DURHAM, N.C. (March 1, 2025) – Graduate guard Destiny Howell (Queens, N.Y.) had what is perhaps her best all-round performance, scoring a game-high 21 points to lead the Howard University women's basketball team to an easy 74-51 win over North Carolina Central University (NCCU) in a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) clash at McDougald-McLendon Arena.
 
It was the eighth straight win for the streaking Bison, who improved to 11-1 in league play (18-9 overall).
 
Howell also finished with four rebounds, four assists and three steals. She was also perfect from the free throw line and has now made 14-in-a-row and 34-out-of-her-last-38 attempts. She has scored 38 points in the past two games and shooting a sizzling 86-percent from the charity stripe.
 
Howell missed all of last season, following knee surgery and had yet to find her rhythm consistently during this year's return. Regarded as one of the premier shooters in the country, Howell's shots were not falling with the same consistency as they had in the past when she was named 2022-23 MEAC Player of the Year.
 
Yet, despite her scoring woes, the 6-foot graduate guard found other ways to help her team win. She has much success, whether it be rebounding, finding open teammates or coming up with timely steals on the defensive end.
 
Howell got the Bison going early by scoring 10 of her team's 20 points en route to an early 20-10 lead that Howard never relinquished. With her shooting form back (season-best 5-of-10 from downtown).
 
Howell's contributions became even more important as the Bison played part of the first half and all of the second without the services of their freshman playmaker and team second leading scorer Saniyah King (Washington). She came into the game averaging a team-high 34 minutes of playing time, but she logged a season-low 18 minutes and finished with three points and two assists. The shoo-in for MEAC Rookie of the Year, King came into the game averaging 18.0 points and 5.0 assists in the past three games.
 
But with Howell setting the tone, the Bison never missed a beat, using the same formula that has been successful during the current streak. Junior forward Nile Miller (Haddonfield, N.J.), the team defensive specialist, tallied seven points, four rebounds, three steals and a blocked shot.
 
Junior transfer forward Zennia Thomas (Cleveland) recorded seven points, four below her season average, but grabbed a team-high 13 rebounds.
 
Then, there was the bench, which has played a huge role in the team's recent run. Graduate forward Kaiya Creek (Seat Pleasant, Md.) has come along of late, adding seven points to the effort. Janyah Bohanon (Cleveland), an athletic sophomore guard that continues to improve, had what was one of her better all-around efforts with 12 points, a career-high four assists and four steals.
 
Ten Bison scored in the contest.
 
Howard did not shoot the ball well (30-percent), but the defense and depth proved to be the difference. The Bison forced the Eagles into 14-of-57 shooting (24-percent), including 5-of-27 from downtown while also getting 28 points off NCCU's 32 turnovers.
 
NCCU (8-19, 5-7 MEAC) was led by Kyla Bryant with 14 points and eight rebounds and Morgan Callahan, who grabbed a game-high 15 rebounds.
 
NEXT UP: Howard concludes its four-game road swing Monday (March 3) at South Carolina State. Tipoff at 5:30 p.m.
 
For the latest updates, visit the Bison Athletics website at www.HUBison.com.