Howard Tabs Big Conference Wins in Season Finale

MILLSBORO, DEL. – The Howard bowling team wrapped up their season at the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference North Tournament on March 5 with three head-to-head wins over Coppin State (840-693), Hampton (884-875) and Morgan State (821-806).

The Lady Bison (30-75, 8-17 MEAC) posted their best winning percentage (66.7 percent) in head-to-head competition in Millsboro, Del. during their third MEAC North Tournament trip this season. Howard’s win over Morgan State was their first win against the Lady Bears all year as MSU held the 5-0 advantage before taking their first loss to the Lady Bison. The Lady Bison also sacked their second season win over Hampton–their first came on Jan. 22, 2011 at the Lady Bulldog Classic.

The win over Coppin State secured a season sweep over the Eagles as HU went 4-0 against CSU over the course of the season.

Howard was unable to overcome Delaware State or Maryland-Eastern Shore in head-to-head matches, as the Lady Bison fell 730-886 and 751-1009, respectively. The Bison failed to force a win over DSU and UMES all season in this category of play.

Jasmine Hardesty bowled a personal high of 189 pins during the tournament, which is her second best this season. Her season high came in the Kutztown Invite on Jan. 28, 2011 where she bowled 198.

Taneeka Hanna averaged 154 pins in her four games, nearly peaking her career best of 159.6 pins, a mark she reached during the first MEAC North Tournament back on Nov. 13, 2010. Alexzandria Johnson also reached her second-best average of the year, averaging 172.2 pins on five games to tie a previous mark she met during the first MEAC North Tournament.

Johnson was second on the team with pins knocked down with 861 behind Briana Uzzell who tallied 888 pins for the Bison. Uzzell has served as a critical member of the Lady Bison and accumulated the most pins for Howard (9,198) this season, averaging 177.6 knock downs. Her personal high came during the Kutztown Invite on Jan. 28, 2011 where she bowled 256, a mark that still leads the Bison.

Johnson and Jordane Frazier aren’t too far behind Uzzell as they rank second and third on the team with pins knocked down with 8,643 and 8,204, respectively.

In a series of four games against CSU, DSU, UMES, MSU and Hampton during Baker play, the Lady Bison posted a 1-4 record, including a win over Coppin State (635-559). Howard dropped to DSU (675-750), UMES (620-809), MSU (699-794), and Hampton (611-677).

Despite leaving with only one win in the Baker matches, the Lady Bison are riding high on their recent accomplishments and notable wins, including that against then-No.1 Vanderbilt. Howard is set to cruise into the MEAC Championship Tournament that will take place in Greensboro, N.C. on March 18 and before entering into the NCAA Championship Tournament in Taylor, Mich. on April 14.

By Tiffany White, Sports Information Assistant
Howard University
Visit: howard-bison.com

Howard Women's Basketball Advances to Title Game

Sophomore Guard Cheyenne Curley-Payne #5
(Photo courtesy of Howard Bison Athletics)

Winston-Salem, NC (March 11, 2011) - Cheyenne Curley Payne scored a game-high 18 points and Saadia Doyle and Tamoria Holmes added 11 and 10, respectively to help Howard University hold off Morgan State University in the semifinal round of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference women's tournament at the Joel Coliseum. The Lady Bison (16-17), the Number 6 seed, will take on Hampton University, the Number 1 seed and regular season champion, on Saturday at 5 p.m.

Howard took control early as Doyle, the MEAC Player of the Year, tallied 9 of her points en route to a 28-21 halftime advantage. Curley Payne chipped in with seven points while the Lady Bears (17-14), the Number 3 seed, got 8 points from Erin Hawkins.

Howard continued to control the game though most of the second half despite getting little production from Doyle, who came into the game averaging over 18 points per game.

"They were sending multiple people from all different kind of angles at me," said Doyle. "Before the ball went out, I was already being boxed out. I didn't handle it very well today. I got a bit panicky and it showed."

