RICHMOND, Va. (Interstat) — In a back-and-forth defensive struggle decided in the final seconds, the VCU Rams edged the Howard Lady Bison 69-66 in a non-conference women’s basketball game Monday night at Siegel Center.

A capacity crowd of 612 watched as the two teams traded leads throughout the fourth quarter, with VCU’s Mary-Anna Asare delivering the decisive blow. With just four seconds remaining and the game tied, Asare drove for a layup, drew a foul, and completed the three-point play to give the Rams the final margin of victory.

The game was a tale of contrasting halves. VCU started strong, building a 22-15 lead after the first quarter behind early scoring from Katarina Knezevic and Lucia Sotelo Miguez. Howard’s offense stalled in the second period, managing only 10 points, which allowed the Rams to take a 34-25 advantage into halftime.

The Lady Bison emerged from the break with renewed energy, exploding for 24 points in the third quarter. A dominant performance in the period from Howard’s Zennia Thomas, who scored 25 points total, fueled a run that brought her team back into contention and set up a tense final frame.

Both teams struggled with offensive efficiency throughout the night. Howard shot just 32.8 percent from the floor, while VCU connected on 39.7 percent of its attempts. The Rams found a crucial advantage from beyond the arc, making 10 three-pointers compared to Howard’s three. The Lady Bison attempted to compensate at the free-throw line, taking 37 attempts but making only 25.

Defense and ball security were key factors. Howard forced 19 VCU turnovers, converting them into 18 points. The Lady Bison also recorded 12 steals and four blocks. VCU, however, won the rebounding battle 44-39, with Lucy Ghaifan pulling down a game-high 11 rebounds for the Rams.

Asare, a guard from Pickering, Canada, led all scorers with 25 points for VCU, adding five rebounds and two assists in 35 minutes. Knezevic, from Belgrade, Serbia, provided critical support with 19 points, seven rebounds, and three assists.

Thomas was the standout for Howard, scoring 25 points and grabbing eight rebounds. Ariella Henigan added 12 points for the Lady Bison.

With the win, VCU improved its season record to 3-1. Howard, which entered the game on a four-game winning streak, fell to 4-1. The Rams are scheduled to travel to Laie, Hawaii, for their next contest against Texas A&M on Saturday. Howard will look to rebound on the road at Monmouth on Thursday.