Complete Game Notes

Game 21
Howard (10-10, 6-3 MEAC) at Winston-Salem State (2-19)

Date: Saturday, February 6
Place: C.E. Gaines Center, Winston-Salem, N.C.
Series: Series tied 2-2
Live Stats: www.wssurams.com
Live Audio: www.ClassicSportsRadio.com  
Radio: WPET 950 AM

The Game
Howard enters Saturday's contest with a 10-10 (6-3 MEAC) mark. HU defeated Delaware State, 48-44 on Feb. 1 while Winston-Salem State (2-19) was downed by Bethune-Cookman, 74-40 on Monday.

Junior Zykia Brown had a game-high 12 points the win over the Lady Hornets. Freshmen Kara Smith and Portia Deterville added 10 points apiece while Saadia Doyle contributed nine points and seven rebounds.

Nikki Kee (17 points) paced Winston-Salem State in the loss to the Lady Wildcats.

Scouting Winston-Salem State
Winston-Salem State is 2-19 with wins over Lipscomb and Presbyterian. Vontisha Woods is averaging 10.7 points per game while Rene Rector (9.3 ppg) Talnesha Kee (7.7 ppg) and MaLisa Bumpus (7.1 ppg) round out the scoring for the Lady Rams. Woods is tops on the team with 8.2 rebounds per game.

Winston-Salem State is coached by Dee Stokes, who is in her 5^th season at WSSU. She has a 68-141 record in seven years as a head coach.

Last Time Out
Howard had three players in double-figures and kept the Delaware State (DSU) Lady Hornets at bay with a 48-44 victory on Monday night at Memorial Hall.

Zykia Brown had 12 points on an 8-for-9 performance at the charity stripe, while Kara Smith and Portia Deterville finished the contest with 10 points each. Deterville's point total marked a new career-high. 

"We've had games like this in the past," said head coach Niki Reid Geckeler. "This shows our will to keep fighting and come out with the win. You know, sometimes you have to gut it out and get the win, and that's what we did today."

Hanging on to a three-point lead with 35 seconds left in the game, the Bison used the charity stripe to claim a four-point advantage at 46-42.

Selena Galloway kept DSU competitive after connecting on a pair of free-throws with 20 seconds remaining. But Smith inked a pair of free-throws with five seconds left to give HU breathing room, and the Lady Bison held on for the 48-44 victory.

Freshman Sensation
Freshman Saadia Doyle (5-11, F) has posted double-doubles in 13 of 20 games this season, a feat that puts her 6th in the NCAA rankings at press time. The Atlanta, Ga. native is averaging 16.6 points and 11.2 rebounds per outing and was named the MEAC Rookie of the Week five times this season. A warrior on the boards, Doyle's 11.2 rebounds per game total ranks 7^th highest in the NCAA. Her 22 rebounds vs. Coppin State is the sixth highest total in the NCAA this season. Doyle also ranks top-60 in the nation in field goal percentage (49.6 FG %, 54^th) and top-100 in points per game (16.6 ppg, 82^nd). NCAA Stats updated thru Feb. 4.

Curley-Payne Heats Up
Freshman guard Cheyenne Curley-Payne has been getting quality minutes backing up starting point guard Jalisa Pullins. The California native averages 2.9 points, 2.9 assists, 2.8 rebounds and 1.7 steals per game. She leads the team in assists per game and ranks ninth in the MEAC in the same category. The freshman also ranks 12^th in the league in steals per game.

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 five times this season (Dec. 17, Dec. 21, Dec. 30, Jan. 25 and Feb. 1).

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 16^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. 

On Deck
The Lady Bison travel to South Carolina State on Monday, Feb. 8. Game time against the Lady Bulldogs is slated for 5:30 p.m. at Smith-Hammond-Middleton Memorial Center.