With the Lady Bears putting much of their emphasis on containing Doyle, Curley Payne was able to make them pay. The 5-2 sophomore guard from Chula Vista, CA, hit four five shots in the second stanza and grabbed seven rebounds in the final stanza.

"She's 5-2, but she is second on the team in rebounding behind Saadia," said Howard Coach Niki Reid Geckeler. "She may be small but her heart is huge. She leads us in that way as you saw tonight."

Curley Payne's two free throws at the 2:32 mark gave Howard its biggest lead of the game at 49-39. But the Lady Bears staged a furious rally with a 12-3 run over a 2:10 stretch that cut the deficit to 52-51 with 22 seconds left on the clock.

The young Lady Bison regrouped, hit some free throws and kept the Lady Bears scoreless the rest of the way, sending them into the championship game for the first since 2001.

"What a way to end a game" said Coach Geckeler. "To have so many sophomores and to get to this point is very gratifying."

In addition to her 18 points, Curley Payne added seven rebounds and four assists. Holmes, who also had some key plays in the second half, tallied seven of her 10 after intermission and Doyle finished with a double double of 11 points and 10 rebounds.

Morgan State was led by Erin Hawkins and Brittany Dodson, who each scored 14 and Monesha Davis, who contributed 10 in a losing cause.

"Howard has improved all year," said Morgan State Coach Donald Beasley. "They played well. They are a good team and they deserve the win.

Hampton swept Howard this season and has won three of the last four between the two rivals. The experienced Lady Pirates are the regular season and defending tournament champions.

"That's always a good game," said Coach Geckeler. "They're tough and they play well, but at this time of year, everyone is 0-0."

By Jamilah Corbitt
Assistant Director of Sports Information
Howard University
Visit: howard-bison.com

Doyle, Holmes Lead Howard University Lady Bison Comeback Win Over North Carolina A&T Lady Aggies

Winston-Salem, NC - Saadia Doyle scored 17 of her game-high 28 points in the second half and Tamoria Holmes added 15 of her career-high 26 after intermission to help Howard come from a 22-point first half deficit and get by North Carolina A&T, 82-72 in the quarterfinal round of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference women's tournament at the Joel Coliseum.

The Lady Bison (15-17), the Number 6 seed, advance to the semifinal round where they will take on Morgan State, the Number 2 seed at 2:30 pm on Friday.

The Lady Aggies (15-14), the Number 3 seed, came out on fire, shooting a blistering 70 percent from the field overall, and 75 percent from three-point range (6 of 8). North Carolina A&T was in high gear, getting up and down the floor and seemingly hitting every shot that they threw up.

It resulted in what appeared to be an insurmountable 36-14 lead at the 5:49 mark. All the Lady Aggie players got into the scoring act, led by Jaquayla Berry (9 points), Mikala Scott (9 points), Tracy King (8) and Reisha Bullock (7 ).



But the young Bison, which start four sophomores settled down and began to mount their comeback. Led by Doyle and Holmes, who combined for 22 first half points, Howard reeled off a 19-7 run over the last five minutes of the first half to reduce the deficit to 43-33 at the break.

"I told the team not to quit," said a composed Howard Coach Niki Reid Geckeler. "To keep fighting. And I think that is what they did, just believing that they could still win."

The Lady Bison continued their comeback at the start of the second half on the scoring of Doyle, who singlehandedly got her team back into the game, at one point scoring 9 straight points. The comeback became complete when a 16-6 run knotted the game at 49-all at the 14:13 mark.

"They did a good job driving to the basket and getting to the line,' said NC A&T Coach Patricia Cage Bibbs. "They went man to man and you have to be able to execute. They did a great job."

Added NC A&T' s Berry, a first team All-MEAC selection, "They were all in our face in the man to man and the adjustments they made seemed to work."

From there, it became a seesaw battle that featured several ties and lead changes. The Lady Aggies relied on the scoring of Mikala Scott, Reisha Bullock and Nikia Gorham to keep it close.

