WASHINGTON, D.C. - For the first time in 10 years the Gallaudet University women's basketball team will end the season with a winning record. The Bison secured the feat on Saturday afternoon with a 71-57 non-conference win over Trinity (D.C.) University to conclude the regular-season with a 14-11 overall record. Gallaudet last had a winning record during the 1999-00 season where the Bison finished with a 14-12 mark. In fact, the 14 wins are more then the last three years combined for GU.

Gallaudet will next compete in the Capital Athletic Conference tournament for the first time since the 2006-07 season, the last year of the old playoff format when the conference still had eight teams and all teams made the tournament. The Bison had their ticket punched to the CAC tournament thanks to a 81-53 win by University of Mary Washington over Salisbury University on Saturday. The official pairings of the tournament, that begins on Tuesday, February 26, will be announced on Sunday.

Junior center Easter Faafiti (Pittsburg, Calif.) recorded her 15th double-double of the season as she scored 25 points and grabbed 16 rebounds against Trinity (6-8). This is the ninth time this year that Faafiti has scored 20 or more points in a game and the fifth time she has ripped down 15 or more rebounds. Fellow junior Nukeitra Hayes (Anderson, Ind.) reached 20 points against the Tigers and nearly had a double-double of her own as she recorded nine rebounds. Hayes also led the team with five assists, three steals and two blocks.

GU had two other players reach double digits in the win as freshman Ann Whited (Fishers, Ind.) scored 12 points and six rebounds and freshman Maddie Morgan (Wilmington, Del.) added 10 points and four assists.

Trinity had three players in double figures led by Bree Martin and Ashley Brown, who both netted 15 points apiece. Brown scored all 15 of her points from three-point range as she drained 5-of-12 attempts before she fouled out of the game. Thamar Polynice chipped in 10 points to go with nine assists and five steals in the loss.

GU led for the majority of the game after the two teams traded leads early on in the first half. The Bison seized the lead for good at the 13:18 mark in the opening half on a bucket made by Whited. Gallaudet broke open the game and took an 11-point lead into halftime up 36-25.

The Tigers closely contested the second half but Trinity couldn't get back the lead from the Bison. Trinity pulled to within seven points, 63-56, with less than four minutes left in the game but Gallaudet closed out the game on an 8-1 run.

Gallaudet shot 47.5 percent from the field (29-for-61) but were 0-for-7 from three-points range. The Bison defense held Trinity to a 33.9 shooting percentage from the field (21-for-62). GU outrebounded Trinity 44-33. The Bison were a force down low behind Faafiti and Hayes as Gallaudet netted 48 points in the paint. Trinity's bench outscored Gallaudet, 11-1.

The Bison will hit the road for the CAC tournament on Tuesday, February 26, with team, site and time to be determined. Please check back on www.gallaudetathletics.com for the official announcement of the upcoming CAC tournament.

NOTES: Before the start of today's last home game for the Bison, the program paid tribute to its seniors on "Senior Day". Senior forward Brittainy Payne (Pine Hill, N.J.), who has been sidelined with a hand injury for the majority of the season, was honored along with student manager Tova Pitler and graduate assistant coach Bridget Catanese. Payne currently has 739 points, 754 rebounds, 192 assists, 97 steals and 74 blocks in her four-year career at Kendall Green.