WASHINGTON – It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Gallaudet University and Penn College to play a women's basketball game in the Capital One Arena on the same court used by the Washington Wizards of the National Basketball Association (NBA) here Friday afternoon.
Unfortunately, Gallaudet stumbled in this key United East Conference game and lost 47-37 before a small but supportive crowd of 195.
The two teams were awestruck during warm ups as players took photos and gazed around the 20,000+ seat arena as they prepared for the matinee game as part of the Washington Wizards' Deaf Appreciation Day. Fans who purchased tickets to the Gallaudet-Penn College game got to attend the Wizards vs. Portland Trailblazers game on Friday evening.
The nervousness carried over to the start of the game as both teams only made two field goals apiece and missed a combined 21 shots and committed 12 turnovers. Penn College held a 7-4 lead after the first 10 minutes of play.
The two teams calmed down and got into a better flow in the second quarter as the Wildcats took a 26-18 lead into intermission. During the break, the Gallaudet winter cheerleading squad entertained the fans with their dances and cheers.
Gallaudet (5-14, 5-6 United East) made uncharacteristic mistakes in the game as the buff and blue concluded the game with a 28.8 field goal percentage (15-for-52), the third lowest of the season. The Bison were held to 37 points for the first time in two months when they only scored 36 against Catholic in early December.
Penn College (8-12, 7-4 United East) took advantage of Gallaudet's miscues and turned 20 Bison turnovers into 17 points as the Wildcats outscored the Bison, 21-19, in the second half. The Wildcats also locked down GU junior forward
Cassidy Perry (Frederick, Md.) as she was held to a season-low 11 points.
Sophomore forward
Hannah Puent (Indianapolis, Ind.) matched her career-high with 14 points to led the Bison on the scoresheet. This is the third time in two seasons that Puent has scored 14 points in a game and the second game in a row. Puent grabbed five rebounds, passed out two assists, made two steals and one block.
Perry made a team-high eight rebounds to go with two steals and one block. This is only the second time this season that Perry did not register an assist in a game.
Junior guard
Rajena Guettler (Frederick, Md.) added five points and matched Perry with eight boards and recorded three assists and one steal. GU only got two points from its bench.
Penn College was paced by Aubrey Stetts' 12-point game in 25 minutes played before she fouled out. Lexi Troup added 10 points and seven rebounds while Rachel Teats tallied seven points and nine rebounds as the Wildcats snapped Gallaudet's three-game winning streak.
The Wildcats move up to fourth place in the United East Conference standings with the win as GU drops down to sixth. The trio between Penn College, Lancaster Bible College (11-8, 6-5 United East) and Gallaudet are vying for the fourth and final playoff spot. There are five conference games left for all teams.
UP NEXT
Gallaudet is back in the Field House tomorrow (Saturday, Feb. 4) to take on Penn St.-Abington (6-13, 4-8 United East) in a key conference game at 1 p.m.
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The Gallaudet University women's basketball team take a group photo after the Friday game against Penn College at midcourt in the Capital One Arena, home of the Washington Wizards (NBA).