Howard countered on the play of Holmes, who took over where Doyle left off, once scoring 13 of her team's 16 points during a key stretch. The Lady Bison were also able to get key contributions from sophomore point guard Cheyenne Curley Payne, who scored 10 of her 16 in the second half, including a big three pointer and some clutch free throws.

"Of course, the performance of Saadia Doyle and Tamoria Holmes was huge for the day," said Geckeler. "The run by Tamoria was huge. It gave us a lot of energy and confidence."

Other significant contributions came from reserves Jerelle Gorham (5 points) and Portia Deterville ( 7 points).

After Bullock knocked down two free throws to cut the deficit to 76-72 with 1:26 remaining, the Lady Bison held the Lady Aggies scoreless as Curley Payne converted free throws to seal the victory and send Howard to the semifinals for the second straight year.

Doyle, the MEAC Player of the Year and a first team All-conference selection, just missed a double double with 28 points and 9 rebounds while playing the entire 40 minutes. Holmes shot 10 of 14 from the field and added three assists and three steals to her stats.

"Adrenalin and staying calm was a key," said Doyle. "We did not want to get overzealous. We just kept fighting and never gave up."

Scott led North Carolina A&T with 17 while Bullock and Berry each tallied 13 in a losing effort.

By Jamilah Corbitt, Assistant Director of Sports Information
Howard University
Visit: howard-bison.com



Videographer: billy7163; (#1)Pharoah Sanders "Naima" with the Howard University Jazz Ensemble. (#2)"The Creator Has a Master Plan" - Pharoah Sanders and Howard University Jazz Ensemble

Lady Bison Fall Short in Season Finale, 60-54

WASHINGTON, D.C. – After dropping to Maryland Eastern Shore on the road this past Saturday, the Lady Bison looked to take down the Hampton Pirates – the No. 1 ranked team in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference – in their final game of the regular season. Unfortunately the Bison (13-17, 9-7 MEAC) would not come out on top as the Pirates (22-6, 15-1 MEAC) took the win, 60-54.

Seniors Jalisa Pullins and Amanda Edwards where honored prior to tip off and each garnered starts against their conference foe.

Although the Pirates have already clinched the regular season title and will be the No. 1 seed in the upcoming tournament, the Bison did not shy away from the historic rivalry as Howard kept pace with a Pirate team that leads the MEAC in scoring defense (53.6 ppg allowed) and second in overall scoring (65.3).

The Bison were only outscored in the paint by four points (30-26), while the Pirates combined for 29 points off turnovers and second chances compared to Howard’s 21. The quickness and depth of Howard’s roster afforded them eight points on fast breaks and 13 points from the bench, while Hampton was held to zero points in those categories.

“We needed to get the ball in the paint more and create more offensive and inside plays,” head coach Niki Geckeler said. “We weren’t able to finish in transition. We needed more free throws.”

Hampton maintained the lead for the majority of the game and balanced their offense with four players who scored in double figures. The Bison relinquished 17 turnovers by the conclusion of the game.

Headlining the Bison in the season finale was sophomore Saadia Doyle who garnered 20 points, nine rebounds, two steals and an assist. Doyle was recently named the 2010-11 MEAC Player of the Year following an impressive season where she led the conference in scoring (18.2), was second in rebounding (8.9), fourth in shooting (45 percent), and fifth in free throw shooting (76 percent) entering the game. With today’s game in the books, the former MEAC Rookie of the Year has racked in 549 points on the year, inching her further up the Howard All-time scoring list.

Teaming up with Doyle was sophomore guard Cheyenne Curley-Payne who recorded 19 points, seven rebounds and two steals against Hampton. Sophomore Tamoria Holmes also chimed in with eight points three rebounds, and finished first on the team in assists (3) alongside Curley-Payne.

“We made some adjustments,” Geckeler said. “We limited their plays at the end, especially on the inside, but they had key players in penetration.”

