Women's Basketball

Complete Game Notes

Game 19
Howard (8-10, 4-3 MEAC) at Md. Eastern Shore (7-9, 4-2 MEAC)

Date: Saturday, January 30
Place: Hytche Athletic Center, Princess Anne, Md.
Series: Howard leads 50-13
Live Video: www.broadcastmonsters.com/UMES/Video/UMES.asx
Live Audio: broadcastmonsters.com/UMES/WBasketball/UMES013010.asx
Live Stats: http://www.umeshawks.com/gametracker/launch/gt_wbaskbl.html?event=815974&school=mdes&sport=wbaskbl&camefrom=&startschool=&
Radio: 540 WGOP AM

The Game
Howard enters Saturday's contest with an 8-10 (4-3 MEAC) mark. HU was downed Bethune-Cookman, 48-47 on Jan. 25 while Maryland Eastern Shore (7-9, 4-2 MEAC) defeated N.C. Central, 63-43 on Wednesday. The Hawks dropped its last MEAC decision to Morgan State, 65-51 on Monday.

Junior Zykia Brown had a game-high 20 points in the loss to the Lady Wildcats while freshman Saaida Doyle had her 12^th double-double of the year with 10 points and 14 rebounds.  

April McBride (24 points, 11 rebounds) and Chelsea Sanders (16 points, 10 rebounds) paced Maryland Eastern Shore in the loss to the Bears.

Scouting Maryland Eastern Shore
Maryland Eastern Shore is 7-9 (4-2 MEAC) with conference wins over South Carolina State, Coppin State and Florida A&M. April McBride is averaging 16.0 points per game while Chelsea Sanders (11.3 ppg) and Casey Morton (10.9 ppg) round out the scoring for the Lady Hawks. McBride is tops on the team with 8.6 rebounds per game.

Maryland Eastern Shore is coached by Fred Batchelor, who is in his 6^th season at UMES. He has a 133-121 record in 11 years as a head coach.

Last Time Out
Zykia Brown scored a game-high 20 points and Saadia Doyle recorded her 12^th double-double (10 points and 14 rebounds) of the season, but a combination of missed opportunities and turnovers proved to be too much to overcome as Bethune-Cookman (8-10 overall, 4-3 in the MEAC) edged Howard, 48-47 in a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference women's game at Burr Gymnasium.

The Lady Bison (8-10 overall, 4-3 in the MEAC) were coming off a close, hard-fought 69-68 overtime win over Florida A&M University on Saturday and were inspired by the return of their leader and leading scorer, Brown, who had missed the game with an ankle injury.

The 5-8 junior guard got Howard off to a good start by scoring 15 of her team's first half points.  But BC-U matched the Lady Bison as they hung tough to trail 26-24 at intermission.

In the second half, Howard had several opportunities to build a cushion, but each time they attempted to put some distance between them and the visitors, turnovers and missed easy shots allowed Bethune-Cookman to stay within striking distance.

The key point in the game may have come with a little under four minutes left in the game when Howard took a 47-44 lead on a Doyle basket.  Following that field goal, the Lady Bison had three straight possessions, but failed to capitalize by missing two uncontested layups and turning the ball over on a fast break opportunity.

Freshman Sensation
Freshman Saadia Doyle (5-11, F) has posted double-doubles in 12 of 18 games this season, a feat that puts her 6th in the NCAA rankings at press time. The Atlanta, Ga. native is averaging 16.2 points and 11.5 rebounds per outing and was named the MEAC Rookie of the Week four times this season. A warrior on the boards, Doyle's rebounds per game total ranks 6^th highest in the NCAA. Her 22 rebounds vs. Coppin State is the sixtth highest total in the NCAA this season. Doyle also ranks top-60 in the nation in field goal percentage (50.0 FG %, 52^nd) and top-100 in points per game (16.2 ppg, 93^rd).

Weekly Honors
Zykia Brown was named the MEAC Player of the Week on Dec. 14 after posting 23 points and nine rebounds against George Mason. Saadia Doyle was named the MEAC Rookie of the Week four times this season (Dec. 17, Dec. 21, Dec. 30 and Jan. 25).

Brown Nets 1,000 Points
Zykia Brown joined the 1,000 club in the Bison's win over Norfolk State on Jan. 18. She was the 15^th player in women's basketball history to accomplish that feat.

Twin Towers
Freshmen Nicole Deterville (6-1, F/C) and Portia Deterville (6-1, F/C) are the first set of twins to play under the Coach G era. Nicole and Portia join teammate Amanda Edwards (6-0, F) from Toronto, Canada and are mainstays in the Bison frontcourt. 

Get ‘Em Next Year
Newcomers Jerelle Gorham (Durham, N.C./Hillside H.S.) and Cabria Johnson (Upper Marlboro, Md./Elizabeth Seton H.S.) will sit out the 2009-10 season.  Gorham is a 5-8 guard and Johnson is a 5-11 forward.

Up Next
The Lady Bison travel to Delaware State on Monday, Feb. 1. Game time against the Lady Hornets is slated for 5:30 p.m. at Memorial Hall.