BUFFALO, N.Y. – Back home in conference action, the D'Youville University men's basketball team fell to the University of the District of Columbia Friday evening by the score of 72-63 Friday evening.
 
The Saints (5-10, 2-2 ECC) were led by Trayton Trice (Romeoville, Ill.) and Chase Jenkins (Titusville, Fla.) with 16 points each while Noah Hutchins (Buffalo, N.Y.) scored 10 points and grabbed eight boards.
 
The Firebirds jumped out to a quick 6-0 lead until Jenkins halted the run. DYU kept battling back and took their first lead of the game as Trice knocked down a pair free throws to take the 11-10 lead with 13:11 remaining in the half. UDC was able to regain the momentum, going on an 11-4 run to lead 21-14.
 
The Saints kept battling and chipped away at the Firebird lead, getting it back with 4:24 left before the break as Trice found the easy basket off the feed from Mason Putnam (Prattsburg, N.Y.). UDC were able to fend off DYU but the Saints scored the final six points of the half to take the 35-32 lead into the break. Renard Fontes-Jules (Brockton, Mass.) had a big hand in retaking the lead, starting with the and-one conversion and a pair of made free throws.
 
The Firebirds came out to get the lead back two minutes into the second half as Micah Campbell knocked down a three-pointer. Jenkins answered with a three of his own off the dish from Hutchins. Jenkins banged another jumper and Trice added a layup to put DYU up 44-38 with 14:19 left in regulation.
 
UDC had their own spurt of offense to take back the lead, scoring seven unanswered to go up 45-44. D'Youville tried to answer back but UDC extended their lead to five points at the 10 minute of the second half.
 
The Saints had one last effort to get in the game as they erased that five-point deficit by going on a 6-1 run that was started by Bryson Birdsong (Winter Haven, Fla.) and capped off by Luke Theisen (Lake View, N.Y.) to make it 52-52.
 
UDC scored the next seven points of the game and were able to hold on to get the win over the final five minutes.
 
DYU went 23-for-69 (33.3 percent) from the field and 12-for-17 (70.6 percent) from the free throw line. The Firebirds went 26-for-56 (46.4 percent) from the floor and 18-for-30 (60 percent) from charity stripe.
 
UDC had the advantage on the glass, grabbing 42 boards to the Saints' 39 boards.
 
With Sunday's game against the College of Staten Island being postponed, the Saints will be back in action on Friday, January 19th, as they travel to Mercy University at 7:00 p.m.