Women's Basketball | 3/13/2026 4:17:23 PM

NORFOLK, Va. (March 13, 2026) – Freshman guard Ariella Henigan  scored a career-high 22 points and senior forward Zennia Thomas added 14 to lead Howard University to a 65-50 win over Coppin State in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Tournament semifinals at the Norfolk Scope.

Howard jumped out to a 15-8 first-quarter lead behind Thomas and extended the advantage to 38-23 by halftime. Thomas and Henigan each had 12 points at the break.

The Bison defense again proved decisive during its 13-game winning streak, holding Coppin State to 7-of-23 shooting in the first half, including 2-of-6 from three-point range. Howard also forced 27 turnovers and converted them into 23 points.

Henigan, the MEAC Rookie of the Year, continued her strong play, shooting 8-of-17 from the field and 4-of-5 from beyond the arc. She has also gone 24-of-26 from the free-throw line over the past four games.

“I just wanted to remain calm out there,” Henigan said. “This is bigger than a regular season and a lot is on the line. My teammates had a lot of confidence in me, so it helped me relax and contribute.”

Thomas, the MEAC Player of the Year, finished with 14 points, nine rebounds and a block.

Other contributors included Zoe Stewart with seven points and Nile Miller, who added nine points, five rebounds and a career-high eight steals.

Coppin State was led by first-team All-MEAC selection Khila Morris with 14 points, while Sydney Burris recorded a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds.

The victory sends the top-seeded Bison to Saturday’s championship game against the winner of the Norfolk State–Maryland Eastern Shore matchup and marks Howard’s sixth consecutive MEAC Tournament final appearance.