EMMITSBURG, Md. - Howard University women's basketball team dominated the first half, holding on to defeat Mount St. Mary's, 56-49, Tuesday night in Knott Arena.
 
Howard recorded their first back-to-back victory of the season, improving to 2-3, while Mount St. Mary's fell to 1-4.
 
"I was very happy about our defensive effort last tonight," said Howard women's basketball head coach Ty Grace after the win. "We understood the scouting report and did a solid job defending a very good 3-point shooting team. Although they made a run, it was to be expected and our team responded as well."
 
The Mount took a 3-0 lead early with a long three, but the Bison responded with a 14-2 run over the next seven minutes. Iyanna Warren [Accokeek, Md.] spearheaded the Bison run with a jumper from the free throw line. Howard then took a 4-3 lead on a Gia Thorpe [Pittsburgh] lay-up. Warren sank another jumper to extend the Bison lead, but the Mount responded with a driving lay-up to cut the lead, 6-5 with 4:49 left in the first quarter. Krislyn Marsh [Houston] got in on the action with a lay-up, giving Howard an 8-5 cushion and sparking an 8-0 run to close the first quarter. The Bison defense held the Mount to 0-for-3 from the floor and forced four turnovers in the three-minute span. Howard shot 3-of-4 from the floor and recorded three steals. 
 
The Bison carried the momentum into the second quarter, recording a 13-4 run to extend the lead, 27-9. Howard cruised into halftime, leading 31-14. 
 
Howard shot 41-percent from the floor in the first half and only recorded one shot from beyond the arc while holding Mount St. Mary's to a woeful 24-percent from the floor versus a stingy Bison defense.
 
The Mount found some life in the third quarter, knocking down 7-of-12 from the floor and 4-of-5 from beyond the arc. After going 1-of-2 from the free throw line in the first half, Mount St. Mary's went 5-of-8 in the third quarter. Howard's hot start simmered in the third, shooting 29-percent [5-of-17] from the floor. The Mount opened the quarter on a 16-4 run to cut the lead, 35-30 with 4:15 left in the third quarter. Kaiya Creek [Seat Pleasant, Md.] stuck back with a mid-range jumper and Vanessa Udoji [Randolph, Mass.] made a three-pointer to extend the lead, 40-30, with four minutes left in the third quarter. The Mount outscored the Bison, 7-2, in the last four minutes of the third to cut the lead, 42-37.
 
"Players stepped up tonight, especially Kaiya," Grace stated. "She gave us some scoring, especially not having Anzhane'. We also outrebounded them, which gave us some extra possessions on offense."
 
Mount St. Mary's came within four points after making a three-point shot with nine minutes remaining in regulation. However, that would be the closest the Mount would get as the Bison would hold Mount St. Mary's at bay trading baskets the rest of the way, defeating the Mount 56-49.  
 
BY THE NUMBERS:
 

• Howard led for 35:34, the longest this season.
• Three Bison scored in double-figures, led by Creek [13], Howell [11], and Marsh [10].
• Howard outrebounded Mount St. Mary's, 38-33, led by Marsh [9].
• Marsh was active on both sides of the floor, grabbing five defensive rebounds, three steals, and two blocks. 
• Howard recorded seven blocks to Mount St. Mary's zero.
• Howard shot 73-percent from the free throw line for the first time this season, connecting on 11-of-17 shooting. 
• Head Coach Ty Grace improves her record to 4-0 versus the Mount. Coach Grace has now won 140 career games. 

 
"I'm very proud of how we finished the game," Grace ended "It was a great team win and a great way to go into the Thanksgiving holiday. I'm very thankful to have the opportunity to coach these young ladies."
 
UP NEXT:
 
The Bison will travel up the Beltway to Towson, Md., to face the Towson University Tigers for the first time in program history Friday (Nov. 27). Tipoff at 2 p.m.