NORFOLK, Va. (March 12, 2022) – Sophomore guard Destiny Howell (Queens, N.Y.) poured in a career-high 25 points to lead the Howard University Women's Basketball team to a 61-44 win over Norfolk State (NSU) in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Tournament championship at the Norfolk Scope Arena.
 
With the victory, HU receives the MEAC's automatic bid to the NCAA and await the pairings for the NCAA tournament.
 
"I'm so proud of our team and Howard University," said Howard women's basketball head coach Ty Grace, who was named the tournament's Outstanding Coach. "We were locked in from Day One and we never forgot about last year. Our kids remember crying in that loss while North Carolina A&T State celebrated."
 
The Bison (20-9), the No. 1 seed, bolted out to an early 15-10 first-quarter lead on the scoring of Howell, who led all scorers in the frame with five points.
 
"Howell is a player that can score on every play," Grace continued. "I am so proud of her and how she performed on a big stage."
 
The second-seeded Spartans (17-11) stayed close and trailed, 29-22, at the half. Howell led the way with 14 points as no player on either team was able to get on track, offensively. She converted 7-of-17 from the floor while registering six rebounds, two assists and a pair of steals.
 
"My teammates kept trying to feed me the ball in positions where I could be effective," said Howell, the tournament's outstanding player. "It was a team victory, for sure."
 
Howell was a freshman last season and knows the pain of that bitter defeat to the Aggies.
 
"We all felt that pain when they were celebrating after we got so close," she said. "We were determined to not let that happen this time."
 
Howard broke the game wide open in the fourth quarter, using a 27-14 blitz to pull away and earn its first title since 2001.
 
The Bison have won 11 titles overall.
 
During that fourth-quarter spurt, senior Krislyn Marsh (Houston), junior Brooklynn Fort-Davis (Chicago) and sophomore Kaniyah Harris (Capital Heights, Md.) got into the act.
 
Third-year Bison point guard Iyanna Warren (Accokeek, Md.) joined Howell on the 2022 MEAC Basketball All-Tournament Team.
 
In addition to Howell's scoring, the Bison defense played a major role, limiting the Spartans to 23-percent shooting (15-for-65) while dominating the boards by a decided 48-30 advantage.
 
"Congratulations to the Bison of Howard University," said Spartans head coach Larry Vickers postgame. "They were consistently good all year. They came in here and played an awesome game. We wish them the best in the tournament."
 
Norfolk State was led by Diawara Makoye and Camile Downs, who scored 11 and 10 points, respectively.
 
HU awaits Selection Sunday (March 13) to see where they will play in the 68-team field.
 
Derek W. Bryant, Assistant Athletic Director for Media Relations, contributed to this story.

For more information, visit the Bison Athletics website at www.HUBison.com.