BOWIE, MD — The Bowie State women's basketball team (16-7, 9-5 CIAA, 7-1 North) held off Virginia Union for a 67-64 Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) victory Saturday afternoon inside A.C. Jordan Arena.

The Bulldogs used an aggressive defensive effort to secure the win, recording 13 steals and converting 20 Lady Panthers turnovers into 19 points to protect a narrow lead down the stretch.

Bowie State set the tone early in the opening quarter. Mayah Garner opened the scoring with a pair of free throws before Virginia Union answered to tie the contest. The Bulldogs regained momentum when Mia Smith found Afia Owusu-Mensah for a three-pointer at the 8:57 mark. After the Lady Panthers briefly took the lead, Sydney Anthony responded with a layup and followed with two free throws in the closing minute to give Bowie State a 22-17 advantage at the end of the first period.

The Bulldogs dominated the second quarter, outscoring Virginia Union 19-5 to take full control. Smith sparked the run with timely baskets and defensive pressure, including a fastbreak layup midway through the quarter. Jada Bouknight anchored the defense with multiple blocked shots and added a transition layup. VUU struggled offensively, shooting just 2-for-18 from the field in the period. Bowie State carried a 41-22 lead into halftime.

Virginia Union responded in the third quarter, trimming the deficit by outscoring the Bulldogs 20-11. The Lady Panthers opened the half with a jumper and continued to chip away at the lead. Kristin Sterling momentarily halted the momentum with a three-pointer off an assist from Garner, extending the advantage to 48-31. Despite the surge, BSU maintained a 52-42 cushion entering the final quarter.

In the fourth, the Bulldogs managed the clock and came up with timely plays to preserve the victory. Anthony knocked down key free throws with 7:58 remaining to stretch the lead to double digits. Virginia Union closed within three points after a late three-pointer, but Malaka Cobb sealed the win at the line with two free throws in the final seconds. A late turnover by the Lady Panthers secured the 67-64 decision for Bowie State.

Top Performers
Sydney Anthony 
- 9 points 
- 7/8 free throws made 
- 5 rebounds 
- 3 assists 

Mia Smith 
- 10 points 
- 4 steals 
- 1 block 

Jada Bouknight 
- 4 blocks 
- 3 steals 
- 5 rebounds 

Mayah Garner 
- 14 points 
- 11 rebounds 
- 5/8 field goals made 

Up Next
The Bulldogs return to action Wednesday, Feb. 18, hosting Virginia State for Greek/Retro Night with a 5:30 p.m., tip-off inside A.C. Jordan Arena.

For the latest information on Bowie State Athletics and its 14 varsity sports, visit bsubulldogs.com.