From the Bulldogs Sports Information Department and theciaa.com:
BLOOMFIELD, N.J. – After a 12-day holiday break, Bowie State University women’s basketball picked up right where they left off, defeating Bloomfield College 59-38 on Sunday afternoon to close out the first half of the season and conclude non-conference play.
Bowie State (10-1) was paced by senior Pere Alexander’s double-double of 17 points and 10 rebounds and junior Dynaisha Christian chipped in a double-double of her own, 12 points and 14 rebounds. Christian’s 14 rebounds tied her career-high. Junior Amel Duggins contributed eight points while fellow junior Kyaja Williams and freshman Drew Calhoun tallied seven and six points respectively for the Bulldogs.
The Bulldogs held a slim 15-10 lead after the first quarter of action but went into halftime trailing 27-23. Bowie State combined for 7-of-19 field goals over the first 20 minutes while Bloomfield (1-10) converted 9-of-25 from the field in the first half.
Bowie State’s defense held Bloomfield to 0-of-11 shooting from the field in the third quarter and outscored the Bears 14-3 over the first 8:03 to regain the lead at 37-30. The only Bloomfield points during the period came via the free throw line.
The Bulldogs defensive intensity carried over into the fourth quarter as well, holding the Bears to just five points over the final 10 minutes of the contest.
Bloomfield’s lone fourth quarter field goal was 3-pointer by Jaylah Bennett at the 7:31 mark. The Bear’s only other points in the final quarter were a free throw each by Deja McKenzie and Estefania Dilone.
Bowie State’s best quarter was the fourth as the Bulldogs scored 19 points on 8-of-16 shooting from the field, which included 3-of-6 beyond the arc and held its largest lead of the game (23 points) coming at the 2:07 mark courtesy of a layup by senior Lea Whitehead.
The Bulldogs finished the afternoon with a 35.2 field goal shooting percentage (19-of-54), 63.6 percent (14-of-22) at the free throw line and held advantages in rebounds (49-32), points in the paint (22-6), points off turnovers (15-14) and second chance points (20-4).
Bloomfield’s Bears wrapped up the contest shooting 20.4 percent from the field (10-of-49) with Caitlin Townes leading the team with 11 points. Bennett and McKenzie were the next two top Bloomfield scorers with nine and eight points respectively.
Bowie State opens cross-division conference play on Saturday (January 5) hosting Johnson C. Smith at 2 p.m. as part of a doubleheader with the men.
