Howard Holds Out; Saadia Doyle reaches 500 rebounds in 35-33 win over UMES
Washington, DC - What started as a one-sided game, transformed into an even stalemate in scoring as the Howard Bison pulled off a 35-33 win over Maryland Eastern Shore. The game would mark the Bison's (7-14, 4-4 MEAC) lowest scoring game of season after shooting a lowly 16-55 from the field.
Sophomore guard Tamoria Holmes ignited the Bison, scoring the team's initial six points while the Lady Hawks (7-13, 4-3 MEAC) remained scoreless. Howard would hold UMES to two fields goals with seven minutes remaining.
Holmes would temporarily leave the game on account of three early fouls. Upon her return she added six points to the half.
Also supporting Holmes throughout the opening half was redshirt-sophomore Saadia Doyle with four points. Doyle would also charge the Lady Hawks with an impressive defensive performance and surpassed a landmark 500 rebounds for her career. She completed the game with 10 rebounds and nine points.
Immediately following a Holmes' turnover, teammate Jerelle Gorham fouled UMES' Casey Morton. Morton, who entered Saturday averaging 17.5 points per game in her last six outings, was successful in her trip to the line.
UMES would go on a 13-point run before finally taking the lead, 19-18 with less than a minute remaining in the first half. Howard, however, managed to score quickly and move back ahead, 21-19 before the close of the half.
For complete story visit www.howard-bison.com or www.umeshawks.com
Lady Pirates Beat Delaware State with Defense
Hampton, Va. - The Lady Pirates smothered Delaware State on offense Saturday afternoon at the HU Convocation Center, taking a 52-29 win.
The Lady Pirates set a season-low in points allowed, giving up the fewest points since beating Winston-Salem State 62-26 last Feb. 8. Hampton also held the Lady Hornets to a season-low 15.4 percent 96-for-29) from the floor.
Delaware State made more free throws (17-for-23) than field goals.
Junior guard Jericka Jenkins led the Lady Pirates with 12 points - all in the first half - while junior forward Melanie Warner added 11 points. Warner and senior forward Quanneisha Perry each pulled down a team-high six rebounds.
When sophomore forward Keiara Avant hit a layup with 16:25 left in the game, it capped an 11-2 run for the Lady Pirates dating back to the first half and gave them a 31-13 lead.
Alexis Johnson scored Delaware State's first field goal of the second half with a layup but the Lady Hornets would go nearly seven minutes before their next field goal.
Delaware State (5-14, 1-6 MEAC) out-rebounded the Lady Pirates 36-35, but missed all nine 3-point attempts. The Lady Hornets turned the ball over 24 times.
Delaware State shot just 12.5 percent in the first half.
For complete story visit www.hamptonpirates.com or www.dsuhornets.com
Free Throws Lead Morgan State Past NSU, 64-60
Baltimore, Md. - Numerous free throws by Morgan State allowed the Bears to take a 64-60 win over the Spartans Saturday afternoon at Talmadge Hill Field House.
NSU tied the score with as few as five minutes left in the game, but the Spartans were unable to convert on several chances late in the half as the Bears held on. The Spartans fell to 8-9 overall and 1-6 in the MEAC, while the Bears improved to 11-8, 5-2.
Sophomore Batavia Owens and junior Sarah Daily led the balanced NSU scoring with 13 and 11 points, respectively, while Daily and sophomore Marian Brooks tied for the team lead with seven rebounds.
Owens also had a team-leading three steals, while freshman Rae Corbo contributed six points and five assists. The Spartans handed out 19 assists on their 25 baskets.
Brittany Noel led all players with 16 points, while Kyla Rollins added 13 points and nine rebounds for the Lady Bears, who held a 33-32 edge in rebounds for the game.
For complete story visit www.nsuspartans.com or www.morganstatebears.com
Last-Second Shot Lifts Florida A&M Past Lady Eagles, 63-62
Durham, N.C. - After fighting back from a nine-point second-half deficit, the Lady Eagles of North Carolina Central led by one point at the 49 second mark until Florida A&M scoring leader Antonia Bennett hit a last second layup to seal a Lady Rattlers 63-62 victory on Saturday, Jan. 29 in McDougald-McLendon Gym.
