BOWIE, MD --Mayah Garner registered her first career double-double with a season-high 15 points and 16 rebounds to lead the Bowie State women's basketball team past the Shaw Bears (5-9, 2-3 CIAA) 56-47 at home Thursday afternoon inside the A.C. Jordan Arena.
The Bulldogs (11-5, 5-1 CIAA) had three players score in double figures, led by Garner, who had a double-double with 15 points and 16 rebounds. Destiny Ryles tacked on 11 points, six rebounds and three steals and Ayasha Thomas chipped in as well with 11 points and four steals off the bench.
Bowie State did a great job crashing the offensive glass, pulling down 19 boards that resulted in 16 second chance points.The Bulldogs dominated inside, outscoring Shaw with 28 points in the paint. BSU shot 60.0 percent from the free-throw line, converting 9 of 15 attempts.
Bowie State forced 23 Shaw turnovers while committing 15 themselves in Thursday's game. The Bulldogs turned those takeaways into 15 points on the other end of the floor. Thomas' four steals led the way for BSU in the win.
How It Happened
Bowie State started out the scoring by going on a 5-0 run to take an early lead with 6:48 left in the first quarter. The Bulldogs then added four points to that lead by the end of the period and entered the quarter break with an 18-9 advantage. BSU did most of its first quarter damage in the paint, scoring 10 of its 18 points close to the basket.
The Bulldogs built that first quarter lead to 24-13 before going on an 8-0 run starting at the 4:26 mark in the second period, highlighted by a bucket from Thomas, to increase its lead to 32-13. The Bears cut into that lead, but BSU still enjoyed a 32-15 advantage heading into halftime. Bowie State dominated in the paint, scoring eight of its 14 points close to the basket.
BSU continued to preserve its halftime lead before going on a 5-0 run, punctuated by a three from Thomas, to expand its lead further to 43-34 with 52 seconds to go in the third. Before the conclusion of the third period, the Bears had cut into that lead somewhat, but the Bulldogs still entered the fourth quarter with a 43-37 edge. Bowie State played well near the basket, scoring six of its 11 points in the paint.
Bowie State kept its lead intact before going on a 9-0 run to grow the lead to 52-39 with 5:42 to go in the contest. The Bears narrowed the margin somewhat before the game was over, but the Bulldogs still cruised the rest of the way for the 56-47 win. BSU took advantage of nine Shaw turnovers in the quarter, scoring five points off of those takeaways.
Game Notes
» Garner notched a double-double for Bowie State with 15 points and 16 rebounds.
» The Bulldogs held the Bears to only 35.8 percent shooting from the field.
» BSU never trailed after taking an 18-9 first quarter lead.
» Bowie State had a 46-33 edge on the boards in the win.
» The Bulldogs defense forced 23 turnovers.
» BSU cleaned up on the offensive glass, collecting 19 offensive boards in the game.
» Garner led Bowie State with a game-high 15 points.
» The Bulldogs got a game-high 16 rebounds from Mayah Garner.
Looking Ahead
Bowie State will hit the road to face CIAA rival Lincoln University (PA) in a division matchup on Saturday, Jan. 18 at 2:00 p.m. at Oxford Area High School in Oxford, Pa.
inside the Manuel Rivero Hall.
For the most up-to-date information on Bowie State Athletics and its 13 varsity sports teams, visit bsubulldogs.com.
