BOWIE, Md. - Bowie State University women's basketball opened the season at home against Indiana University of Pennsylvania and dropped a 75-64 non-conference decision to the Crimson Hawks on Saturday afternoon.
 
Sophomore Kyah Proctor (Capitol Heights, Md.) led the Lady Bulldogs with a game-high 20 points to go along with five rebounds and two assists. Senior Alauna Jackson (Ellicott City, Md.) contributed 14 points, a career-best five blocks and grabbed seven rebounds. Sophomore transfer Kiara Colston (Burtonsville, Md.) also scored in double figures adding 11 points. Junior transfer Ashley Jennings (Newark, N.J.) led both teams in rebounds, pulling down 10 and added eight points and a pair of assists to her stat line.
 
The Crimson Hawks raced out to a 20-10 lead after the first quarter and was up 29-22 at halftime. Sophomore guard Megan Smith (Blain, Pa.) scored six of her 11 points in the half.

IUP opened the game up in the second half with a third-quarter run to go up 16 heading into the fourth quarter.

After forcing a turnover, Leslie Stapleton (Indiana, Pa.) made a jumper with 5:29 left in the quarter to start the run and go up 31-30. Baskets by Zhane Brooks (Erie, Pa.), Stapleton, Kendall Hunter (Burke, Va.) and Marina Wareham (New Wilmington, Pa.) pushed IUP to a 50-33 lead going into the fourth quarter. Stapleton scored 10 of her points during the run, while also adding five rebounds.

A Stapleton jumper with 5:56 left in the fourth quarter pushed IUP's lead to 20 points. Bowie State made a late run to bring the final score to 75-64.

Stapleton led Indiana (Pa.) with 17 points and Brooks scored 14 points and added a team-high nine rebounds, while she and Wareham each had four assists for the Crimson Hawks. Brittany Robinson (Harrisburg, Pa.) tallied five rebounds and four blocks in the win.

IUP shot 66.7 percent from the floor in the fourth quarter, while converting on 81.3 percent (26-of-32) from the free throw line during the game. The Crimson Hawks' defense limited Bowie State to just 33.3 percent shooting from the floor (27-of-63), including just 2-10 from the 3-point line.
 
The Lady Bulldogs shot well at the charity stripe, knocking down 14-of-17 (82.4 percent) in the game.
 
The Lady Bulldogs return to action on Monday (11/16), making a road trip to East Stroudsburg (Pa.) University. Tip-off time against the Warriors is set for 5:30 p.m.