Preview: Howard Lady Bison at Cincinnati Bearcats

CINCINNATI (Interstat) — The Howard Lady Bison, riding a wave of momentum, will visit the Cincinnati Bearcats in a nonconference women’s basketball matchup Tuesday night at Fifth Third Arena.

Howard (8-5) enters on a two-game winning streak, most recently edging Hampton 64-60 on Saturday. The Lady Bison have shown resilience, with a 5-2 record at home, but are 3-3 in road and neutral-site contests. They are led by standout guard Zennia Thomas, who is coming off a double-double performance with 11 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks against Hampton. Thomas has been a consistent offensive force, scoring in double figures in nine of her last ten games, including a 25-point outing at VCU and a 24-point game at Syracuse.

Cincinnati (5-6) snapped a two-game skid with a commanding 65-48 victory over UNLV on Saturday. The Bearcats have struggled for consistency early, particularly in close games, including an overtime loss to Miami (Ohio). They will look to forward Alliance Ndiba, who broke out with a season-high 18 points and four blocks in the win over UNLV. Her recent insertion into the starting lineup provided a major spark, and her defensive presence will be key against Thomas and the Howard backcourt.

The game pits Howard’s offensive catalyst, Thomas, against a Cincinnati defense that held UNLV to 48 points. The Lady Bison will need to improve their ball security after committing 18 turnovers in their narrow win over Hampton. Cincinnati, which has alternated wins and losses over its past six games, seeks to build its first winning streak since November.

This contest concludes a challenging stretch of road games for Howard before returning home to host Saint Bonaventure on Saturday. Cincinnati continues a homestand that will see Oklahoma State visit on Sunday.

Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. EST Tuesday.