With less than a minute left the Bison tried to make a run to capture the lead and the win after being down 48-57. Strong defense on the part of Curley-Payne led to a Pirate turnover as Jericka Jenkins fumbled the ball out of bounds. Doyle drew a foul on an attempted layup and was successful at the line (1-1), inching the Bison closer to a hopeful win.

Several successful trips to the line would allow Hampton to eventually secure the game, ending Howard’s eight-game winning streak at home.

“I feel that we fought hard,” Curley-Payne said, “but we just came up short.”

Next week the Lady Bison will travel to Winston-Salem, N.C. for the MEAC Tournament.

Tiffany White, Sports Information Assistant
Howard University
Visit: Howard-Bison.com


Hampton Uses Its Bench and Outside Shooting To Down Howard

Washington, DC--Anton Dickerson scored 18 of his team-high 21 points in the second half, but it was not enough to overcome the hot shooting of Christopher Tolson, who came off the bench to score 20 points and lead Hampton University to an 83-72 win over Howard University in a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference men's game at Burr Gymnasium. It was the regular season finale for both teams.

The Bison (6-23 overall, 4-12 in the MEAC) came out strong in the second half and overcame a 14-point deficit with 14-2 run over the first four minutes and draw to within two at 38-36 at 16-minute mark. Dickerson scored 8 of the points during the run while Mike Phillips added four.

"We fought back and played better early in the second half," said Howard Coach Kevin Nickelberry. "The problem is when you have five guys play over 30 minutes, it becomes a difficult task. Fatigue set in and we ran out of gas."

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Saadia Doyle Named HSRN National Player Of The Week

Courtesy Howard University Sports Information

Saadia Doyle is the winner of the HSRN National basketball fan poll. The Atlanta, Georgia native currently leads the MEAC in scoring (18.3 ppg, 38th in NCAA), ranks second in rebounding (8.8 rpg), and fourth in field goal percentage (.448). She was recently tabbed as MEAC Player of the week.

The sophomore is seven points away from hitting the 1,000-point milestone and has tallied over 500 rebounds for her career. In addition, she has also recorded 12 double-double performances on the year.

Doyle was nominated for her performances against Norfolk State and Florida A&M. She led the Bison to a 2-0 week averaging a double-double with 28 points and 11.5 rebounds. In the 66-49 win over Norfolk St. she had 38 points, 10 rebounds, one assist and three steals. In the 67-58 victory over Florida A&M she finished with 18 points, 13 rebounds, three assists, and two steals.

Each week during the season, HSRN's staff select the top performances from all HBCU action and give the fans across the country a chance to vote for the Player of the Week.

HSRN developed the fan poll to get all HBCU alumni, students and fans involved with the Edit HTMLnational process and to also give everyone a chance to consistently keep up with the individual performances around the country. This web site and its broadcasts are designed to keep people abreast of all action around HBCU athletic competition.

By Jamilah Corbitt
Assistant Director of Sports Information
Howard University

Howard Bison Snag Four Wins in MSU Invite

PERRY HALL, MD.--The Howard bowling team competed in the eighth annual Morgan State Invitational Bowling Tournament over the weekend. The Bison (27-73, 5-15 MEAC) snagged four wins and dropped seven matches in their final meet before the MEAC tournament.

The Bison went 1-4 in the head-to-head games on Friday, losing to Monmouth (819-888), Sacred Heart (817-944), Florida A&M (837-858) and N.C. Central (726-785). Howard’s lone win came over Elmhurst as the Bison took down 814 pins compared to Elmhurst’s 756, marking their 10th win in head-to-head competition on the season.

In the quad baker games Howard split four matches, winning two over Long Island (669-655), MEAC rivals Norfolk (778-694) and dropped a pair of matches to Bethune-Cookman (636-669, 684-773).

Nebraska dominated the MSU Invitational and would earn their second consecutive championship by the close of the weekend, marking their sixth title in eight years. Maryland Eastern Shore took second, and Vanderbilt, the 2009 champions of the invitational, placed third.

