds. For the seventh straight game she led the Buff and Blue in blocked shots. Hayes made three blocks to give her seven in the past three games and 18 for the season. She also made a game-high five steals.

A key to Gallaudet's success was the lack of turnovers (eight total) and personal fouls (eight), both tie the season low marks for the Bison. GU was also generous with the basketball as the team passed out 15 assists, second most this season, and aggressive on defense with 18 steals, third most this season. Gallaudet outscored Medgar Evers 50-10 in the paint as the Bison scored 30 of them in the first half. GU also made 20 points on fast breaks. The Bison played all 11 players in uniform during the game as several new faces got valuable game experience. Gallaudet is now 7-1 at the Field House this season.

The Cougars committed 29 turnovers where the Bison capitalized and turned those turnovers into 35 points. Medgar Evers was limited to 26.8 percent shooting from the field (15-for-56). Cougar Tiffany Thompson recorded the team's other double-double as she scored a team-best 14 points to go with 14 rebounds and made a game-high seven blocks.

Gallaudet continues its busy stretch of the season as the Bison will suit up for their fifth straight game in 11 days on Wednesday, January 13, as they welcome CAC foe Hood College to the Field House for a 6 p.m. game.