Christina Johnson scored a game-high 20 points as Brown slipped past Howard, 65-61 on the opening day of the Brown Bear Basketball Classic Saturday afternoon at the Pizzitola Sports Center.

Junior Tamaya Daniels paced the Bison (0-8) and fell one-rebound shy of a double-double, finishing with 18 points and nine rebounds. Senior Asha Santee added 15 points and three steals while classmate Shannon Carlisle chipped in 10 points and a game-high five assists.

Howard held the Bears to 36% field-goal shooting and 11% from 3-point range, but gave up 23 fouls resulting in 32 free-throw attempts for the Bears.

A lay-up by Daniels gave the Bison a 10-point lead at 35-25, its largest of the game, with 17:54 left in the second half before Brown started chipping away at the lead.

The two teams exchanged baskets over the next few minutes until a Johnson basket at 12:29 spurred an 8-0 run by the Bears. Annesley O’Neal capped the run with a pair of free-throws at 9:23 and gave Brown its first lead of the half at 49-48.

The Bears extended its lead to six with 4:10 left in regulation. Carlisle and Amanda Edwards each hit a free-throw in the final two minutes to pull Howard within one, but Brown sank three of four from the charity stripe to seal the win.

HU will face off with Manhattan or Saint Joseph’s in the consolation game of the Bear Classic tomorrow at 1 p.m.

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