The Short Story:  A hot start by Howard and cold shooting in the fourth by the Hawks saw the four-game win streak come to end for the University of Maryland Eastern Shore women's basketball team as the Bison picked up a 64-48 MEAC win on Saturday afternoon at the Hytche Athletic Center

THE GAME FACTS
Score: Howard 64, UMES 48
Location: Princess Anne, Md.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• It was a quick start for the Bison who took an 11-4 lead with just 2:39 into the contest. The teams would then trade baskets with the Hawks cutting the lead down to six on an Ariana Seawell layup at 4:21. However, a quick three by the Bison extended their lead up to nine, forcing a UMES timeout. Despite cutting the lead down to four with under a minute, a Bison layup with less than two seconds left gave them the 24-18 lead going into the second quarter.
• Points were at a premium at the start of the second with the teams combining for just five points through nearly the first five minutes before a three by Ashanti Lynch cut the lead down to just two. The Bison responded with a 7-2 run to push their lead back up to eight with 2:50 left in the half. A pair of free throws by Jála Bannerman and a jumper by Amira Ofunniyin cut the Bison lead down to just five as the teams went back to the locker rooms.
• The third was a series of ups and downs, back and forths for both teams. With the Bison leading by six, Bannerman was fouled and hit both ends of the free throws to cut the lead down to just four as the game went into the fourth.
• The lone points in the first three and a half minutes of the fourth quarter was a three by the Bison to extend their lead back up to seven, 53-46. Howard would push their lead to the largest at 18 with less than 1:30 left before a free throw by Lynch with 58 seconds remaining finally got the Hawks on the board in the fourth. One more free throw by Seawell at the end saw Howard keep the ball away for the 64-48 win over the Hawks.

BY THE NUMBERS

• Seawell led the Hawks in scoring with 16.
• Ofunniyin had the team-high six rebounds against the Bison.
• Lainey Allen swatted away a game-high three shots with a block.
• UMES' bench outscored the Bison 34-18 while the Hawks grabbed more steals than Howard (10-6)
• The Bison were led by Iyanna Warren's 18 points.

UP NEXT

• The Hawks are on the road for the final time in the regular season when they visit Norfolk State on Monday, March 5. Game time with the Spartans is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.