PHILADELPHIA (December 20, 2024) – Freshman standout Saniyah King (Washington) poured in a career-high 23 points, but no other Bison reached double figures as the Howard University women's basketball team fell, 69-53, to St. Joe's in the Hawk Classic at Michael J. Hagan85 Arena.
 
The loss was the second straight for the Bison (6-7) while the Hawks (8-2) won their third straight.
 
A freshman guard from D.C., King was coming off her worst game of her early career at Howard, missing 13-of-14 shots, including 0-for-6 from the three-point line in the loss to Old Dominion (Dec. 17). But the four-time MEAC (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) Rookie of the Week showed why she is regarded as one of the top freshmen in the country, connecting 8-of-16 from the field and 6-for-7 from the charity stripe. It helped keep her team within striking distance as the Bison trailed, 34-26, at the half.
 
The Hawks threatened to put the game away with a 9-0 run early in the third quarter. But the Bison, led by King, graduate guard Destiny Howell (Queens, N.Y.) and junior forward Nile Miller (Haddonfield, N.J.) responded with an 11-2 run to keep it withing striking distance.
 
Then St. Joe's, which has a signature win over Syracuse this season on its resume, flexed, capitalizing on Howard's inability to score and a balanced attack combined to shoot 58-percent in the fourth stanza.
 
Howell and the rest of her teammates not being to find range, it added to the Bison's scoring woes for the second straight game. 
 
Howell, who was coming off a season-high 30-point performance in the loss to Old Dominion, picked up two quick fouls and was held to nine points on 1-of-12 shooting from the floor. The 2022-23 MEAC Player of the Year did manage to go a perfect 6-of-6 from the free throw line.  She has now made 15 straight free throws over the last three games.
 
Aside from King, the Bison other four starters shot a collective 16-of-58 from the field, including 2-of-11 from the three-point line.
 
On a positive note, Howard had a season-low six turnovers, but it also recorded a season-low assist total with only two.
 
Junior forward Zennia Thomas (Cleveland) did grab a team-high eight rebounds and Miller contributed six points and seven rebounds in a losing effort.
 
The Hawks were led by Tayla Borger with 23 points, Laura Ziegler with a triple-double (10 points, 11 rebounds & 10 assists), 19 points from Mackenzie Smith and 15 points from Rhian Stokes off bench.
 
NEXT UP: Howard takes on Northwestern Saturday (Dec. 10), which lost to the College of Charleston, 68-62, in the other first round matchup. Tipoff is scheduled for 11 a.m.
 
For more information, visit the Bison Athletics website at www.HUBison.com.