Women's Basketball | 3/2/2015 11:29:00 PM

Box Score WASHINGTON, DC --- With the team's only senior playing her last game at Burr Gymnasium and the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Tournament on the horizon, the Howard women's basketbal team put forth a valiant effort in its 63-60 loss to Norfolk State on Monday afternoon at Burr Gymnasium.

Junior center Victoria Gonzales led the Lady Bison with 17 points and nine rebounds, narrowly missing out on her third double-double in as many games. Junior guard Imani Bailey and sophomore guard Jasmine Hill also scored in double figures, doing so while shooting 50 percent from the field. Bailey posted 15 points on 6-of-12 shooting while Hill hit 3-of-6 shots for 10 points.

Sophomore forward Sydni Johnson and senior forward Cheyenne Brown each added eight points for Howard (3-26, 3-13 MEAC).

Looking to take some positive monemtum into the Tournamnt - being held from March 9 to 14 at the Norfolk Scope Arena - the Lady Bison responded to every challenge NSU provided to keep the contest close throughout.

NSU began the game on a 10-2 run within the first four minutes before Howard stormed back into contest with a 21-6 run of its own. The Lady Bison would take its largest lead after that sequence - 23-16 with 7:52 left in the first.

Norfolk outscored HU 15-3 down the stretch, giving the team a five-point advantage (31-26) at intermission.

Howard continued to slide as NSU opened the second with a 21-10 run to open the second and make the score 52-36 with 8:32 remaining in the game.

Led by HIll and Gonzales, Howard made one final push by outscoring NSU 20-6. The pair scored 16 of those points to cut their deficit back to two (58-56) at the 1:18 mark.

However, NSU's Rae Corbo put the finishing touches on the game, scoring the Lady Spartans' last seven points to pull away.

With the loss to Norfolk State (12-14, 11-4 MEAC), Howard is the first team to complete their conference schedule and can finish no higher than 12th in the standings.