WASHINGTON (February 3, 2024) – Redshirt freshman Tyana Walker (Leawood, Kan.) came off the bench to score a game-high 18 points and junior forward Vanessa Blake (Summerville, S.C.) tallied 12 points to lead the Howard University women's basketball team to a 52-47 win over the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) in a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) showdown at Burr Gymnasium.
 
Blake got her team going, scoring the Bison's first six points to help her team take an 18-10 lead at the end of the first quarter. Walker, reigning MEAC Rookie of the Week, scored five straight points in the last two minutes.
 
Walker continued her scoring with five more points in the second quarter as Howard (7-13, 4-2 MEAC) was able to take a 26-19 lead at the half.
 
The duo of Blake and Walker scored nine of the Bison's points in the third stanza but the Hawks (10-11, 3-3 MEAC) got a boost from Mahogany Lester and Ariana Seawell, who combined to score 10 of their 14 third quarter points, narrowing the deficit to six after three, 39-33.
 
UMES continued to chip away and closed the deficit to four, 39-35, early in the fourth period.  But Walker and senior forward Kaiya Creek (Seat Pleasant, Md.) hit back-to-back three pointers to push the lead back to seven, 42-35.  From there, Howard made good on 7-of-8 from the free throw line to secure the victory.
 
The Bison defense was again outstanding, limiting the visitors to 19-of-54 shooting from the floor, including 2-of-21 from beyond the arc.
 
Each team turned the ball over 23 times, but the Bison got the edge by converting UMES' miscues into 18 points.
 
In addition to her 12 points, Blake grabbed five rebounds.
 
MEAC Defensive Player of the Year candidate sophomore forward Nile Miller (Haddonfield, N.J.) grabbed 12 rebounds to go along with her eight points.
 
Fifth-year guard Iyanna Warren (Accokeek, Md.) scored only four points, but she recorded six assists and four steals in the victory.
 
The Hawks paced by Lester and Seawell with 11 points each.
 
NEXT UP: Howard travels to Dover, Del., to take on the Hornets of Delaware State Monday (Feb. 5) at 5:30 p.m.
 
For more information, visit the Bison Athletics website at www.HUBison.com.