BOWIE, MD --The Bowie State women's basketball team held Elizabeth City State (7-10, 4-5 CIAA, 0-3 North) to just 18.2 percent from beyond the arc in a 2-for-11 shooting performance on the way to a 62-52 win over the Lady Vikings at home Saturday in A.C. Jordan Arena.
The Bulldogs (13-6, 7-2, 2-1 North) had two players score in double figures, led by Mia Smith, who had 15 points and nine rebounds. Destiny Ryles added 13 points and five steals off of the bench and Beulah Odiong added eight points, eight rebounds and two steals. Bowie State grabbed 31 rebounds in Saturday's game compared to Elizabeth City State's 30, led by Smith's nine boards. BSU forced 23 Elizabeth City State turnovers, the Bulldogs turned those takeaways into 18 points on the offensive end of the floor. Ryles' five steals led the way for Bowie State.
How It Happened
After falling behind 13-9, BSU went on an 11-0 run with 2:22 left in the first quarter to take a 20-13 lead, a score that would hold for the rest of the period. Bowie State did most of its first quarter damage in the paint, scoring 12 of its 20 points close to the basket. The Bulldogs kept its first quarter lead intact before going on a 9-0 run starting at the 9:44 mark in the second period to increase its lead to 29-13. ECSU cut into that lead, but the Bulldogs still enjoyed a 40-29 advantage heading into halftime. Bowie State dominated in the paint, scoring 16 of its 20 points close to the basket.
BSU continued to preserve its halftime lead before going on a 5-0 run, punctuated by a three from Smith, to expand its lead further to 51-35 with 4:07 to go in the third. Before the conclusion of the third period, the Lady Vikings had cut into that lead somewhat, but the Bulldogs still entered the fourth quarter with a 53-47 edge. The Bulldogs knocked down two three-pointers in the quarter to score six of its 13 total points. BSU coasted to the win from there, increasing their margin of victory by outscoring the Lady Vikings 9-5 in the fourth quarter. Bowie State got a boost from its bench in the period, with non-starters scoring six of its nine total points.
Game Notes
» The Bulldogs held the Vikings to only 35.7 percent shooting from the field.
» Bowie State never trailed after taking a 20-13 first quarter lead.
» BSU's bench made an impact by scoring 54 points to its scoring output.
» Smith and Ryles came off the bench to score 15 and 13 points, respectively.
» BSU's defense forced 23 turnovers.
Up Next
The Bulldogs will travel to face CIAA opponent Virginia State University in a Northern Division match-up on Wednesday, Jan. 29 at 5:30 p.m. inside the VSU Multipurpose Center in Petersburg, Va. The game will air live on the CIAA Sports Network.
For the most up-to-date information on Bowie State Athletics and its 13 varsity sport teams, visit bsubulldogs.com.
