Howard women’s hoops gets by South Carolina State 68-64

_{Image via David Sierra}

Courtesy of Ed Hill, Jr., retired Howard University Sports Information Director

68

Winner HOW

64

SCSt

Senior forward Zennia Thomas (Cleveland) recorded a double-double and key plays down the stretch gave the Howard University women’s basketball team a hard-fought 68-64 road win over South Carolina State (SC State) in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) opener at Smith-Hammond-Middleton Gymnasium.
 
The Bulldogs (3-13, 0-1 MEAC) came out and let the MEAC preseason favorites know that this was going to be a battle. SC State is led by its new head coach Cedric Baker III, who won an MEAC title at Savannah State before coming to Orangeburg.
 
Paced by Lemyiah Harris’ 20 first half points, SC State maintained a slight edge through most of the early action, repelling several Howard efforts to seize control.
 
The Bulldogs led, 35-33, at intermission.
 
The third quarter was pretty much the same and the two continued to go back-and-forth. There were seven lead changes and six ties in the final two stanzas. 
 
The Bison (11-6, 1-0 MEAC), who have played a strong nonconference road schedule against multiple Power 4 opponents (Purdue, Syracuse, Cincinnati & Virginia), did not have one of their better offensive games, so they turned to their vaunted defense.
 
After the Bulldogs took a 59-57 lead at the 2:51 mark of the fourth quarter, Howard turned to its veterans, Thomas and fellow classmate forward Nile Miller (Woodbury, N.J.) and budding freshman guard Ariella Henigan (Chicago).
 
Forcing the hosts into bad shots and empty possessions, Howard was able to capitalize with two free throws by Thomas, followed by an assist to Miller from Thomas.
 
Then, Miller added one-of-two free throws and Henigan knocked down two free throws as the Bison used an 9-0 run during a two-minute stretch to give them some breathing room with a 66-59 advantage with just 46 ticks on the clock.
 
SC State was able to close out with a three pointer and a late basket, but Hennigan shut the door with two more clutch free throws.
 
Thomas, the candidate for MEAC Player of the Year, rebounded from her worst performances of the season in the loss at Army (Dec. 29) to convert on 6-of-10 from the floor, along with 11 boards, two assists and two key blocks in the fourth quarter.
 
Miller, a first team preseason all-conference selection and perhaps the MEAC Defensive Player of the Year, impacted the game with nine points, seven rebounds, four steals and a key block.
 
Redshirt junior guard Zoe Stewart (Terre Haute, Ind.) chipped in with 12 points and five rebounds while Hennigan, who continues to come on strong, finished with 11 points, including eight coming in the second half, and three assists.
 
The Bison had struggled at the free throw line at Army with their worst performance of the season (51-percent). They made a nice rebound, but a tale of two halves from the charity stripe. In the first half, Howard was 2-for-2, but in the second half, they converted 16-of-28. On the season, they are hitting at a respectable 71-percent clip.
 
Defensively, the Bison continue to find ways to win close games on the road. And much of the credit has to go to its defense. For the game, Howard turned SC State turnovers into 21 points, recorded 13 steals and blocked four shots.
 
SC State was led by Harris with a game-high 28 points. Heaven Harper (eight points & seven rebounds), Angie Jean-Justus (eight points) and Feliah Greer (team-high 10 boards & seven points) contributed to a losing effort.
 
NEXT UP: Howard hosts Delaware State in its MEAC home opener Thursday (Jan. 8) at 6 p.m., inside Burr Gymnasium. SC State travels to Baltimore to take on Coppin State Thursday (Jan. 8) at 7 p.m.