PRINCESS ANNE, Md. (January 9, 2026) – Howard University women's basketball team will be looking to continue its winning ways in MEAC (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) play when it travels to Princess Anne, Md., to take on the Hawks of the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) Saturday (Jan. 10) at 2 p.m., inside the William P. Hytche Athletic Center.
 
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Bison Nation can follow all the action via live stats and/or Delmarva Sports Network.
 
LAST TIMEOUT
 
HOWARD
 
Thursday (Jan. 8), redshirt junior guard Zoe Stewart (Terre Haute, Ind.) and senior forward Zennia Thomas (Cleveland) each scored 14 points to help the Bison pull away to a 73-63 win over Delaware State University in a MEAC clash at Burr Gymnasium.
 
UMES
 
The Hawks defeated the defending MEAC Champions, Norfolk State Spartans, 63-60, Thursday (Jan. 8) in Norfolk, Va. In the victory, the Hawks got 19 points from graduate guard Dayshawna Carter.
 
PROBABLE STARTERS/KEY RESERVES
 
HOWARD PROBABLE STARTERS
 
No.      Name                          Class                Position           2025-26 Stats                                                            
24        Zennia Thomas           Senior             Forward          15.0 ppg, 7.4 rpg & 21 blocks
25        Nile Miller                   Senior             Forward          7.9 ppg, 5.4 rpg & 46 steals
11        Sa'lah Hemingway      Junior              Forward          2.7 ppg & 2.8 rpg
23        Zoe Stewart                R-Junior          Guard              12.7 ppg & 44-percent FG%
4          Ariella Henigan           Freshman        Guard              7.7 ppg, 2.5 rpg & 39 assists
 
HOWARD KEY RESERVES
 
No.      Name                          Class                Position           2025-26 Stats                                    
15        April Edwards             R-Sophomore Guard              4.3 ppg & 89-percent FT%
21        Rayne Durant              Junior              Forward          3.0 ppg, 2.5 rpg & 51-percent FG%
 
UMES PROBABLE STARTERS/KEY RESERVES
 
No.      Name                          Class                Position           2025-26 Stats                                    
8          Dayshawna Carter      Graduate        Guard              6.0 ppg & 89-percent FT%
25        Ashanti Lynch             Senior             Guard              9.9 ppg, 44-percent FG%
15        Kalise Hill                    Sophomore     Guard              6.8 ppg, 2.2 rpg & 42 assists
32        Kaliya Perry                 Freshman        Forward          8.5 ppg & 4.8 rpg
35        Dakieran Turner         Senior             Forward          4.7 ppg & 6.5 rpg
 
UMES KEY RESERVES
 
No.      Name                          Class                Position           2025-26 Stats                                    
12        Briana Barnes             Senior             Forward          9.9 ppg & 4.0 rpg
33        Lainey Allen                Senior             Forward          9.0 ppg, 6.8 rpg & 19 blocks
 
THE COACHES
 
Howard is led by Ty Grace (New Haven, '99), who is in her 11^th season and the second winningest coach in school history. UMES is coached by Malikah Willis (Iowa, '88), who is in her second season.
 
SERIES RECORD
 
Howard has won nine-in-a-row in the series, dating back to 2022, holding UMES to under 60 points during the nine-game win streak. In the most recent contest, the Bison prevailed, 67-59, in the MEAC Tournament (March 14, 2025). Howard leads the series, 20-14, since December 2005. The Hawks last won, 66-59, in Princess Anne (February 5, 2022).
 
GAME NOTES
 
HOWARD
 
Howard is holding opponents to 26-percent shooting from three and allowing only 63 points per game…Nationally, the Bison are ranked 38^st in three-point shooting percentage defense…Some of Howard's success in close victories has been its free throw shooting, converting on 71-percent from the charity stripe…The vaunted Howard defense continues to be its staple, recording almost 20 points off opponents' turnovers while also averaging 10.1 steals and almost 4.0 blocks…Nationally, senior forward Nile Miller (Woodbury, N.J.) is tied for 24^th in total steals…Thomas, the early leading candidate for MEAC Player of the Year, is eighth in free throw attempts and tied for 10^th in free throws made…Howard is the preseason pick to win the MEAC…Miller and Thomas are preseason First Team All-MEAC selections…Thomas has reached double figures in all but three games this season and has recorded six double doubles…In the MEAC, Howard leads the conference in scoring offense, scoring defense, assists/turnover ratio,  three-point shooting percentage defense (26-percent), free throw shooting percentage (72-percent)…Individually, Thomas still leads the MEAC in scoring (15.0 ppg) and rebounding (7.4 rpg)…Stewart ranks second in field goal shooting percentage, fourth in scoring, fifth in three-point shooting (33-percent) and seventh in three pointers made per game…Miller is seventh in rebounding and second in field goal shooting (46-percent), third in steals and seventh in blocks…Freshman guard Ariella Henigan (Chicago) ranks seventh in assists and eight in free throw shooting...Junior forward Rayne Durant (New Haven, Conn.) ranks ninth in blocks…The Bison are ranked 21^st in this week's CollegeInsider.com Women's Mid-Major poll...Miller was named the MEAC Defensive Player of the Week Monday (Jan. 5).
 
UMES
 
In the MEAC, the improved Hawks lead the league in team offensive rebounds (14.7)…Individually, Ashanti Lynch ranks fifth in scoring, eighth in steals and ninth rebounding…Briana Barnes is fifth in free throw shooting percentage, ninth in field goal shooting and 10^th in scoring… Dakieran Turner is third in rebounding…Desi Taylor leads the conference in three-point shooting percentage (44-percent)…Kalise Hill is eighth in assists and ninth in steals.
 
NEXT UP
 
Howard travels to Durham, N.C., to take on the Eagles of North Carolina Central Saturday (Jan. 17) at 2 p.m.
 
For more information, visit the official Howard Athletics website www.hubison.com.