Alexzandria Johnson averaged 168 pins over the weekend, dropping a total 840 pins in five games while teammate Jordane Frazier amassed 824 pins in five games, bringing her weekend average to 164.8 pins.

The Howard bowling team will have their eyes set on a successful trip to round out their season in Millsboro, Del. on Mar. 5 for conference play. Visit Howard-Bison.com for updates on Bison Bowling.

By Tiffany White
Sports Information Assistant
Howard University

Doyle's Career-High 38 Leads Lady Bison Over Norfolk State

NORFOLK, VA – Saadia Doyle led all scorers with a career-high of 38 points en-route to a 66-49 rout over Norfolk State (8-14, 1-11) on Mon. Feb. 14. Doyle also pulled down a game-best 10 off the glass and went 17-for-20 from the charity stripe. The sophomore is now 47 points away from 1,000. With the win, the Lady Bison improve to 7-5 in conference play.

HU (11-15, 7-5 MEAC) started the game with seven unanswered points – capped by an Adele Walton three-pointer. The Lady Bison pushed the advantage to double-digits, 13-2, with a pair from the line by Doyle at the 13:10 mark. Howard kept its double-digit lead throughout the half and went into intermission with a comfortable 21-point cushion, 33-12.

In the first 20 minutes, Howard held the Spartans to just 20 percent shooting (5-for-24) while going 12-for-22 from the field for a 54 percent clip.

In the second period, the Spartans rattled off nine straight to make it 35-22 at the 14:25 mark. The Lady Bison ended the run with a jumper by Holmes. Howard led by as many as 18 (51-33) midway through the half, but Norfolk used a 10-4 run to cut it to 55-43 at the 7:25 mark. The Spartans would not get any closer, however.

For the game, the Lady Bison shot 43.5 from the field (20-for-46) and converted 22 Spartan turnovers into 29 points. Prior to today’s matchup, Norfolk lead the meac in field-goal percentage, shooting 40 percent on the season. However, The Lady Bison held the Spartans to 28.8 percent from the floor. Howard also edged NSU on the glass 37-33 – including 27 defensive rebounds.

Tamoria Holmes was the only other HU player to finish in double-digits with 11 points and five rebounds. Kara Smith chipped in with seven points, four boards, and four assists.

For Norfolk State, Sarah Daily was the only player to finish in double figures with 10 points. Whitney Long tallied nine nine points behind 3-of-6 shooting from behind the arc.

Howard is back in action on Sat. Feb. 19 when it hosts Florida A&M for its annual Pink Zone initiative. The game is slated for 2 p.m.

By Jamilah Corbitt, Assistant Director of Sports Information
Howard University

Howard Volleyball Inks Four

Alexis Skinner

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Howard Volleyball Head Coach, Dawn Barnes has announced the signing of four student-athletes during early signing period. Alexis Skinner, Meagan Lagerlef, Assata Conway, and Stephanie “Teppi” Shultis will join the Lady Bison in the fall of 2011.

“I look for them to make our gym more competitive and bringing back the rich tradition Howard Volleyball once had,” said Barnes.

Skinner is a 5-7 outside hitter from Thomas Johnson High School. The Frederick, MD native led her team to the Maryland 4A State finals with a record of 15-4 this past season. She is a two-time first team All-Gazette selection, and a Washington Post All-Met Honorable Mention. Skinner led her team in offense – boasting 163 kills, 104 digs and 32 aces as the team captain. She is also a leader in the classroom, maintaining a 3.25 GPA.

“Skinner is a competitor whose natural athleticism and versatility will allow her to play a couple of positions for us,” commented Barnes. “I am excited to see her future development in our program.”

Meagan Lagerlef

Lagerlef is a 5-10 outside hitter and defensive specialist from James Hubert Blake High School in Silver Spring, MD. She is a four-time letter winner, a two-time first team All-Gazette selection, and a 2010 All-Met Honorable Mention. The Montgomery County Senior All-Star is a member of the nationally ranked Metro-American 18U Travel Team. Lagerlef maintains a 3.64 GPA and is a recipient of the Motion Scholar Athlete award.

