MIAMI (November 25, 2022) – Howard University women's basketball senior Iyanna Warren (Accokeek, Md.) and graduate Aziah Hudson (Baldwin, N.Y.) each scored 13 points and junior Kaiya Creek (Seat Pleasant, Md.) came off the bench and added 10 points, but it was not enough as the Bison fell to Florida International University (FIU), 76-65, in the first round of the FIU Thanksgiving Invitational at the Ocean Bank Convocation Center.
 
The loss was the fourth straight for the Bison (1-4), who have been playing shorthanded with key injuries.

"It was a tough loss," said Howard women's basketball head coach Ty Grace. "We dug such a big hole in the first quarter. We missed a lot of easy opportunities to score and FIU capitalized on that. They shot well in the first half, and we struggled to score unfortunately."
 
FIU (2-2) jumped out to an early 19-point first quarter lead before Howard rallied to cut the deficit to 12 at the end of one, 27-15. But with strong bench support from Kailah Henderson, who led all scorers with 24 points and Sife Joyeuse, who tallied 19 points, Howard was not able to get the deficit to under double digits the rest of the way, despite outscoring the host through the last three quarters.

"We shrunk the lead, and fought back," Grace continued. "But it just wasn't enough to get over the hump. We're still trying to find our rhythm after some earlier injuries, but collectively, we still need to play better no matter what the circumstances."
 
Warren was able to get her points from the free throw line where she converted a career-high 11-of-13; however, she missed 9-of-10 from the field.
 
Hudson, a graduate guard from OId Dominion, scored in double figures for the third straight game.
 
Creek contributed 10 points and six rebounds off the bench and fellow classmate Kaniyah Harris (Capital Heights, Md.) just missed a double-double with nine points and a season-high nine rebounds, along with a team-high five assists.
 
Howard missed the scoring of junior guard Destiny Howell (Queens, N.Y.), who finished with five points (averaging 13.0 ppg this season). She also suffered an injury against Memphis and is not 100-percent.
 
The Bison are playing their third straight game without the services senior forward Krislyn Marsh (Houston), who averages 9.0 points and 7.0 rebounds per game. She was also injured in the Memphis game and her status is in doubt as to a timetable for her return.
 
On a positive note, the Bison recorded 19 assists on 26 baskets and converted on 87-percent (13-of-15) from the charity stripe.
 
Howard faces off against Drake in the third-place game Sunday (Nov. 27) at 11 a.m. The Bulldogs fell, 100-83, in overtime to UMass in the other first round match.
 
For more information, visit the Bison Athletics website at www.HUBison.com.