HACKENSACK, N.J. – The Howard University women's basketball team will play its final road match of 2016 on Thursday, Dec. 22 when it visits Fairleigh Dickinson. Game time is set for 2 p.m. at the Rothman Center.
SERIES VS. FDU
Thursday's matchup will be the seventh time Howard and Fairleigh Dickinson have met on the hardwood. The two teams last squared off during the 2011-12 season in Hackensack when the Bison took home a 66-56 victory to snap the Knights' four-game winning streak in the series. The two schools first faced each other back in the 1981-82 season.
LAST TIME OUT
Redshirt senior Te'Shya Heslip led Howard in scoring on a game-best 19 points in its 70-63 loss to UIC on Monday night. She paired it with seven steals, six assists and four rebounds.
Freshman Imani Bryant recorded 17 rebounds, 12 of which were on the offensive end, a career-high. Senior Sydni Johnson posted 13 points and seven boards, while redshirt junior Erin Blaine notched 12 points.
The team got it done at the free throw line by making 13 of 17 attempts for a 76.5 percent clip. Howard scored 27 points off 26 turnovers by UIC and outrebounded the visitors, 48-40. The Bison also tallied 14 assists on 22 baskets.
SCOUTING THE KNIGHTS
FDU enters with an identical 2-8 record as Howard. Courtney Blankenship paced the Knights with nine points in Tuesday's loss to Saint Peter's, 65-43. It has been a tough start to the season for the Knights, who have lost the last seven games.
Brianna Thomas is averaging a team-best 14.2 ppg. Amina Markovic and Lauren Francillon are the team's top rebounders with 5.6 rpg.
HOWARD AGAINST THE NEC
The Knights will be the fourth Northeast Conference opponent for the Bison this season. Both of HU's victories have come against NEC foes. Howard picked up its first win of the 2016-17 campaign when it beat Saint Francis Brooklyn, 78-63, on Nov. 30. The Bison put a hurting on Mount St. Mary's (Md.) in their home opener to claim a 95-62 win on Dec. 10.
LOOKING AT THE STATS
Heslip continues to be Howard's top offensive threat, averaging team highs in points (17.9), assists (4.3) and steals (4.0) while shooting 33.3 percent (16-48) from beyond the arc and 80.3 percent (49-61) in free throws. She has led the team in scoring in eight of 10 outings and put up at least 10 points in every game.
Johnson stands second on the team with 10.3 ppg and 49 total rebounds. Bryant is pulling down a team-best 8.3 rebounds per game and shooting 55 percent (22-40) from the field.
CHARITY STRIPE LIVING
The Bison have done a good job of making trips to the free throw stripe count. Howard is converting free throws at a 70.7 percent clip, making 133 of 188 attempts. The mark currently stands second in the conference.
MILESTONES TO WATCH
In her final season, Johnson is well on her way to cementing her place in Howard's record books. She crossed the 500-rebound plateau on Dec. 16 against NJIT, bringing her career total to 510 boards. Johnson also has 902 points thus far. With 991 points, Heslip is on track to join the exclusive 1,000-point club this season.
