BLUEFIELD, WV -- Senior Shelby Ricks notched a double-double with 20 points and 13 rebounds to help the Bowie State women's basketball team (17-7, 11-3 CIAA, 6-2 North) knock off the Bluefield State Big Blue (9-17, 2-12 CIAA, 2-6 North) 65-60 on the road Saturday inside Ned Shott Gymnasium.
The Bulldogs had two players score in double figures, led by Ricks, who secured a double-double with 20 points and 13 rebounds. Destiny Ryles tacked on 17 points and seven rebounds and Kristin Sterling added seven points.
Led by Ryles' three offensive rebounds, the Bulldogs did a great job crashing the offensive glass, pulling down 10 boards that resulted in 11 second chance points.
BSU forced 19 B-State turnovers, the Bulldogs turned those takeaways into 18 points on the other end of the floor. Ayasha Thomas led the way individually with three steals.
How It Happened
The Bulldogs struggled out of the gate, falling behind 19-14 at the end of the first quarter. Bluefield State kept adding to that lead, building a 23-15 advantage before Bowie State went on a 9-0 run, highlighted by a bucket from Thomas, to take a 24-23 lead. The Bulldogs kept that lead for the remainder of the period and enjoyed a 28-27 advantage heading into halftime. Bowie State dominated in the paint, scoring 12 of its 14 points close to the basket.
Bluefield State then took a 43-40 lead following intermission before Bowie State went on an 8-0 run, punctuated by a three from Ricks, to grab a 48-43 lead with three seconds to go in the third. Bowie State took advantage of six Bluefield State turnovers in the quarter, scoring seven points off of takeaways.
The Bulldogs then held on for the victory in the fourth quarter. Bowie State took advantage of its opportunities in the post, scoring 10 of its 17 points in the paint.
Game Notes
» Ricks notched an impressive double-double for the Bulldogs with 20 points and 13 rebounds.
» The Bulldogs held the Big Blue to only 31.2 percent shooting from the field.
» BSU's bench came alive by adding 22 points to its scoring output.
» The Bulldogs defense forced 19 turnovers.
Up Next
Bowie State will return home to host CIAA foe Virginia State University, on Wednesday, Feb.19 at 5:30 p.m. inside the A.C. Jordan Arena for its Greek Night.
For the most up-to-date information on Bowie State Athletics and its 13 varsity sport teams, visit bsubulldogs.com.
