Strong First Half Leads Howard to 13-point Win Over UMES

CHEYENNE CURLEY-PAYNE
5'-5" GUARD, JUNIOR
CHULA VISTA, CALIFORNIA
EASTLAKE HIGH SCHOOL

PRINCESS ANNE, Maryland -- The Howard Women's basketball team forced Maryland-Eastern Shore into 25 turnovers as the Lady Bison rolled passed the Hawks 49-36. With the win, HU improves to an overall 16-7 mark including 8-2 in MEAC play.

Zykia Brown and Saadia Doyle combined for 22 out of 32 first half points. Doyle finished with 12 points, 11 boards, and five steals. Tamoria Holmes tallied 12 points. Cheyenne Curley-Payne had a solid game with six rebounds, five assists, and three steals in 27 minutes of action.

To start the first half, UMES instantly took a 7-0 lead within the first three minutes of regulation. Doyle ended the Hawk's run with a shot at the charity stripe.

From there, HU went on a 6-0 run to cut it to 7-6 at the 15:38 mark.

Curley-Payne came down in transition and scored a layup at the 12:36 mark to give the Lady Bison their first advantage of the night at 11-9. HU picked up the intensity and proceeded to go on a 15-7 run to spread its advantage to eight by the 3:55 mark.

Howard took its largest spread of the half, 32-21, off a pair at the line by Doyle with just over a minute left in the first 20 minutes. HU went into the lockerroom ahead 32-23.

Coming back from halftime break, Curley-Payne hit a bucket in the paint that gave HU an 11 point spread, 34-23. Howard continued to attack, as Holmes instantly hit a jumper in the lane to push the advantage, 36-23.

By the 10:37 mark, HU captured its widest margin of the match at 17 points, 42-25. Howard managed to hold UMES to just two points in a seven-plus minute span.

It was no coming back for the Eagles as the Bison maintained their comfortable lead to complete the contest with a 49-36 victory.

Chelsea Sanders recorded a team-best for UMES with 11 points and six rebounds in 28 minutes of action. Shanyce Stewart pitched in with a team-best eight off the glass.

Howard will return to the hardwood to face Morgan State in Baltimore, Md. on Mon, Feb 6. The contest is slated for 5:30 p.m.

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 Corbitt, Assistant Director of Sports Information
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