“Lagerlef will bring a fierce and competitive edge into our gym. She is very athletic and explosive, and her tough mentality and work ethic will be a great addition to our program,” said Barnes.

Assata Conway

Conway is a 6-2 middle blocker from Westside High School in Missouri City, TX. She is a two-time first team All-District selection. She has also lettered in basketball and track, and maintains a 3.2 GPA.

“Conway has a huge upside and I am looking for her to make great strides as she prepares to play at this level,” commented Barnes. “Her natural athleticism and blocking ability will definitely add depth to our middle blocker position.”

Shultis is a 6-2 right side hitter and setter from Richmond High School. The Annadale, VA native served as team captain and received team MVP and Coach’s Award following her senior season. She is also a 2010 second-team All-District selection.

“I am expecting great things out of Teppi right away in the setter position,” said Barnes. “She is going to help us on the right side with her blocking abilities. Teppi will add a great deal of poise, intensity, and game savvy to this program. She has the opportunity to become one of the more poised setters to ever play at Howard.”

by Jamilah Corbitt
Assistant Director of Sports Information
Howard University


Videographer: meazteam1; Howard Athletics Volleyball Finale Home Game Fall 2010

B-CU Wildcats take over 1st in MEAC

DAYTONA BEACH, FL -- Facing last place Howard on Monday, Bethune-Cookman needed a win to hold onto a share of first place in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. With a little help, Bethune-Cookman (11-9, 6-1) did one better. The Wildcats won 56-49 in front of a crowd of 800 at the Ocean Center.

And their conference co-leader, Hampton, lost to Florida A&M, giving B-CU sole possession of the top spot in the MEAC.

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HOWARD WOMEN BREEZE PAST WILDCATS

Daytona Beach, FL – The Howard University women's basketball team defeated Bethune Cookman, 56-42 at the Ocean Center on Mon. Jan. 24.  HU improves 6-14 overall and 3-4 in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.

Bethune Cookman started the game with a jumper from Amanda Hairston. The Lady Wildcats took the lead with an 8-1 run. HU stopped the run with a jumper by Kara Smith at the 16:14 mark to make it 9-3.

Doyle's 27 leads Howard past B-CU

DAYTONA BEACH -- Two days after pulling off a 17-point comeback win, Bethune-Cookman found itself in need of another rally, but it wasn't in the cards against Howard. The Wildcats started strong in the game at the Ocean Center on Monday. But then their offense fell apart in a 56-42 loss.

Down nine at the half (30-21), the Wildcats (9-9, 3-4 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) started the second half with five straight turnovers and didn't score a basket for nearly seven minutes.

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Doyle’s 30 points Not Enough In Howard's 80-55 Loss to Vanderbilt

Coach Niki Reid Geckeler

Howard will host Radford on Thurs. Nov. 18 beginning at 7 p.m. at Burr Gymnasium

NASHVILLE, TN – Saadia Doyle scored a game-high 30 points as the Howard University women’s basketball team fell to Vanderbilt (1-0), 80-55 in Nashville, Tenn. With the loss, the Lady Bison drop to 0-2 on the season. HU is back in action on Nov. 18 when it hosts Radford beginning at 7 p.m.

“I am pleased with Doyle’s overall performance this weekend,” said head coach Niki Geckeler.

Along with Doyle’s game high, she also pulled down a team-best 10 rebounds for her second-straight double-double of the season. The team was outrebounded 44-32, however. Cheyenne Curley-Payne pulled down five off the glass and dished out four assists.

Tamoria Holmes chipped in with nine points and a team-best five steals. HU outscored the Commodores 6-2 in fast-break points and had 12 points off 16 Vanderbilt turnovers.

“There is a lot of promise for the future,” said Geckeler. “We played with a lot of confidence in the second half.”

The Lady Bison dug themselves an early hole and trailed 49-22 heading into intermission. Howard came out strong in the second half with intesity and outscored VU 33-31, but could not break the Commodores double-digit advantage.

