WEST POINT, N.Y. (Interstat) — In a rugged, low-scoring affair dictated by defense and rebounding, the Army women’s basketball team leaned on a monumental performance from forward Kya Smith to secure a 64-56 victory over Howard on Monday afternoon at Christl Arena.

The game, witnessed by 669 fans, was a tale of two dominant interior forces. While Howard’s Nile Miller turned in a strong performance, it was Smith’s historic outing that proved the difference. The 6-foot-1 junior from Lubbock, Texas, was relentless, pouring in 27 points and corralling a staggering 22 rebounds to power the Black Knights to their ninth win against two losses this season.

Howard, which fell to 10-6, struggled to find consistent offense outside of the paint, where they held a 34-24 advantage. The Lady Bison were led by Miller’s 14 points and eight rebounds and 14 points from Zoe Stewart, but they could not overcome a poor shooting afternoon and Smith’s dominance on the glass.

The contest was a grind from the opening tip. Army established an early lead, closing the first quarter up 13-9 behind a balanced attack. Howard found its footing in the second period, using an 8-2 run to briefly take a 22-20 lead after a driving layup from Zennia Thomas. The teams traded blows for the remainder of the half, with Army clinging to a 31-27 advantage at the break, thanks largely to Smith’s 13 first-half points.

The third quarter saw Howard chip away, pulling within a single possession on multiple occasions. A layup by Miller off a Stewart assist cut the Army lead to 34-33 with 5:50 remaining in the period. Each time the Lady Bison threatened, however, Smith or the Army backcourt had an answer. A key sequence unfolded late in the third when Smith converted an and-one opportunity, was fouled on the ensuing possession for two more free throws, and then scored on a putback layup in quick succession. This personal 7-0 burst stretched a narrow 36-34 lead to 43-34, giving the Black Knights crucial breathing room heading into the final quarter.

Howard refused to capitulate. Trailing 50-42 midway through the fourth, the Lady Bison mounted a final charge. Ariella Henigan, who finished with 11 points, sparked a 6-0 run with a driving layup and four consecutive free throws, slicing the deficit to 50-48 with 6:52 to play. The comeback bid was ultimately stifled by Army’s composure and Smith’s continued excellence. On the next possession, Camryn Tade found Reese Ericson for a critical three-pointer to push the lead back to five. Smith then took over, scoring six of Army’s next eight points, including a tough layup through contact that made it 57-52 with just over a minute remaining.

Howard’s last opportunity came when they forced a Smith turnover with 58 seconds left and down 59-56. But after a timeout, the Lady Bison could not convert a clean look, and Army sealed the game at the free-throw line in the final half-minute.

Beyond Smith’s heroics, Army received steady guard play from Tade, who contributed eight points, five assists and four rebounds in 36 minutes. Howard’ Stewart added three assists to her 14 points, while Destiny Bynum-Johnson provided six points and six rebounds.

The game played out largely as analytics predicted, with Interstat’s ELO system giving Army a 61.7% probability to win. The Black Knights’ victory was built on winning the turnover battle, converting Howard’s 16 miscues into 10 points, and surviving despite being outscored in the paint.

Army will look to carry this momentum into its Patriot League schedule, beginning at home against Lehigh on Wednesday. Howard, concluding a challenging non-conference slate, opens Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference play on the road at South Carolina State on Saturday.