Bowie State University Athletics

The 2007-2008 edition of Bowie State University Lady Bulldogs basketball will be somewhat similar to last year’s men’s team them … New Faces … Same Game. BSU will return just two starters and four letterwinners. BSU’s Lady Bulldogs completed the 2006-07 campaign with an 18-11 overall mark and ended conference play with a 12-8 record. Third year head coach Doug Robertson (31-27) guided his Lady Bulldogs deep into the 2007 CIAA Tournament before falling 76-65 in the semifinals to eventual champion North Carolina Central.

The returning starters include senior Allyson Swailes and junior Markeya Watson. Swailes, a two-time All-CIAA selection (2005-2006 and 2006-2007) led the team in scoring (14.8 ppg), rebounds (9.1), field goal percentage (.471) and free throws made (117). Swailes was also named to the 2007 CIAA All-Tournament Team for the second consecutive year. Watson, the teams Most Valuable Player last season, ranked second in scoring average (11.0) and rebound average (8.1) and joined Swailes on the CIAA All-Tournament Team.

Junior Sherika Thomas (5-10, forward) and senior Bethany Sloat (6-0, forward), are the only other Lady Bulldogs returning from last season’s squad. Thomas (6.2 ppg and 5.0 rpg) and Sloat (1.9 ppg and 2.6 rpg) played in 29 and 28 games respectively. Sloat led the team in blocked shots (18) and slapped away a season high five in one game against her former school Columbia Union College.

Bowie State’s only senior loss was guard Genet Moore. Moore was second on the team in scoring average (13.2) and led the Lady Bulldogs in 3-Point Field Goal Percentage (.453), Free Throw Percentage (.871), 3-Point Field Goals Attempted (137) and 3-Point Field Goals Made (62).

As a team, Bowie State ranked 1st in CIAA Free Throw Percentage (.672), 2nd in Field Goal Percentage Defense (.360), 3rd in CIAA Rebounding Margin and 5th in conference field goal percentage (.376), 3-point field goal percentage. In terms of scoring, BSU ranked 7th in the CIAA, averaging 63.6 points per game.

BSU’s Lady Bulldogs will begin the season on the road (November 16) at the James A. Richardson Tip-Off Tournament hosted by Lincoln (PA) University and will open its home season – Tuesday, November 20th against Salem International at 5:30 p.m. Get ready to “Witness A New Awakening” of Bowie State University women’s basketball.