Women's Basketball Heads to Washington, D.C. to Battle Howard

Sunday, December 14

McGonigle Hall

2:00 p.m.

Temple University

Florida State

Tanaya Atkinson ranks in the top three in scoring and rebounding for Temple

Photo by: Joseph V. Labolito/Temple University

Women's Basketball Heads to Washington, D.C. to Battle Howard

12.17.14 | Women's Basketball

PHILADELPHIA -- The Temple women's basketball team begins a three-game road stretch by traveling to Washington, D.C. to take on Howard University on Thursday at 5 p.m. The 3-7 Owls are looking to snap a four-game skid against the 1-9 Howard Bison.

In its last outing, Temple had Florida State on the ropes, but couldn't finish a late comeback, falling 66-62 to the Seminoles on Sunday afternoon. In that game, junior Erica Covile recorded a double-double with 14 points and a team-high 11 rebounds, while freshman Tanaya Atkinson shot 63.6% from the field, leading Temple with 16 points.

On the season, four players are averaging double-figures in scoring for the Owls, led by sophomore Feyonda Fitzgerald's 12.7 points per game. Fitzgerald also dishes out 3.2 assists per game. Senior Tyonna Williams has moved up to second with 11.3 points per contest, while also averaging a team-best 3.8 assists per outing. Atkinson is third on the team in both points and rebounds, scoring 10.9 points and pulling down 6.1 boards per contest. Covile is helping out on both ends of the floor, scoring 8.5 points and picking up a team-best 7.8 rebounds per game. She leads the Owls with two double-doubles this season.

Howard is coming off an 83-74 loss to LIU Brooklyn on the road on Sunday afternoon. Sophomore Te'Shya Heslip finished two assist shy of a triple double - recording a game-high 22 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists for Howard. Senior Cheyenne Brown chipped in 15 points, while sophomores Sydni Johnson and Jasmine Hill, added 14 and 10 points respectively.

Heslip leads the Bison in nearly all aspects of the game. She averages 16.8 points per game, 5.7 assists, 5.2 rebounds, and 2.5 steals per game, leading Howard in all four categories. Johnson (11.8) and Brown (11.3) also average double figures in scoring for the Bison. Victoria Gonzales is second on the team in rebounding, with 4.8 boards per game, while Johnson is third with 4.7 rebounds per outing. The Bison have been out-scored by an average of 14.6 points per game this season and have also been out-rebounded by an average of 7.9 boards per contest. Howard shooting 37.1% from the field and 32.7% from the three point line.

Temple and Howard met twice in the 1980's and then not again until a pair of meetings in 2013, spanning two seasons. Temple leads the all-time series, 3-1, outscoring the Bison by an average of 19.5 points per game. Temple's last win in the series was the team's last meeting, December 19, 2013. The Owls topped the Bison, 83-58, with current Temple players Williams (5 points) and Covile (11 points) both making starts in that game. Two current players from Howard led the Bison in that game, as Heslip scored 23 points, while Gonzalez added 17.

Live stats and live video are not available for the game, but fans can follow along on Twitter @TUOwls_wbb

Game Notes (PDF)