COLUMBUS, Ohio (March 20, 2026) – Howard University women's basketball team opens NCAA Round of 64 against the Buckeyes of Ohio Stat Saturday (March 21) at the Schottenstein Center (19,500). Tipoff is slated for 11:30 a.m.
 
FOLLOW THE ACTION
 
Bison Nation can follow all the action via ESPN2.
 
LAST TIMEOUT
 
HOWARD
 
On March 14, the Bison used a balanced scoring attack and a big advantage in second-chance points to defeat Norfolk State, 53-46, to capture the 2026 MEAC Championship at The Scope.
 
MEAC Player of the Year and Tournament MVP senior forward Zennia Thomas (Cleveland) led the charge with 15 points and eight rebounds.
 
OHIO STATE
 
The Buckeyes (26-7) dropped a 72-62 decision to UCLA in the Big Ten Semifinal Round that snapped a three-game win streak. Chance Gray finished with a team-best 23 points.
 
PROBABLE STARTERS/KEY RESERVES
 
HOWARD PROBABLE STARTERS
 
No.      Name                                      Class                Position           2025-26 Stats                        
24        Zennia Thomas                       Senior             Forward          15.2 ppg & 8.0 rpg
25        Nile Miller                               Senior             Forward          7.8 ppg, 6.2 rpg & 83 steals
11        Sa'lah Hemingway                  Junior              Forward          3.9 ppg & 3.3 rpg
23        Zoe Stewart                            R-Junior          Guard              11.7 ppg & 82-percent FT%
4          Ariella Henigan                       Freshman        Guard              9.0 ppg, 2.6 rpg & 60 assists
 
HOWARD KEY RESERVES
 
No.      Name                                      Class                Position           2025-26 Stats                        
15        April Edwards                         R-Sophomore Guard              5.3 ppg & 86-percent FT%
21        Rayne Durant                          Junior              Forward          2.7 ppg & 18 blocks
5          Destiny Bynum-Johnson          Junior              Guard              5.4 ppg & 3.9 rpg
 
OHIO STATE PROBABLE STARTERS
 
No.      Name                                      Class                Position           2025-26 Stats                        
2          Chance Gray                           Senior             Guard              14.9 ppg & 88-percent FT%
22        Jaloni Cambridge                    Sophomore     Guard              22.1 ppg & 5.6 rpg
12        Elsa Lemmila                           Sophomore     Guard              9.3 ppg & 7.3 rpg
22        Kennedy Cambridge               R-Junior          Guard              9.0 ppg & 4.7 rpg
5          Ava Watson                            Sophomore     Guard              7.1 ppg & 2.2 rpg
 
OHIO STATE KEY RESERVES
 
No.      Name                                      Class                Position           2025-26 Stats                        
1          Kylie Kitts                                R-Freshman    Guard              7.5 ppg & 5.7 rpg
8          Bryn Martin                            Freshman        Forward          3.9 ppg
 
THE COACHES
 
Ohio State is coached by Kevin McGuff (St. Joseph's College[Ind.], '92), who is in his 13^th season at the helm. Howard is led by Ty Grace (New Haven, '99), who is in her 11^th season and the second winningest coach in school history.
 
SERIES RECORD
 
This is the first meeting between the two programs.
 
GAME NOTES
 
HOWARD
 
Howard is holding opponents to 26-percent shooting from three and allowing only 61.3 points per game…Nationally, as a team, Howard is eighth in three-point shooting defense (26-percent) and 14^th in free throws made per game (15.7)…Nationally, individually, Thomas is tied for 10^th  in free throws attempts and 21^st in free throws made…Thomas was named the MEAC Player of the Year and Tournament MVP.…Thomas and fellow classmate forward Nile Miller (Woodbury, N.J.) are preseason First Team All-MEAC selections…Thomas has reached double figures in all but four games this season and has recorded 10 double-doubles…freshman guard Ariella Henigan (Chicago), who was named MEAC Rookie of the Year, was also named to the MEAC All-Tournament Team…The Bison come in as a No. 14 seed, their highest in the history of the program…Thomas will be returning home…During the 14-game win streak, which is currently the second-longest win streak in Division I, the Howard defense has been stifling, allowing an average 55.0 points per game to opponents…Thomas scored a career-high 25 points at VCU (Nov. 17)…Thomas has eight games of 20 points or more…Thomas recorded a career-best 13 rebounds at North Carolina Central (Jan. 17), along with season-best in blocks (35), assists (57) and steals (31)…Miller, perhaps the best defensive player in school history, had a career-best eight steals against Coppin State (March 13)…Miller recorded a season-best 60 assists…Henigan tallied 77 points in the last five games, including a career-best 22 points against Coppin State in the MEAC Tournament Semifinals (March 13)…Redshirt junior guard Zoe Stewart (Terre Haute, Ind.) holds the distinction of having made four three pointers in a game twice while posting a career-best eight assists at Morgan State (Feb. 28)…The 26 wins is the most in school history, men or women…And oh, by the way, the Bison are getting it done inside the classroom with a 3.3 GPA.
 
OHIO STATE
 
Nationally, the Buckeyes are ranked in several statistical categories…They lead the nation in assists/turnover ratio…Nationally, individually, Jalon Cambridge is seventh in points per game and tied for 48^th in free throw attempts.
 
NEXT UP
 
The winner meets either No. 6 Notre Dame or No. 11 Fairfield in the NCAA Round of 32 Monday (March 23).
 
For more information, visit the Bison Athletics website at www.HUBison.com.