Box Score

WASHINGTON, D.C. – A pair of strong scoring efforts by Saadia Doyle and Tamoria Holmes and poor shooting by the Spartans gave Howard a 65-43 win over the Norfolk State women's basketball team Monday evening at Burr Gymnasium.

Holmes scored a career-high 22 and Doyle added 17 points, including 13 in the second half as Howard improved to 5-13 overall and 2-3 in the MEAC with the win. Sophomore Batavia Owens posted a double-double with 15 points and 13 rebounds, with eight offensive boards, as NSU fell to 6-8 overall, 0-5 in conference play.

The story of the game, though, was NSU's 21.7 percent shooting clip for the game. The Spartans connected on just 13-of-60 from the floor, including 2-of-16 from 3-point land. Owens had five of those 13 baskets.

NSU got the better of Howard on the boards, 42-33. The Spartans tallied 23 offensive boards, which led to a 21-7 edge in second chance points over the Bison. NSU was on fire from the free throw line early on in the game, hitting 12 of its first 13 before eventually cooling off and hitting 15-of-23 overall.

Cheyenne Curley-Payne posted 13 points with eight assists, six rebounds and two steals for Howard, which shot 48.9 percent for the evening. The Bison also connected on 4-of-9 from 3-point range and 15-of-21 (71.4 percent) from the charity stripe.

Tied 6-6 early in the game, Curley-Payne and Holmes provided plenty of offense for the Bison, as Howard took a 17-7 lead with 9:14 on the clock. The Spartans limited Doyle to just two points up to that point. NSU then finally ended a 15-1 run that lasted nearly nine and a half minutes after Owens grabbed an offensive board and sank the putback shot. Owens also hit the ensuing free throw after getting fouled on the play to close the deficit to 19-10.

Owens had six straight points over that minute and a half stretch to get the Howard lead in single digits, but Holmes banked a 3-pointer a few feet behind the arc to get the lead back to double digits, 24-14, with 5:49 to go. Holmes had 15 of the team's 24 points up to that point.

A big 3-pointer by Sarah Daily from the right corner and a pair of free throws by the junior guard got the Howard lead down to six, 27-21, with 2:45 left, but Holmes made it 17 points in the first half as the Bison went into the locker room holding a 31-21 lead.

Owens had seven points in that first half for the Spartans.

Doyle found her offensive rhythm in the second half, scoring six of the team's first eight points of the half as Howard got the lead to 15, 38-23, heading into the under 16-minute media timeout. The Bison lead reached 20 points as Doyle and Holmes continued to provide a big offensive spark for Howard.

Owens began to assert herself on the boards and had six of NSU's first eight points of the half, but her basket at 14:03 was the first of the second half for the Spartans. Freshman Rae Corbo drained a 3-pointer with 7:48 left, but that was as close as NSU got the rest of the way as Howard never let up in taking the win.

NSU will be back on the court next Saturday at home against North Carolina Central. Tip-off is slated for 4 p.m. at Joseph Echols Hall.