WASHINGTON, DC --- Despite a career-high 32 points from redshirt sophomore Te'Shya Heslip, the Howard women's basketball team lost its home opener to the University of New Hampshire Wildcats, 78-68, on Tuesday evening at Burr Gymnasium.
 
Heslip's first career 30-point game in the second game of the season was the first for a Lady Bison player since Saadia Doyle scored 32 points in a home contest against Temple on January 4, 2013. The 32 points eclipsed Heslip's previous career high of 27, set as a redshirt freshman on November 12, 2013 - also in the second game of the season.
 
The Dumfries, VA native went 11-of-18 from the field, including 5-of-6 from 3-point range, only missed one free throw (5-of-6), and added four rebounds, three assists and two steals.
 
Senior forward Cheyenne Brown and junior guard Imani Bailey each added 10 points for Howard (0-2).
 
Heslip scored the first two baskets of the game to give the Lady Bison a 4-0 lead over New Hampshire (2-0) and Howard would lead by as many as nine points three different times in the first half, including a 37-28 advantage with less than two minutes left in the period.
 
The Wildcats would outscore the Lady Bison 13-2 over a 5:17 span from the 45-second mark of the first to the 15:28 mark of the second to take a 41-39 lead. New Hampshire extended its lead to 11 points (50-39) before Heslip scored Howard's first field goal of the period, a three-pointer to trim the deficit to 50-42 with 11:58 left.
 
That triple would start a 19-point half for Heslip but her outburst didn't translate into momentum for the team, as Howard would only get as close as five points (58-53) the rest of the game.
 
UNH was led by junior guard Elizabeth Belanger, who had a double-double with 27 points and 10 rebounds.
 
OTHER NOTES:
- Tonight's home loss snapped a four-game winning streak in home openers for Howard. The last time the Lady Bison loss a home opener was 2009 against American University, 71-59.
- Junior forward Victoria Gonzales started after missing Howard's first game due to injury and scored four points, three rebounds and three blocks. Sophomores Sydni Johnson and Jasmine Hill are still sidelined.
 
 
NEXT UP: Howard will hit the road this Saturday, November 22 for a matchup against LaSalle University at 4 p.m.