After back-to-back losses, the Lady Bison bounced back with a win against Coppin State’s Lady Eagles, picking up their 13th consecutive win over their conference opponent going back to 2016.
The 62-58 victory can largely be attributed to the Bison’s work on the defensive side of the ball. In the first quarter the Bison held their opponent to 1-19 from the field and 0-7 from three, keeping them at only four points. Entering the second quarter with a 15-4 lead, the Bison never looked back and held the lead the entire game. Coppin State’s Eagles shot only 25 percent from the floor and turned the ball over 11 times, proving how suffocating the Bison’s press defense can be.
Nile Miller, a freshman forward, recorded one block and one steal. She added her thoughts on the defensive preparation before the Coppin State matchup. “We made sure we were disciplined on defense with their personnel & played them based on it throughout the game. We wanted to front their post player and limit her paint touches due to that being their first option on offense which I think we did well.” As a freshman, Miller is playing very key minutes and has started the last eight games. The freshman forward has proven to be an anchor defensively and has a unique role to play on that side of the ball. My role is to protect the basket, be long and keep them out of the paint along with getting rebounds.”
Junior guard Destiny Howell led the team with two takeaways. When asked about their defensive preparation for this game, Howell told Hilltop “We focused on rebounding the ball more and limiting second-chance opportunities, we wanted to contain them in the press and take more time off the clock.” Howell’s offensive ability kept the Bison ahead as well, leading the team in scoring with twenty points and seven rebounds. Howell has been a focal point on the offensive side of the ball this year, leading the team in scoring with 15.3 points per game.
Howell is well aware of the adjustments she has to make in her game to perform well offensively. “I just take what the defense gives me. If they played back I shot it, if they played close and aggressively I drove the ball and tried to create off the bounce.”
Copy edited by Alana Matthew
