RICHMOND, Va. – Kyaja Williams and Shawnkia McCallum combined for 21 points to help Bowie State women’s basketball avenge an earlier season loss to NABC #8 Virginia Union, defeating the Lady Panthers 58-46. The win moves the Bowie State overall record to 19-4, 11-3 in league play and 4-3 in the Northern Division.
Williams scored 11 points, McCallum added 10 and Dynaisha Christian hauled down a game-high 11 rebounds in the huge win.
Virginia Union held a 9-6 lead after the first 10 minutes of play. Both team struggled shooting in the first half as Bowie State made 3-of-16 from the field compared to just 1-of-10 for Virginia Union.
Bowie State’s Shawkia McCallum scored the first field goal of the second quarter and floater in the paint by Pere’ Alexander shifted the lead back over the BSU at the X mark. A Virginia Union steal and layup gave the lead back to the home team. However, back-to-back 3-pointers by McCallum and Amel Duggins shifted things back in favor of the Bulldogs at 16-11. A pair of Alexander free throws pushed the Bowie State lead to 18-11.
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Virginia Union (21-2, 13-2 CIAA, 7-1 North) answered with back-to-back field goals to trim the Bowie State lead to 18-16 by the under five (3:44) media timeout. Bria McKinney drilled a triple from the top of the key with just over two minutes to go before halftime to give the Lady Panthers a 21-20 lead.
Bowie State’s Duggins stuck a 3-pointer as time expired in the second quarter to send the Bulldogs into halftime leading Virginia Union 25-23. The Bulldogs shot 28 percent from the field in the first half (9-of-32) and 80 percent (4-of-5) at the free throw line.
The Bulldogs opened a 10-point advantage (35-25) by the 4:28 mark of the third quarter, forcing the Panthers to burn a timeout. Bowie State maintained a double-digit lead after three quarters by a score of 43-33. The Bulldogs defense kept up the defensive intensity holding the Panthers scoreless from the 1:14 mark of the third until the 5:42 mark of the fourth quarter. By that time Bowie State held a 51-35 advantage.
Virginia Union closed the deficit to single digits (51-42) with 3:33 remaining in the game but Bowie State would not allow them to get in closer.
Shareka McNeill led Virginia Union with 19 points and was the only Panthers players to score in double figures. As a team, Virginia Union finished the game shooting 29 percent from the field, hitting 15-of-53.
The Bulldogs will be back in action on Saturday (February 16) hosting the Hawks of Chowan University in the regular season home finale at 2 p.m.
