Complete Game Notes

Game 16
Howard (6-9, 2-2 MEAC) at Norfolk State (2-10, 0-4 MEAC)

Date: Monday, January 18
Place: Echols Hall, Norfolk, Va.
Series: Howard leads 22-9
Live Stats: http://www.sidearmstats.com/nsu/wbball/index.htm
Live Stats: http://nsu-media.nsu.edu/wnsb/

The Game
Howard enters Monday's contest with a 6-9 (2-2 MEAC) mark. The Lady Bison were downed by North Carolina A&T 79-69 on Jan. 16 while Norfolk State (2-10, 0-4 MEAC) dropped a 63-59 OT decision to Hampton in its last time out on Saturday.

Freshman Saadia Doyle had a game-high 29 points and 14 rebounds versus the Aggies while Zykia Brown chipped in 15 points, four steals and three assists. Portia Deterville added nine points and eight rebounds off the bench and Kara Smith contributed eight points.

Tyisha Bridges (15 points) and Whitney Long (14 points) paced Norfolk State in the loss to the Pirates.

Probable Starters  

Scouting Norfolk State
Norfolk State is 2-10 with wins over St. Paul's and Savannah State. Whitney Long is averaging 11.6 points per game while Batavia Owens is tops on the team with 4.7 rebounds per game.

The Spartans are coached by Debra Clark, who is in her 1^st season as interim head coach. She has a 211-194 record in 14 years as a head coach.

Last Time Out
Howard cut a 19-point deficit down to one with 13:17 remaining in the second half, but it was not enough as North Carolina A&T (NCAT) held off HU, 79-69 Saturday afternoon at Corbett Sports Center.

Charae' Baulkman's basket with 19:24 remaining in the second half keyed a 17-6 Bison run over the next six minutes. Saadia Doyle (seven points), Portia Deterville (four points) and Jalisa Pullins combined for 15 of Howard's 17 points during the spurt as HU slowly trimmed the Aggie lead down to single digits.

Deterville hit a pair of free-throws to close the deficit to 48-47 with 13:17 remaining and the Bison seemed poised to take its first lead of the game, but NCAT rattled off four straight points for the five-point lead at 11:37.

The Aggies (9-7, 4-0 MEAC) pushed the lead back to double-digits on a jumper by Lamona Smalley with 7:26 remaining. Ta'Wauna Cook, who scored 18 of her 29 points in the first half, hit a basket and the NCAT advantage ballooned to 13 with under four minutes left.

Howard (6-9, 2-2 MEAC) inked nine of its final 10 free-throws, but they would get no closer than nine as the Aggies held on for the 10-point win.

Doyle paced the Bison with 29 points and 14 points, her 10th double-double of the year. Zykia Brown contributed 15 points, four steals and three assists while Deterville had career highs in points (nine) and rebounds (eight). Kara Smith added eight points in 15 minutes off the bench.

Jaleesa Sams had 17 points and 15 rebounds for North Carolina A&T. Smalley chipped in 15 points and three assists.

Freshman Sensation
Freshman Saadia Doyle (5-11, F) has posted double-doubles in 10 of 15 games this season, a feat that puts her 5th in the NCAA rankings at press time. The Atlanta, Ga. native is averaging 16.5 points and 11.8 rebounds per outing and was named the MEAC Rookie of the Week three times this season. A warrior on the boards, her 11.8 rebounds per game ranks 5^th highest in the NCAA. Her 22 rebounds vs. Coppin State is the fifth highest total in the NCAA this season.

Countdown to 1,000 Point Club
Zykia Brown is seven points away from joining the 1,000 club. She would be the 15^th player in women's basketball history to accomplish that feat.

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 three times this season (Dec. 17, Dec. 21 and Dec. 30).

A Turnaround
The Lady Bison are off to their best start since the 2005-06 season. Howard picked up four non-conference wins this year, the most by a Lady Bison squad in four years.

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. 

Bison Ink Eight for 2009-10
Howard is one of the youngest squads in the nation with eight freshmen. Cheyenne Curley-Payne, Kara Smith, Cabria Johnson, Jerelle Gorham, Tamoria Holmes, Julee' O'Neal, Portia Deterville and Nicole Deterville were all welcomed to the Mecca this year.

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. Sophomore India Bradford suffered a season-ending knee injury against Central Michigan on Dec. 19 and will rejoin the Bison in 2010-11.