The Lady Bison Post Second Straight Conference Victory Over Del State
WASHINGTON, D.C---December 5--- With a game of stops and runs, the Howard women's basketball team flustered the Delaware State Hornets (2-6 overall, 0-2 MEAC) through transition buckets and full court pressure to a deciding 59-49 victory.
Saadia Doyle and Tamoria Holmes tied for a team-high of 16 points, while Doyle grabbed eight rebounds, and Holmes dished out seven assist. Zykia Brown contributed 10 points and five rebounds, and Cheyenne Curley-Payne added seven points.
The Lady Bison (3-5 overall, 2-0 MEAC) quickly commanded the lead, beginning the game with an 11-2 run to get Delaware State frustrated early. Delaware State's Tasia Bristow ended the run with a three-pointer at the 15:49 mark.
The Hornets would not let up as they applied full court pressure to rattle the HU offense. From there, DSU scored three-straight buckets to take its first lead of the game. With the score now advancing to 12-11 at the 12:47 mark, the Bison then tied the game 12-12 with a made free throw by Portia Deterville.
With just 4:06 left in the first stint, Howard pushed the margin to 11 (32-21) from a made basket by Brown from behind the arc. As 1:18 ran off the clock, both teams were scoreless until Tierra Hawkins finished a lay-up in the paint for a 32-23 score.
Going into the locker room, HU lead 36-28 over Delaware State.
Halftime notes: Howard went 12-26 (46 percent) from the field, 3-10 (30 percent) from the three point line and 9-10 (90 percent) from the free throw line. HU led with 15 to Delaware's 14 rebounds and forced DSU into 11 turnovers while Howard had seven. Delaware State was 11-25 (44 percent) from the field, 4-7 (57 percent) from behind the arc and 2-2 from the charity stripe.
To wash their hands off from first half mistakes and mishaps, Howard wanted to turn up the heat and put DSU on its heels. Keeping a comfortable double-digit cushion, the Lady Bison pressed the stretch to 17 points with 8:04 remaining in regulation. HU didn't look back as it cruised to its second-straight conference victory, 59-49.
Delaware State was paced by Hawkins' game-high of 17 points and seven rebounds. Chelsea Dukes chipped in with 12 points.
Second-period notes: Howard shot 10-27 (37 percent) from the field, 1-9 (11 percent) from the three point line and 2-4 (50 percent) from the free throw line. HU forced DSU into 11 turnovers this half while Delaware State forced HU into seven. Howard was outrebounded 22-17. The Hornets went 9-26 (34 percent) from the field, 0-5 from behind the arc and 3-7 (42 percent) from the free throw line.
As the Lady Bison take time to rest and finish finals for the semester, they will be back on the hardwood on Dec 11 to play face Navy beginning at 2 p.m. in…The Burr.