HU Bison Roll Over SSU Tigers with 13-point Victory

 SAADIA DOYLE RECORDS NINTH DOUBLE-DOUBLE OF SEASON
WITH GAME HIGH 22 POINTS, 10 REBOUNDS

SAVANNAH, Georgia -- Saadia Doyle and Tamoria Holmes finished with a combined total of 35 points to lead the Howard Women’s basketball team (14-7 overall, 6-2 in MEAC) to a 64-51 win over the Savannah State (8-12, 2-6) in Tiger Arena on Jan. 28.

Doyle recorded her ninth double-double of the season with a game-high 22 points and 10 boards. Holmes tallied 13 points in 40 minutes of action. Nicole Deterville ended the match with a career-high 13 rebounds and tied Zykia Brown with eight points.

“I’m pleased with the overall interior play,” said head coach Niki Geckeler. “Saadia and the Deterville twins had a combined 32 points and 26 rebounds. Anytime we can get a 13-point win on the road, I’m happy.”

“Howard is a very well coached team,” says Savannah State’s head coach Cedric Baker. “They are very disciplined in what they want to do on defense. We had problems with their length and athleticism.”

To start the first 20-minute segment, Ezinne Kalu scored the first basket to put Savannah St. ahead 2-0. Doyle responded with a bucket of her own to knot the score 2-2 at the 17:42 mark. A Kara Smith layup ignited an 8-0 run for HU to take the lead, 13-4, by the 12:55 mark. SSU answered with six straight points to decrease the margin to 13-10. Holmes ended the run with a traditional three-point play at the 10:39 mark.

The Tiger’s Smiljana Cuk, quickly scored a bucket to place the score at 16-12 with 10:23 left in the first half.

HU outscored SSU 19-13 for a 10 point lead heading into the lockerroom (35-25).

To open up the second period, Savannah’s Jasmine Kirkland hit a jumper in the paint to decrease the lead to 35-27 in the opening minute.

With the Tigers trailing 40-27 at the 17:31 mark, they picked up their intensity and outscored the Bison 14-10 over the proceeding seven-plus minutes for a 50-41 spread. With nine minutes left in the ball game, the Tigers made a layup decreasing the margin to just six points, 50-44. Howard held its composure and pulled away with the double-digit victory, however.

Kirkland paced the Tigers with 15 points in 32 minutes of action. Kalu chipped in with 11 points in 37 minutes.

HU will travel to Orangeburg, South Carolina to face South Carolina St. on Jan. 30 for its second-straight MEAC win. Tip-off is set for 5:30pm.

Follow Coach G's fan page on facebook to get a behind the scenes look at the team as they make their push toward the Big Dance. www.facebook.com/NikiGeckeler

Box Score
Written by Julee O'Neal, W. Basketball, Broadcast Journalism '13

Jamilah Corbett, Assistant Sports Information Director
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