WASHINGTON (January 19, 2024) – Howard University women's basketball returns to the hardwood Saturday (Jan. 20), hosting defending Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Champion Norfolk State (NSU) inside The Burr. Tipoff is slated for 2 p.m.
FOLLOW THE ACTION
Bison Nation can follow all the action via
live stats and/or
live video. Chad Ricardo (play-by-play) and Amani Clark-Bey (color analyst) calling the action.
LAST TIMEOUT
On Jan. 8, redshirt guard
Tyana Walker (Leawood, Kan.) matched her career high (18 points) and junior forward
Vanessa Blake (Summerville, S.C.) just missed a double-double (10 points & nine boards) to lead the Howard University women's basketball team to a 70-46 win over South Carolina State inside the Smith-Hammond-Middleton Memorial Gymnasium.
Fifth-year guard
Iyanna Warren (Accokeek, Md.), who had carried the team the past three games with an average just under 20 points, changed her role in this victory and became a playmaker, finishing with seven points, four assists and three steals.
MATCHUP PREVIEW
SERIES RECORD
Norfolk State defeated Howard, 56-54, in the MEAC Tournament final (March 11, 2023).
The two rivals have split the last eight with the Spartans holding a 17-11 advantage since 2006.
HOWARD
Howard (4-12, 1-1 MEAC) is led by Warren (12.3 ppg, 2.8 rpg, team-high 41 total assists, 16 total steals & 81-percent from the free throw line), Walker (10.1 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 13 total steals, 22 three pointers made & 80-percent from the free throw line),
Nile Miller (6.6 ppg, 5.1 rpg, total blocks & 38 total steals) and junior forward
Vanessa Blake (7.1 ppg & 5.3 rpg).
NORFOLK STATE
NSU (12-4, 2-0 MEAC) comes into the game riding a five-game win streak, the latest an 81-60 road win at North Carolina Central (Jan. 8).
Norfolk State is led junior transfer guard (NC State) Diamond Johnson (19.7 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 21 total assists & 30 total steals), junior forward Kierra Wheeler (18.3 ppg, 10.3 rpg, 15 total blocks & 53-percent shooting from the floor), freshman guard Anjanee Richardson (7.7 ppg) and junior guard Niya Fields (7.2 ppg, 70 total assists, 42 total steals & 42-percent from three point).
MEAC STATS
HOWARD
The Bison lead the MEAC in field goal percentage defense (35-percent) and second in team defense (60.5 ppg) and blocks (3.4 per game).
Individually, Warren ranks first in the conference in free throw shooting (81-percent), fourth in assists and ninth in scoring (12.3 ppg).
Walker is fifth in three pointers made, 10
th in three-point shooting and 12
th in scoring (10.1).
Blake is eighth in rebounding and Miller, a strong candidate for MEAC Defensive Player of the Year, ranks second in both steals and blocks.
NORFOLK STATE
The Spartans lead the conference in defense (56.3 ppg), free throw shooting (72-percent), assists (13.0 per game), turnover margin and steals.
Individually, Wheeler leads the MEAC in scoring (18.3 ppg) and rebounding (10.3 rpg).
Richardson is ninth in three-point shooting (29-percent) and freshman guard Da'Brya Clark is fourth in free throw shooting (76-percent).
Fields is the conference leader in assists (4.4), assist/turnover ratio and steals (2.6).
NEXT UP
Howard travels to Baltimore to take on the Bears of Morgan State Saturday (Jan. 27) at 2 p.m.
For more information, visit the Bison Athletics website at
www.HUBison.com.
