BALTIMORE, MD -- Destiny Ryles scored 37 points to help lead the No. 3 (South) seed Bowie State women's basketball team (18-9) over the No. 6 (North) seed Winston-Salem State Rams (10-16) 64-54 in the opening round of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) Tournament at CFG Bank Arena Tuesday.
Bowie State's victory represents their first win in the CIAA tournament since relocating to Baltimore in 2021.
Ryles added six steals to her 37-point game to lead the Bulldogs. Kristin Sterling helped out with eight points, 13 rebounds and three blocks, while Ayasha Thomas chipped in with 11 points coming off the bench.
BSU out-rebounded Winston-Salem State 38-23 in Tuesday's game, led by 14 boards from Beulah Odiong. The Bulldogs also grabbed 15 offensive rebounds and scored 17 second-chance points.
Bowie State forced 22 Winston-Salem State turnovers while committing 19 themselves in Tuesday's game. The Bulldogs turned those takeaways into 18 points on the other end of the floor. Ryles' six steals led the way for the Bulldogs.
How It Happened
Bowie State fell behind 25-11 at the end of the first quarter. The Bulldogs then cut the Rams lead to 31-20 before going on a 6-0 run to narrow its deficit to 31-26, a score that would hold until halftime.
After intermission, BSU cut its deficit to 42-39 before going on a 7-0 run to grab a 46-42 lead with 58 seconds to go in the third. Before the conclusion of the third period, the Rams had cut into that lead somewhat, but the Bulldogs still entered the fourth quarter with a 46-44 edge. Bowie State took advantage of six Winston-Salem State turnovers in the quarter, scoring five points off of takeaways.
BSU coasted to the win from there, increasing their margin of victory by outscoring the Rams 18-10 in the fourth quarter. Bowie State got a boost from its bench in the period, with non-starters scoring five of its 18 total points.
Game Notes
» Ryles, Thomas, and Sterling combined to account for 88 percent of the Bulldogs points.
» Bowie State's bench came alive by adding 22 points to its scoring output.
» BSU had a 38-23 edge on the boards in the win.
» The Bulldogs defense forced 22 turnovers.
» Ryles led the Bulldogs with a game-high 37 points.
Up Next
The Bulldogs will rest for a day before going to battle against the No. 2 seed (South) Livingstone on Thursday, Feb. 27 at 6 p.m. in the quarterfinal round at CFG Bank Arena. The winner will advance to the semifinal round and will face the winner of No. 5 (North) Lincoln (PA) and No. 1 (North) Virginia State at 12 noon on Friday, Feb. 28.
For the most up-to-date information on Bowie State Athletics and its 13 varsity sports teams, visit bsubulldogs.com.
