WASHINGTON (November 29, 2020) - As if there was not enough uncertainty surrounding the 2020-21 college basketball season related to COVID-19, the Howard University head women's basketball coach faces an equally challenging task of trying to prepare a young team with some key injuries through an unprecedented season.
 
The Bison open the season Monday (Nov. 30) at home against Mount St. Mary's. Tipoff at 5 p.m. and the game will be live streamed on www.HUBison.com.
 
It is the unknown as Howard faces the prospects of starting only one senior and a combination of four freshmen and sophomores, who have had limited experience of Division I basketball.
 
"It is going to be very challenging for sure," says Howard head coach Ty Grace, entering her sixth season at the helm. "From last March when we last played in the conference tournament, we have had to make so many adjustments. Everything from anticipating the players returning for the summer and that being stopped to players reporting in August, only to have half the team being quarantined because they came from hot spots, to having had our non-conference schedule fully revamped, it has been a huge adjustment for us."
 
The one given in this equation is Jayla Thornton (Newark, N.J.), the lone senior and Preseason First Team All-MEAC selection. Thornton is the school's all-time three-point leader and is on the verge of topping the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) mark.
 
The sharpshooting guard from Newark, N.J., started all 31 games last season and averaged almost 13 points. So, with the loss of the senior backcourt of the top two scorers (Sarah Edmond and Ayonna Williams), who combined for 30 points between them, Thornton's role looms large.
 
"Jayla is going to play a huge role in what we do this season," explains Grace. "She has been through the whole process and is the most experienced player on the team. That is why I named her team captain. We all know she can score, but we are going to need her to do other things in terms of leading this team and I am confident she will."
 
Thornton, an outstanding student, who is a sport management major with a 3.8 GPA, understands the challenge ahead for her and says that she has prepared for it and embraces the opportunity.
 
"I was in a bit of a comfort zone last season with seniors like Ayonna, Sarah and Imani (Bryant)," she confesses. "With the makeup of this team being so young and inexperienced, I have to play a different role. I realize that I will sometimes be a decoy and that I must do other things to help this team. I have to play closer attention to detail, be more of a vocal leader and be more of a facilitator and a better defender."
 
Coach Grace was encouraged by the return of two key performers in junior forward Krislyn Marsh (8.6 points, 6.9 rebounds) and junior guard Gia Thorpe (8.1 points), but both, Marsh (Houston) and Thorpe (Pittsburgh) sustained injuries and will not be available for the opener. 
 
Coach Grace is not pushing the panic button. She says that she will be relying on the leadership in the backcourt of sophomore Iyanna Warren (Accokeek, Md.), who stepped in as a reserve for Williams last season and got significant playing time when Edmond went down with a season-ending injury.
 
"Iyanna is not a scorer like Ayonna, but she brings other things to the offense," says Grace of her guard who will get the nod at the starting position. "Her passing ability and to get people in the right position are her strengths. Her added playing time last season is certainly a plus."
 
Another returning player who showed glimpses of productivity during her freshman season is sophomore Brooklynn Fort-Davis (Chicago).
 
"We are looking for Brooklyn to become a better defender and an inside-out offensive player at that 4 position. All she needs is confidence."
 
Grace adds that she has been impressed with the improvement of sophomore Makayla Minett (Chicago) and the showing of freshmen Destiny Howell (Queens, N.Y.), Kaniyah Harris (Capital Heights, Md.) and Anzhane' Hutton (Cedar Hill, Texas).
 
"Makayla has some good practices and will probably start," declares Grace. "Destiny will also get playing time as will Kaniyah."
 
She continues, "But we are really excited about Anzhane' (Hutton). She is a little undersized, but she is a great athlete and she can jump out of the gym. She has that go-go quality. I think everyone is going to be impressed with what she brings to this team."
 
Although Grace says that the modified schedule is "not normal" for her routine, she adds that it nonetheless serves a specific purpose.
 
"It's a little different from what we had planned, but I think overall we made it as balanced as possible given the circumstances," declares Grace. "It is designed to give us confidence as a young group in making the transition to college basketball. I am looking for the players to get better from game to game so that we can show improvement from the start of the season to the end."

Derek W. Bryant, Assistant Athletic Director for Media Relations & Sports Information, contributed to this story.
 
For more information, visit the Bison Athletics website at www.HUBison.com.