WASHINGTON (January 4, 2025) – Graduate guard
Destiny Howell (Queens, N.Y.) scored a game-high 22 points to lead four Bison in double figures as the Howard University women's basketball team held off a pesky Delaware State team, 74-66, in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) opener at Burr Gymnasium.
The Biosn improve to 8-8 overall (1-0 MEAC) while the Hornets fell to 3-11 overall (0-1 MEAC).
Howard established the tone early, taking a 19-14 lead on the scoring of Howell's eight points at the end of one.
The Bison were able to extend their lead to nine, 41-32, at halftime with much-needed help from forwards
Zennia Thomas (Cleveland) and
Vanessa Blake (Summerville, S.C.), who combined for 10 of their team's points.
Howard's cause was aided by its shooting (56-percent from the field).
The Bison once held an 18-point lead at the 1:03 mark before settling for a 69-45 lead at the end of three quarters.
Then, the scrappy Hornets caught fire and reeled off a 15-5 run that narrowed the deficit to 70-60 with a little under two minutes remaining. Kiarra Mcelath did most of the damage by hitting three long balls during the run.
That is when freshman guard
Saniyah King (Washington and graduate forward
Kaiya Creek (Seat Pleasant, Md.) put the game away, combining for six free throws down the stretch to hold off the Hornets.
Thomas recorded her third double-double of the season with 12 points and 11 rebounds. Blake scored 13 points off the bench on 5-of-6 shooting. King just missed a double-double with 10 points and nine assists.
The Hornets were led by Mcelath with her career high 31 points on 12-of-23, including 6-of-12 from beyond the arc. Mahogany Cottiingham tallied 16 points and five assists.
For the game, the Bison recorded 19 assists on 27 made field goals while holding a 38-22 advantage on points in the paint and collected 23 points off DSU turnovers.
NEXT UP: Howard hosts Morgan State Saturday (Jan. 11). Tipoff at 2 p.m., inside The Burr.
For more information, visit the Bison Athletics website at
www.HUBison.com.