HU held Vanderbilt to just a 25 percent shooting clip (7-for-28), while hitting 13-of-32 for a 40.6 percentage from the floor.

The Lady Bison started the second stint with a 15-5 run over a five-plus span – capped by a Holmes triple – to make it 55-34 at the 14:23 mark. Unfortunately Howard would not get any closer than that as the Commodores pushed the spread to as many as 30 (74-44) with just over five minutes remaining in regulation.

For the game, HU hit 22-for-63 (34.9 percent) from the field, while Vandy finished 23-for-53 (43.4 percent).

The Commodores had four players reach double-figures with Stephanie Holzer leading the team with 20 points and 11 boards off the bench. Vandy’s bench outscored Howard’s bench 35-9. Christina Foggie had 14 points while Jasmine Lister and Angela Puleo finished with 13 and 11 points, respectively.

“We still have a lot of work to do,” said Geckeler. “We have to focus on defense and rebounding.”

Press Release
Jamilah Corbitt
Assistant Director of Sports Information
Howard University
howard-bison.com

Howard defeats FAMU in MEAC women's basketball tournament

Howard University Head Coach Niki Reid Geckeler

Zykia Brown scored the go-ahead basket, then came up with a key steal, as Howard edged Florida A&M, 56-54, in the quarterfinals of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference tournament on Thursday in Winston-Salem, N.C. The fourth-seeded Lady Bison (16-13) will face eighth-seeded South Carolina State at noon Friday. The Lady Bulldogs upset top-seeded North Carolina A&T in the quarterfinals.

Brown, a first-team all-MEAC selection, and Saadia Doyle, the conference rookie of the year, combined for 21 of Howard's 25 first-half points. Brown finished with 20 points, 4 assists and 4 steals, while Doyle recorded her 20th double-double of the season with 15 points and 11 rebounds. "We know that it is a new season when you get into the tournament," said Brown, a junior guard. "We came out focused and ready to play." In each of the two previous matchups between the teams, Howard won by a point. The Lady Rattlers are 18-11.

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Longtime Hoya Niki Reid Geckeler Named Head Coach at Howard University

Washington, D.C. - The Georgetown University women's basketball coaching staff will look a little bit different in 2008-09. Former Hoya standout athlete and 10-year assistant coach Niki Reid Geckeler has recently been named the head coach at Howard University.

Reid Geckeler spent a total of 10 years on the Blue and Gray sidelines, the last four under Terri Williams-Flournoy, after spending the 2002-03 and 2003-04 seasons as an associate head coach at Fordham.

"Niki has been an important part of the Georgetown family for a long time and she will be missed," said Coach Williams-Flournoy. "With that said, she has worked hard and certainly deserves her first head coaching opportunity. Howard is getting a great coach."

Reid Geckeler served seven seasons with the Hoyas as an assistant coach under Pat Knapp, as the team's recruiting coordinator and academic advisor. During her first go-round at Georgetown Reid Geckeler focused on the team's defensive play and guard coach, helping the Hoyas to three WNIT appearances, while having four guards earn postseason honors in the BIG EAST. She also had eight players earn All-BIG EAST All-Academic accolades.

As a player, Reid Geckeler was tri-captain of Georgetown's 1992-93 team that advanced to the "Sweet 16" of the NCAA Tournament and finished the season with a 23-7 record and a Top-25 ranking. The Hoyas were 15-3 in the BIG EAST to win the regular-season conference championship. Reid Geckeler was a four-year starter at point guard and upon graduating in 1993 with a degree in psychology, she left Georgetown as the school's leader in assists and three-point field goal percentage.

During her four seasons as a student-athlete, Reid Geckeler was honored with the Coaches' Award as the team's Most Valuable Player in the 1991-92 season, was the recipient of the team's Best Defensive Player award for the 1990-91 campaign and was the winner of the Hustle Award in both 1989-90 and 1990-91.