NCCU began the second half with a score of 26-32, Bennett, who finished with 31 points, quickly paced FAMU to a nine-point deficit. Senior Jori Nwachukwu, who netted 16 points in the last 20 minutes of play, quickly led NCCU on an 8-1 run for the first tie of the half.
From the 14:30 mark until to the 8:17 point, FAMU would regain the lead, pulling away by as many as six points. With sophomore J'Mia Pollock on the line sinking one of her two free throws, the contest became a point-for-point battle.
NCCU freshman Sierra Solomon hit her one and only three pointer of the night, for a two-point Lady Eagles' lead, 51-49. Nevertheless, Bennett would not allow FAMU to fall past a two-point deficit. The leading scorer netted each of the Lady Rattlers last 12 points alone.
Pollock hit a jumper for a three-point NCCU lead, 61-58. A behind the arc shot by Bennett, created the fifth tie of the half. Nwachukwu hit the charity line, where the senior netted one free throw for a one-point Lady Eagles lead.
FAMU's Qiana Donald attempted to seal the victory, but Pollock denied her that success blocking her shot with 23 seconds on the clock. With one second remaining, FAMU's offensive leader hit a layup at the buzzer to seal FAMU's one-point victory.
For complete story visit www.nccueaglepride.com or www.famu.edu/athletics
S.C. State Women Fall 64-55 to Bethune-Cookman
Orangeburg, S.C. - S.C. State senior Whitney Wiley tossed in 20 points and had five steals, however, it was not enough to prevent the Lady Bulldogs from dropping their fifth straight contest, 64-55, to MEAC foe Bethune-Cookman on Saturday.
Sophomore Tiara Knotts added 14 points and five assists in the loss, which dropped Coach Doug Robertson's team to 6-11 on the season and 2-5 in the MEAC.
Jasmine Daniels had 24 points and Cleniece Roberts 12 and a game-high 11 rebounds to lead visiting Bethune-Cookman in the victory, which put the visitors above the .500 mark at 10-9 overall and an even 4-4 in the league.
The Lady Wildcats overcame an early 7-4 deficit four minutes into the contest and went on to a 27-22 lead at the half behind seven points each by Daniels and Jasmine Elum, who finished with 10 points for B-CU.
SC State scored the first basket of the second half to get to within 27-24 before B-CU went on a 9-0 run to move ahead. Daniels had seven of her total, including a 3-pointer, during the spree.
The Lady Bulldogs sank the next two baskets on a follow-shot by Fannie Goodwin and two free throws by Knotts to close the gap to 36-28 but Daniels missed her second shot from behind the arc to ignite a 13-5 run that put the visitors ahead 49-33 with just under six minutes on the clock.
For complete story visit www.scsuathletics.com or www.b-cuathletics.com
Eagles Fall on Last-Second Shot to North Carolina A&T
Baltimore, Md.- Nikia Gorham scored on a put back with 2.2 seconds remaining in regulation lifting North Carolina A&T to a 75-74 MEAC victory over Coppin State on Saturday at the Physical Education Complex.
Gorham, who finished with 16 points and 10 rebounds, grabbed a missed shot by Jaleesa Sams and missed on the layup attempt. Sams rebounded her own miss and scored the game-winning basket to cap a furious comeback that saw the Lady Aggies overcome a 15-point second half deficit.
Leola Spotwood converted one of two free throws with 3:03 remaining in the game giving Coppin State a 74-68 lead.
Sams converted a layup with 2:07 left, which cut the lead to 74-70.
Gorham then made three of four free throw attempts with under a minute to play, the last of which brought the Aggies to within one, 74-73.
On the ensuing trip down the floor the Lady Eagles turned the ball over and Sams raced down the court, but missed the short jumper. Gorham then grabbed the rebound and missed the putback, but then rebounded her miss and scored the winning basket.
Gorham scored the final five points of the game for the Aggies and finished the game 5-of-7 from the floor and she also added 10 rebounds.
North Carolina A&T (9-9, 5-2 MEAC) was led by Sams who scored 19 points.
Coppin State (6-12, 3-4 MEAC) was led by Larrisa Carter who had 14 points and 12 rebounds. Ashle Craig and Shawntae Payne each had 12 points, while Crystal Whittington and Leola Spotwood each added 11 points.
For complete story visit www.coppinstatesports.com or www.ncataggies.com