NORFOLK--Howard University women's basketball (No. 5 seed) will battle the Norfolk State Spartans (No. 4 seed) in the quarterfinals of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) tournament on Thursday, March 14 at Norfolk, Virginia. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m.

LAST TIMEOUT
The Bison knocked off the No. 12 seed opponent, the Florida A&M (FAMU) Rattlers on Monday, 59-53, in their opening game of the MEAC tournament. Down 11-10 at the end of the first period, the Bison remained in striking distance throughout the early parts of the game, never trailing by more than a basket. They took control of the game in the middle periods, outscoring the Rattlers 14-10 and 16-13 in the second and third periods, respectively.

Defense from the Bison prevented the Rattlers from finding comfort from the field, as FAMU shot just 27 percent from the field and 21.4 percent from beyond the arc. The Bison, in comparison, shot 40 percent from the field but struggled from three-point range at just 13.3 percent.

Sarah Edmond and Ayonna Williams reached double figures in the scoring department with 17 points and 13 points, respectively. Imani Bryant provided defense in the paint with 11 boards.

"We didn't shoot exceptionally well on Monday, but now we have a game under our belt on the Scope floor and we get a shootaround, so the team should be more confident with their shots going into tomorrow's game," said head coach Ty Grace.

GAME PREVIEW
Facing Norfolk State on Thursday, the Bison will look for vengeance against the Spartans. The two teams matched up last Thursday, March 7, as the Spartans won 74-59 on their home floor. Despite trailing by just a point after the first quarter, the Bison were outscored by 15 points over the next two periods, 38-23, which ultimately served as the difference in the game. The Bison shot just 24.3 percent from the field compared to 50 percent from the Spartans.

The Bison have beaten the Spartans this season, defeating the Norfolk State team at Washington, D.C., 74-70, on February 2. Howard led at the end of each period of that game and outshot their opponent from the field, 44.9 percent to 36.5 percent.

Both Howard and Norfolk State went 10-6 in conference play this year. The Bison succeeded during the regular season through their high octane offense, averaging 72.4 points per game, while the Spartans depended heavily on their defensive prowess, surrendering just 55.7 points per game to opponents.

Three Bison players are averaging double figures in scoring, led by Edmond with 15.8 points per game. Two Spartans are contributing at least 10 points per game, led by La'Deja James at 12.6 points per game.

"I'm looking forward to a good game. My team is ready," said Grace.

UPCOMING SCHEDULE
If the Bison win the quarterfinal game, they will play the winner of the game between North Carolina A&T State (No. 1 seed) and North Carolina Central (No. 9 seed) in the semifinals. That semifinal game will tip off at 12 noon on Friday, March 15.

About Howard University Athletics
The Howard University Department of Intercollegiate Athletics sponsors 19 NCAA Division I men and women varsity sports. The programs represent six conferences: the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC), Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC), Coastal Collegiate Swimming Association (CCSA), Sun Belt Conference, Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) and Atlantic Sun (ASUN) Conference. Visit www.hubison.com to learn more.