BOX SCORE

(ETTRICK, Va.) Bowie State had Virginia State on the ropes, but the Lady Trojans delivered the knockout punch, shocking the 25th ranked Lady Bulldogs 61-58. The Virginia State University win snapped Bowie State's eight-game winning streak and also snapped a 10-game losing streak against BSU.

Virginia State (14-4, 10-3 CIAA, 2-0 East) erased a 17 point second half deficit and pulled to within one at 51-50 at the 5:09 mark. VSU's Janelle McDowell tied the game at 51-51 less than one minute later, making one-of-two free throws. Bowie State regained the advantage on a pair of free throws by junior Teaunsha Robinson (Baltimore, MD, Baltimore Polytechnic) and a jumper by sophomore Juliette Turner (Silver Spring, MD, John F. Kennedy), for a 55-51 lead.

Virginia State battled back and pulled even at 56-56 after a huge three-pointer by Janelle McDowell with 1:27 left on the clock. VSU's Tierney Rock drilled a three-pointer of her own to put the Lady Bulldogs ahead 59-56 with 41 seconds remaining in the game.

Bowie State senior Bianca Lee (Temple Hills, MD, Archbishop Carroll) closed the gap to 59-58 after sticking a pair of free throws with 19 seconds left to play. With Bowie State forced to foul, Virginia State's Rhon'Neisha Taylor hit a pair of free throws with 19 seconds to go. Lee attempted a three-pointer deep in the corner opposite the Bowie State bench with seven seconds left, but the game-tying field goal missed the mark.

Taylor paced VSU's Lady Trojans with a game-high 16 points and was the only Virginia State player to score in double figures. Virginia State's Angela Brown was the games leading rebounder with nine to go along with seven points.

Bowie State (12-5, 12-3 CIAA, 2-1 East) was led by Robinson and Turner with 14 and 13 points respectively. Turner and junior Brianna Taylor (Upper Marlboro, MD, Riverdale Baptist School, Cheyney) led Bowie State on the glass with six rebounds each. Junior Lakisha Walker (Baltimore, MD, St. Frances Academy) scored 10 points for BSU's Lady Bulldogs on four-of-seven shooting and added five rebounds.

The Lady Bulldogs of Bowie State return to the Commonwealth of Virginia, weather permitting – Saturday (February 6) to face the Virginia Union University Lady Panthers. Game time in Virginia Union's Barco-Stevens Hall is 5:30 p.m.