WASHINGTON (January 31, 2026) – Senior forward Nile Miller (Woodbury, N.J.) scored eight of her 10 points in the fourth quarter to lead the Howard University women's basketball team to a 68-59 win over rival Norfolk State in a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) clash at Burr Gymnasium.
 
The Bison (16-7, 6-1 MEAC) won their fourth straight while the Spartans (10-12, 5-2 MEAC) had their four-game win streak snapped.
 
"We needed to step up in the fourth quarter and make plays.," said Miller after the game. "We had lost to them three straight times, so we had to establish something for the rest of the season. It was important that we got this win."
 
It was another classic battle between the two perennial powers in the conference, who have played each other in four straight tournament finals. It featured 10 ties and 18 lead changes in which neither team would fold.
 
Howard established the early lead, 14-9, at the end of the first quarter.
 
It was the Spartans' turn in the second quarter as they outscored Howard, 23-16, to take 32-30 lead to the locker room.
 
The battle continued in the third quarter as senior forward Zennia Thomas (Cleveland) and redshirt junior guard Zoe Stewart (Terre Haute, Ind.) came alive, combining for eight of their team's 14 points. But Norfolk State had an answer in Anjanae Richardson and Carmen Kweti, who combined for tallied 10 of the Spartans 12 points.
 
The team's played to a 38-38 deadlock at the end of three periods.
 
Miller, a preseason All-MEAC selection, spent most of the third quarter and part of the fourth saddled with foul trouble. But when she entered the game, her experience showed.
 
A nice up-and-under move by Miller resulted in a basket to give Howard a 56-55 lead at the 3:16 mark of the fourth quarter in the seesaw battle. She followed with another basket on a putback, 58-55, at the 2:41 mark. Thomas was fouled 40 seconds later and converted on two free throws, 60-55.
 
Kweti stopped the run with a field goal with 1:45 on the clock, 60-57. The Bison defense tightened up and held the visitors to only one field goal the rest of the way.
 
From there, Howard took advantage of their vaunted defense, as Miller, redshirt sophomore guard April Edwards (Little Rock, Ark.) and junior forward Sa'lah Hemingway (San Bernardino, Calif.) each combined for the last six points. 
 
Regarded as perhaps the top defensive player in the conference, Miller recorded her first double-double of the season with 12 points and 10 rebounds in just 24 minutes of productive play.
 
"Nile has emerged," said Howard women's basketball head coach Ty Grace. "The things she did today showed that she is capable. I am proud that she stepped up."
 
Stewart led the team with 14 points.
 
Thomas, the leading candidate for MEAC Player of the Year, had another productive night with 12 points (just below her season average, 16.0 ppg), but grabbed four rebounds, dished out two assists and recorded two steals and a block.
 
Freshman guard Ariella Henigan (Chicago) finished with nine points, seven coming in the third quarter, and two steals.
 
For the game, Howard won the battle in the paints (38-28) and second chance points (17-9).
 
The Bison converted on 19-of-25 from the charity stripe, including an important 12-for-12 in the final stanza.
 
Norfolk State was led by Richardson, who led all scorers with 19 points. Kewti netted 12 points off the bench and De'Brya Clark produced 10 points and six rebounds in a losing cause.
 
NEXT UP: Howard hosts South Carolina State Saturday (Feb. 7) at 2 p.m., inside Burr Gymnasium.
 
For more information, visit the Bison Athletics website at www.HUBison.com.