After bouncing back from a season-opening overtime loss against the University of Missouri, the Howard women’s basketball team conquered Elon University at John H. Burr Gymnasium.
The 76-69 win against Elon brought the Bison to a 1-1 record. Fifth-year guard Zoe Stewart led with 20 points, while sophomore guard Ariella Henigan added 18.
Ahead of the Elon game, Stewart, a sociology major from Terre Haute, Indiana, wanted fans to know the team has a lot to offer.
“We could compete with anybody. We are a really good, talented, and deep team.” She commends her team for playing their role and never quitting. “[We have] a lot of resilience, a lot of grit and every player will show you some type of skill,” she said.
During the Nov. 2 matchup, the Bison led Missouri for the first three quarters of the game, building a 19-point lead late in the third quarter. Though the Bison outscored Missouri in the third quarter 31-19, the Tigers caught up, outscoring the Bison 30-13 in the fourth quarter to tie the game 82-82 and force overtime.
The game remained close in overtime with the teams trading shots. With one minute and 36 seconds remaining, Missouri sophomore guard Nevaeh Caffey made a layup that put the Tigers ahead 87-84. Howard senior guard Destiny Bynum-Johnson responded with an 11-foot jumper soon after. Missouri Senior guard Tanyuel Welch scored two of three free throws with six seconds left.
With one second left, Howard sophomore forward Jada Kendrick’s tip-in put Howard just one point behind, but a foul on sophomore guard Emma Nuquay sent Welch back to the line. She made both free throws, ultimately ending the game at 91-88, a Missouri victory.
Senior guard April Edwards said she felt the momentum shift after a three-pointer by Missouri sophomore guard McKenzie Mathurin.
“I would definitely say our confidence changed,” Edwards, a sport management major from Little Rock, Arkansas, said. “They were hitting their shots and we weren’t hitting ours at the time. We were all kind of shocked in a way.”
She added that the team needs to get open in the fourth quarter, and learn to not get hesitant when faced with challenges.
“I think we’re learning to own the moment and really own the adversity that we were facing,” she said.
Edwards also emphasized that the team must take responsibility for its mistakes.
“Just take ownership,” she said. “If you take a bad shot, just take ownership. If you turned the ball over, go get a steal or take a charge and do anything to help the team,”
Edwards contributed 15 points in 31 minutes, adding three rebounds and three assists. She shot 4-14 from the field, two of which were three-pointers.
Stewart identified the defense as an area in need of improvement.
“We need to take more pride in our defense, making sure we lock people down so that we do know how to slow those runs down,” she said.
Stewart was Howard’s second-leading scorer against Missouri, sitting at 14 points in 28 minutes, with two rebounds and two assists.
After letting a lead slip away against Missouri, Howard returned to Burr Gymnasium looking to respond against Elon in its Nov. 6 home opener.
By halftime, the score was 40-39, Elon leading.
Kendrick, a sports management major from Thomson, Georgia, highlighted changes the team made after halftime.
“We focused more on defense and were patient on offense, and took good shots,” Kendrick said.
Howard answered at the end of the third quarter when Stewart connected a 26-foot three-pointer at the buzzer, tying the game at 55.
The teams traded baskets until Bynum-Johnson recorded a steal at 7:31, and made a 13-foot jumper. This ignited scoring for the Bison as they went on a 12-2 run. The Bison maintained their lead despite Elon’s later scoring effort, securing a 76-69 win.
By the end of the game, the Bison held Elon to 29 points in the second half, after they recorded 40 points in the first. Elon had 14 turnovers in the final two quarters, while Howard recorded three steals. Howard recorded 27 points off turnovers overall.
Bynum-Johnson, a sociology major from Newark, New Jersey, acknowledged that although the team won, they still have improvements to make.
“Taking our time on offense, moving the ball around, going through our plays, one-on-one defense, and making sure we help our post in the paint,” she said.
According to Stewart, the team is not complacent in their victories, and continues to work toward future wins.
“We’re just another team who’s very competitive and wants to win,” Stewart said. “We’re a team that’s willing to learn, work really really hard. Work ethic is out of this world.”
Howard will travel to Huntington, West Virginia to play Marshall University on Tuesday, Nov. 10.
Copy edited by Daryl R. Thomas Jr.
