WASHINGTON, DC --- A banner night by junior center Victoria Gonzales was not enough for the Howard women's basketball team to offset the efforts of Malia Tate-DeFreitas, Kaylah Lupoe and rival Hampton University as the Lady Bison fell 106-57 to the Lady Pirates in Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) action Saturday evening at Burr Gymnasium.
 
Gonzales set new career highs in points (25) and rebounds (15) while tying her high mark for field goals made (10; 12/28/13 vs College of Charleston). Overall, Gonzales went 10-for-19 from the field and 5-for-8 at the free throw line for Howard (3-25, 3-12 MEAC).
 
Despite Gonzales' stellar performance, the combination of Tate-DeFreitas and Lupoe proved to be too much for the Lady Bison. Tate-DeFreitas scored a career-best 39 points while Lupoe added a double-double of career-highs off the bench (20 points, 13 rebounds) for Hampton (16-11, 12-2 MEAC).
 
Junior guard Imani Bailey added nine points, three assists, two rebounds and a steal while sophomore Allese Morrison chipped in six points, three rebounds, three assists, a block and a steal for the Lady Bison.
 
Howard played the majority of the game from behind except for a brief 4-3 lead after a jumper from senior forward Cheyenne Brown at the 17:21 mark of the first half.
 
As a team, the Lady Bison failed to win any statistical battle against Hampton. The most glaring discrepancies were in paint points (64-22), fastbreak points (12-0) and steals (18-4).
 
The lopsided setback marked Howard's largest defeat of the season and second largest under Head Coach Tennille Adams. It was the first time since a 57-101 loss to Coppin State on February 25, 2008 that a Howard team has allowed 100 points in a game.
 
NEXT UP: The Lady Bison close the regular season with a home matchup against Norfolk State on Monday, March 2 at 5:30 p.m. The game will serve as senior day for Howard's lone senior, Cheyenne Brown.