Skip To Main Content

South Carolina State University Athletics

Events and Results

Events and Results

Full Schedule
#BULLDOGTENACITY
Cherisha Floyd

Women's Basketball

Floyd’s Last Second Shot Lifts SC State Over Howard in Women’s Basketball

Jr., Cherisha Floyd hit the game winning shot against Howard
Box Score
Washington, DC—Junior forward Cherisha Floyd's offensive rebound and put back with one second remaining lifted SC State over Howard, 54-53, in a pivotal Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) women's basketball matchup at Burr Gymnasium.  With the win the Lady Bulldog improve to 13-6 overall and 5-3 in the MEAC.  This is also the first time since the 2009-10 season that SC State has defeated Howard in women's basketball.

Senior Ashley Clarke scored a game-high 13 points with seven rebounds to lead the way for SC State.  Senior Fannie Goodwin, who has missed the last seven games due to an injury, came off the bench to score nine points with seven rebounds and two block shots.

SC State appeared to have control of the game from the tip, jumping out to an early 12-6 lead by the 13:51 mark.  The Lady Bulldogs pushed its lead to 12, (18-6), before Howard's offense came to life.  The Lady Bison used an 8-0 run over a two-plus minute span to cut the deficit to four, 14-18, with 8:40 remaining in the half.  The team exchanged baskets over the next four-plus minutes, before a layup by Howard's Imani Bailey at the 4:27 mark sparked a 6-2 run to give the Lady Bison its first lead of the game, 28-26, with 2:34 seconds remaining in the half. A three-pointer by the Lady Bulldog's freshman Mykala Jones with 56 seconds gave SC State the one point advantage, 29-28, heading into intermission.

The teams exchanged baskets for the majority of the second half, with neither team taking more than a four-point lead.  Howard enjoyed its biggest lead of the game, four points (43-47), at the 6:15 mark of the second half.  SC State remained poised, using a 5-0 run to regain the lead, 48-47, with 4:32 remaining in the contest.  A layup by Saadia Doyle and a jumper by Bailey gave the Lady Bison the three-point advantage, 48-51 with 4:27 left in the game.  Two free-throws by the Lady Bulldogs' Ashley Clarke cut the deficit to one, 50-51, with 2:23 remaining.  Cheyenne Curley-Payne hit two-free throws with 1:17 remaining to put the Lady Bison up by three once again, 50-53.  A layup by Clarke pulled SC State within one, 52-53, with 55 seconds remaining.  After a missed free-throw by Bailey with 10 seconds remaining the Lady Bulldogs took the ball the length of the floor and had two opportunities at the baskets before Floyd's put back sealed the 54-53 victory.

“The key to the victory was holding Doyle below her usual 20 + points per outing,” said fifth year head coach Doug Robertson, Jr.  “We were also able to contain their point guard (Curley-Payne) and make some plays down the stretch.”  Robertson continued, “We did a much better job than on the boards tonight which was big in those last few seconds.”

Senior Tiara Knotts, who is averaging double-digits for the Lady Bulldogs, scored eight points while freshman Mykala Jones scored seven in the victory.

Howard had three players to score in double-figures led by Doyle with 13.  Imani Bailey had 12 and Cheyenne Brown contributed 10 as the Lady Bison fell to 12-9 overall 6-3 in the MEAC.

SC State will return to action this Saturday, Feb. 9 when they travel to Savannah, Ga. to take on the Lady Tigers of Savannah State for the second time in two weeks.
Print Friendly Version