WASHINGTON, DC - Something will have to give when the Howard University women's basketball team travels across town for a showdown with American University on Wednesday, Nov. 30 at 7 pm in Bender Arena. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+ and there will be live stats available.

The Bison (1-5) are in the throes of a five-game losing skid after a 97-60 loss to Drake in the consolation game of the FIU Thanksgiving Invitational on Sunday. The main problems are twofold: they have not been able to score the basketball (averaging only 52 points per game) and they have not been able to defend effectively (allowing 80 points per game).

"We are not defending well at all," said Howard Head Coach Ty Grace following the loss to Drake. "We are not taking pride in our defense. We have given up too many points these past few games, and it becomes more egregious when we aren't scoring the ball effectively."  


She added, "We have to get back in the gym and really decide the type of team we want to be defensively."

Part of the woes can be attributed to some key early season injuries. The two important cogs in the team's success on offense, senior point guard Iyanna Warren and junior shooting guard Destiny Howell, continue to lead the team in scoring, at 11.6 and 11.0 points per game, respectively, but they have both struggled from field as the team is shooting 28-percent as a whole and 20-percent from 3-point line, where they have thrived in the past.

The Bison have gotten some inspiring play from graduate senior guard Aziah Hudson, who averages almost 10 points per game, senior forward Brooklynn Fort-Davis (8.2 ppg, 5.0 rpg) and junior guard/forward Kaiya Creek (6.7 ppg, 4.3 rpg), who has played well of late off the bench.

 "Everyone needs to step up individually and collectively, so we can be better as a team," proclaimed Coach Grace. 


American (0-5) is looking for its first win of the season after falling 70-61 to Arizona State last Friday in tournament play in the Bahamas. The Eagles are led by junior forward Emily Johns who averages 14.0 points and 5.0 rebounds per game and junior guard Kayla Henning, who chips in with 9.0 points per contest. American has had similar problems on offense where it averages a little over 50 points a game and on defense where it is surrendering 80 points per contest.

"American will provide yet another challenge for us," predicts Coach Grace of the intriguing contest. "However, the adversity won't make us quit. We have to show up and play Howard basketball no matter what. It's a process through the challenges." 

THE SERIES:  The two schools have met three times with American holding a 2-1 advantage. The Bison won the first contest, 74-65 in 2005. American then captured the next two contests, 77-50 in 2008 and 71-59 in 2009.

NEXT UP: Howard host Elon on Friday at 7 pm in Burr. It is Education Day for the Lady Bison, and elementary and middle school students will be admitted free to the game. The contest will be streamed on http://www.hubison.com with live stats.