WASHINGTON - It was a celebratory evening in the Field House on Gallaudet University's campus as the women's basketball program honored its senior class and completed the regular season with a 65-47 win over Penn College in a United East game.

Senior forward Cassidy Perry (Frederick, Md.) continues to add to her legendary career as she finished the game with 14 points, 11 rebounds, seven assists, four steals and two blocks. In the process, Perry surpassed 1,700 career points as she remains No. 3 all-time in school history for scoring and No. 2 for rebounds (1,050). This was Perry's 14th double-double. Perry, who is normally doubled or tripled team down in the post and plays aggressively, had a more impressive stat as she finished the game with no personal fouls. It is the first time in 38 games that Perry had zero personal fouls and only the fourth time in her career history out of 96 games.

Penn College (6-19, 2-10 United East) started the game with five 3-pointers made out of nine shots in the first quarter as the Wildcats hung around with the Bison. 

Gallaudet (17-8, 10-2 United East) broke the game open in the second quarter as the Bison added to their 18-16 lead. GU scored the first seven points of the second quarter as the Troup sisters on the Wildcats kept making 3-point shots to keep things close for awhile. GU created some distance with a 12-2 run to close things out over the final four minutes and 15 seconds as the host took a 46-26 lead into intermission.

Penn College scored seven points off five Bison turnovers in the third quarter as the Wildcats made 6 of 13 shots (46.2 percent) from the field and outscored the Bison, 15-7, to cut into the 20-point lead. 

GU doubled up Penn College in the fourth, 12-6, to secure the program's 17th win for the first time since the 2018-19 season.

First year Cam Lexow (Abington, Pa.) was the other Bison in double figures for points with 13 to go with five assists, four steals and two blocks. Senior guard Rajena Guettler (Frederick, Md.) had a game-high 12 rebounds and tallied eight points, three assists and three steals. Junior guard Claire Ruiz-Tucker (Frederick, Md.) matched Guettler with eight points and tied a game-high with four steals. Sophomore guard Olivia Brown (Miami, Fla.) led the Bison bench with nine points and seven rebounds.

The Bison received balance scoring as nine players recorded two or more points in the win. 

Penn College was paced by Rachel Teats with 17 points while Allie and Lexi Troup finished with nine points each.

BISON TRACKS

• GU Athletics recognized Black History Night with special Black History Month t-shirts handed out before and during the game. Plus, slides were projected on the jumbotron of former black basketball players who starred for Gallaudet teams in the past.
• The department also held its Faculty Appreciation Night, which included recognizing the names of dozens of GU faculty members on the jumbotron. The faculty members were invited by the Bison basketball teams as a thank you for making a difference in the classroom and were invited by the basketball teams to the game.
• After the game, the women's basketball program recognized Faculty Athletics Mentor Felicia Williams with a Faculty Appreciation Award
• The team also recognized its senior class in Perry, Ashley Harlicker (Shenandoah, Texas) who graduated in December, and two student interns in Tilde Edington and Asheli Kleckley

UP NEXT
Gallaudet is the No. 2 seed in the upcoming United East-Volt Division tournament. The Bison receive a first round bye and will not play this Saturday afternoon. Instead the Bison will host a Volt Division semifinal game on Monday, Feb. 19, against the highest remaining seed. The game time will be announced this weekend after the completion of the first round.