WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. (Interstat) — Zennia Thomas scored 21 points and Howard used a dominant third-quarter run to pull away from Monmouth for a 57-44 victory in a nonconference women’s basketball game Thursday night at the Multipurpose Activity Center.

The Howard Lady Bison, who improved to 5-1, led by just four points at halftime but outscored the Monmouth Hawks 19-11 in the third period to seize control. The defensive effort was consistent throughout for Howard, which held Monmouth to a season-low in points as the Hawks fell to 1-3.

The game was a defensive struggle from the start, with Howard taking a 13-12 lead after a first quarter that featured eight combined turnovers. The offensive woes continued in the second quarter, particularly for Monmouth, which managed only six points. Howard was not much more prolific, scoring nine, but built a 22-18 halftime lead.

The contest turned decisively in the third quarter. After Monmouth’s Alexis Davis opened the period with a layup to cut the deficit to two, Howard responded with a 12-2 run. The surge was fueled by five points from Destiny Bynum-Johnson and a 3-pointer from Zoe Stewart, pushing the Lady Bison lead to 34-22. Howard maintained that double-digit advantage for the remainder of the game, leading 41-29 heading into the final quarter.

Thomas, a 6-foot-2 forward from Cleveland, Ohio, was the game’s leading scorer and rebounder, playing 34 minutes and grabbing numerous key defensive boards. Stewart, from Terre Haute, Indiana, added eight points for Howard. Bynum-Johnson finished with 10 points.

Monmouth was led by Alexis Andrews of Montgomery, Alabama, who scored 15 points in 40 minutes of action. Kathy Kersaint-Pierre of Repentigny, Canada, added 10 points for the Hawks.

Offensive efficiency was a major differentiator. Howard scored 82.9 points per 100 possessions, while Monmouth managed just 65.6. Both teams struggled from the field, with Howard shooting 33% and Monmouth shooting 28%. The Hawks were particularly hampered from beyond the arc, making only 2 of 17 3-point attempts. Howard also held a significant advantage at the free-throw line, converting 9 of 10 attempts compared to Monmouth’s 12 of 19.

The game was played before an announced crowd of 529. Howard’s next game is at home against William & Mary on Sunday. Monmouth travels to face Marist on Monday.