Washington, D.C. (December 30) -- On day two of the D.C. Winter Classic, the Assumption women's basketball team pulled away in the second half for a 50-39 victory over the University of the District Columbia Firebirds in regional action at the UDC Gymnasium on Sunday afternoon. Assumption is currently receiving votes in the latest USA Today Sports Division II National Top 25 Poll.

Over the opening half, neither led by more than five points as the Firebirds held a five-point edge at 21-16 with 6:28 left in the period. Assumption answered with a 7-2 run, capped by a three-pointer from junior Shannon Ray (Yonkers, N.Y./Ursuline Academy), to tie the game up at 23-23 with 3:30 remaining. The Firebirds took the 25-23 lead into the halftime break as Tatyana Calhoun scored with 1:19 left in the first half. UDC took advantage of 12 Assumption turnovers in the period, converting them into 16 of their 25 first-half points.

In a slow- moving opening minutes of the second period, Assumption jumped out to its biggest lead of the game to that point at 32-27 after a free throw from senior Sabrina Siciliano (Fairfield, Conn./Fairfield-Warde) with 13:33 left. The Hounds kept the pedal down on the offensive end though and with 8:36 remaining, the lead pushed into double digits for the first time at 40-29 after a Siciliano jumper in the paint. Assumption led by as many as 13 points at 44-31 before a quick 5-0 run got the hosts back to within eight with under four minutes left. Julissa Anderson added a second three from the top of the key with 3:22 remaining to keep the pressure on with just a 44-39 lead for the Hounds. Prior to the pair of threes, the Hounds had held the Firebirds to just four points over a stretch of nearly 10 minutes. Five points was as close as the Firebirds would inch though as Assumption came away with the 11-point victory to earn a split on the weekend.

In the first-ever meeting between the two schools, senior Gabrielle Gibson (Amityville, N.Y./Copiague) led the Hounds with 16 points.

Siciliano was named to the D.C. Winter Classic All-Tournament Team for her performance over the weekend as she averaged a double-double.

With the win, Assumption improves to 9-2 overall, while the Firebirds drop to .500 at 6-6 on the season.

Assumption is now idle until January 9th when the Hounds will host No. 2 ranked Bentley for a 5:30 p.m. start at Laska Gym.

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