ORANGEBURG, SC --- Junior center Victoria Gonzales scored 18 points and pulled down a career-high 14 rebounds in a losing effort as the Howard women's basketball team lost to the South Carolina State Lady Bulldogs on Monday evening at the S-H-M Memorial Center.

Gonzales' 18 points tied two SCSU players for the game lead and her 14 rebounds eclipsed her previous career high of 12, set just two weeks ago against Hampton. Sophomore forward Sydni Johnson, senior forward Cheyenne Brown and sophomore guard Jasmine Hill each reached double figures by scoring 14, 13 and 10 points respectively.

With the defeat, Howard (3-24, 3-11 MEAC) finished its road schedule with a winless record (0-16).

South Carolina State (15-10, 8-6 MEAC) came out shooting exceptionally well, putting the Lady Bison in an 18-6 hole early in the first half. A 20-9 surge by Howard pulled the team to within one point (27-26) of the Lady Bulldogs but HU would fall victim to their recurring enemy: fatigue.

After Brown scored with 6:16 to go in the first, SCSU went on a 20-0 run to turn a one-point minor setback into an insurmountable deficit.

NEXT UP: Howard will face rival Hampton on Saturday, February 28 at 5 p.m.