WASHINGTON, D.C. – As 2016 comes to a close, the Howard University women's basketball team will wrap up its non-conference schedule when it hosts Vermont on Friday, Dec. 30. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. in Burr Gymnasium.
SERIES VS. UVM
Friday's game will be the first-ever meeting between Howard and Vermont. It is the final non-conference matchup for both teams.
LAST TIME OUT
Rookie Imani Bryant poured in a career-high 19 points as Howard battled back to beat Fairleigh Dickinson, 71-68, on Dec. 22 in its final road match of the year to improve to 3-8 overall.
Redshirt junior Erin Blaine came out with 14 points and seven boards, while redshirt senior Te'Shya Heslip notched 11 points, seven assists and three steals. Senior Jasmine Hill didn't miss at the charity stripe (6-6) on her way to 10 points. Classmate Sydni Johnson added nine points and five boards.
Howard held FDU to a 37.1 field goal percentage (23-62) and connected on 48.9 percent (23-47) of its shots. The Bison also made 25 of their 34 attempts at the free throw line for a 73.5 percent rate.
SCOUTING THE CATAMOUNTS
UVM is trying to snap a four-game skid after being setback by Oakland, 79-55, on Dec. 20. Hanna Crymble had a team-high 10 points and Kylie Butler chipped in 11 boards.
The Catamounts are bringing a 3-8 record to the nation's capital. The squad has had a tough time getting the job done away from the Green Mountain State, going 0-5 on the road.
Sydney Smith paces the team with 10.4 ppg, followed by Crymble with 10.1 ppg.
MEAC HONORS
Bryant totaled 28 rebounds, 23 points, eight blocks, three steals and two assists against Illinois-Chicago and Fairleigh Dickinson on her way to pulling double duty as the MEAC Rookie of the Week and Defensive Player of the Week for the second time this season.
The Berkeley, Calif. native grabbed 17 rebounds against UIC, including a career-best 12 offensive boards. She also posted a career-high 19 points, nine boards and six blocks in Howard's win over FDU.
Heslip averaged 15.0 points, 6.5 assists, 5.5 steals and 3.0 rebounds last week to pick up her second Player of the Week honor. She tallied 19 points, seven steals and six assists against UIC before putting up 11 points and seven assists versus FDU.
IN THE BOOKS
Not only did the Bison come away with a victory against FDU, Heslip wrote her name in the program's history books as she joined the exclusive 1,000-point club.
Heslip is having a stellar season as she leads the team with 17.3 points, 4.5 assists and 3.9 steals through 11 games.
CLIMBING THE RANKS
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 515 boards. The Homewood, Ill. native also has 911 points thus far.
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 71.2 percent clip, making 158 of 222 attempts. The mark currently stands second in the conference.
