WASHINGTON (December 5, 2025) – Redshirt junior guard Zoe Stewart (Terre Haute, Ind.) scored a career-high 23 points and senior forward Zennia Thomas (Cleveland) contributed 14 points, but it was an all-around team effort that propelled the Howard University women's basketball team to a 72-69 win over Fairfield University in an entertaining and highly contested game at Burr Gymnasium.
 
It was designated Education Day and several hundred youth from the DMV area attended the game and cheered for the home team. 
 
The Stags came into the game rated No. 8 in the latest CollegeInsider.com Women's Mid-Major poll, having defeated Villanova and their only losses coming to No. 8 UNC and No. 11 Iowa.
 
Early on, Fairfield came out smoking in showing why they are so highly regarded. The Stags, who rank among the nation's best in three-point shooting accuracy (40-percent as a team), connected on 9-of-15 from the floor, including 7-of-12 from three to take a 25-13 lead at the end of one quarter.
 
The Bison (7-3), who have played a challenging nonconference schedule, never lost their pose despite the deficit and worked their way back in the game, parlaying the scoring of Thomas (10 first half points) and a scrappy defense that took away the Stags long ball and capitalized with a 22-8 second quarter to take a 34-33 lead to the locker room.
 
Stewart caught fire and tallied 12 points during the second period.
 
Meanwhile, Fairfield (4-3) found it more difficult to get looks from beyond the arc as Howard forced them into 1-of-9 in the second quarter.
 
The Howard defense, which has been stalwart all season, continued to stifle the visitor's offense, outscoring them, 11-2, to take its biggest lead of the game, 47-37, at the 4:55 mark of the third quarter.
 
Then the Stags, led by Meaghan Anderson and Janelle Brown, fueled a 14-2 run that cut the deficit, 51-49, at the end of three quarters of play.
 
The fourth quarter was a game of runs by both teams with neither allowing the other to take control.
 
The Stags managed a 66-61 advantage with 3:18 left in the final stanza.
 
Then, it was time for Howard's little-used redshirt sophomore forward Dally Moreno (Bronx, N.Y.) to make her presence felt. The New York product scored a key basket with 2:51 on the clock to cut the margin to a one-possession game, 66-64.
 
Next, senior forward Nile Miller (Woodbury, N.J.) made on her patented defensive plays that set up redshirt sophomore guard April Edwards (Little Rock, Ark.), who converted two free throws to tie the game, 66-66.
 
Howard would add a key free throw by freshman guard Ariella Henigan (Chicago), 67-66.
 
Thomas and Mille closed out one of the biggest wins in recent history. The Bison will assuredly move up the ranks in the next CollegeInsider.com Women's Mid-Majors poll following the victory.
 
Stewart, who has reached double figures the past four games, was 9-of-15 from the floor, including 2-of-3 from the arc, along with a couple of assists and steals.
 
The Stags defense made sure that Thomas did not hurt them, offensively, as she has against opponents this season, but the Cleveland native still managed 14 points, four rebounds and two steals.
 
Miller, an odds-on-favorite to win MEAC (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) Defensive Player of the Year honors, scored eight important points, grabbed seven rebounds and recorded three assists, a steal and a blocked shot in a night's work.
 
Moreno (6 points) and rookie guard Emma Nuquay (7 points) helped Howard win the battle of the bench war.
 
The Stags came into the game averaging almost 13 made threes per game, among the tops in the country. But the Howard defense forced them into 24 misses.
 
Conversely, the Bison have been having problems shooting the three ball (24-percent), but found its range today, connecting on a season-best 7-of-15 from downtown.
 
The Stags were led by Kaety L'Amoreaux with 23 points, seven rebounds, three assists and three steals.
 
NEXT UP: Howard travels to Norfolk, Va., to take on the Monarchs of Old Dominion Sunday (Dec. 7) at 2 p.m.
 
For more information, visit the official Howard Athletics website www.hubison.com.