WASHINGTON (December 17, 2024) – Graduate guard Destiny Howell (Queens, N.Y.) came out of a mini, early season slump to pour in a game-high 30 points, but no other player reached double figures as the Howard University women's basketball team fell, 75-58, to Old Dominion University (ODU) in a nonconference game at Burr Gymnasium.
 
The loss drops the Bison to 6-6 on the season while the Monarchs improve to 8-2.
 
Howard kept it close through most the first quarter but trailed, 14-9, at the end of one. Howell set the tone for her individual performance with seven of her team's points.
 
Meanwhile, the Monarchs were able to take advantage of the cold shooting by the Bison as En'Dya Buford, Simanu Fields and Brenda Fontana took turns scoring. As a result, the Monarchs took a 37-27 lead to the locker room.
 
ODU essentially put the game away with an 11-0 run during the third quarter as their lead ballooned to 58-42 at the end of three quarters.
 
The Bison's woes were compounded by turnovers and failure to convert shots in the paint areas. ODU got 18 of their points off 13 Bison turnovers.
 
Howard shot a frigid 27-percent (19-of-69) from the floor for the game.
 
Howell, the 2022-24 MEAC (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) Player of the Year, had struggles from the floor of late, but had her best all-around game of the season, hitting on 9-of-19 from the floor, including a perfect 9-for-9 from the charity stripe while grabbing six rebounds and dealing out three assists in 30 minutes of play.
 
Graduate guard Kaiya Creek (Seat Pleasant, Md.) contributed eight points and seven rebounds.
 
Junior forward Zennia Thomas (Cleveland), who had double-doubles in two-of-the-last-three games, and was never a factor due to foul trouble, finishing with six points and five rebounds.
 
Senior reserve forward Vanessa Blake (Summerville, S.C.) came off the bench to tally a season-high nine points and six rebounds.
 
The Monarchs were led by Buford with a team-high 16 points and 10 rebounds and Fields and Kelsey Thompson who scored 13 points and 12 points, respectively.
 
NEXT UP: Howard plays Saint Joe's Friday (Dec. 20) in Philly at 11 a.m., in the Hawks Jersey Mike Classic.
 
For more information, visit the Bison Athletics website at www.HUBison.com.