Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

Miles' annual trip to the northern half of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference tends to produce some tough tests in imposing venues for the Lady Bears. Those challenges were amplified for this season's sojourn to Kentucky and Ohio as the team had to play on back-to-back days due to a weather delay that pushed the contest at Kentucky State back one day. But a big fourth quarter against the Thorobreds, followed by a career-night performance by Kiyara Howard-Garza at Central State produced two big victories for the SIAC West Division-leading Lady Bears (10-3, 7-2).

MILES 61, KENTUCKY STATE 45

Feliah Greer had an inauspicious performance through the first three quarters against Kentucky State on Sunday afternoon. But in the fourth quarter, she found her mojo and it helped Miles secure a big road victory.

Greer scored all 10 of her points in the final period to help the Lady Bears take down the Thorobreds at the Exum Center in a rematch of the 2024 SIAC championship game. She nearly scored as many points in the fourth as KSU (4-10, 3-5) dropped its fifth consecutive game and helped Miles to its fourth win in its last five outings.

The Lady Bears had trouble getting their offense in motion throughout the contest, but the defense did more than enough to keep the team out in front. Kentucky State shot just less than 26 percent from the floor in the first half but found itself trailing just 34-33 heading into the final 10 minutes. But the Thorobreds missed their seven of their eight first shots from the floor in the fourth while turning the ball over six times and Miles made them pay.

Iemyiah Harris hit a 3-pointer to open the period before Greer sandwiched a bucket by Tederia Ashley (seven points, two rebounds) with her first makes of the game to give the Lady Bears a 43-36 advantage midway through the quarter. Greer would then add a 3-pointer, all of which was part of a 17-3 run to start the period and end any chances of a KSU comeback.

Harris scored a game-high 13 points while adding five rebounds, two assists and two steals. Tawana Nevels had six points and a game-high seven rebounds to pace the Lady Bears.

MILES 64, CENTRAL STATE 59

In a battle for the top spot in the West, the Lady Bears raced out to a big lead but saw it all melt away in the fourth quarter before righting the ship late for their fifth consecutive win over the Lady Marauders.
Howard-Garza had a the best night of her career in the first half alone. She scored the first eight points of the game, and when she drained her third 3-pointer of the contest with 4:29 remaining in the opening quarter, she was already up to 11 points as the Lady Bears grabbed a 13-2 lead.

Miles led by six at the end of the first but consecutive buckets early in the second quarter by Makayla Rieves (five points, four rebounds) saw the lead jump back into double figures (23-13). Harris (eight points, six rebounds, four assists) added two 3-balls late in the quarter but Howard-Garza added six more points before halftime, the last two coming on a bucket at the horn, to push Miles to a 35-23 advantage. Her career-high coming into the night was 15 points, achieved last week against Central State. She had 17 at the break.

The heat check light was still on for Howard-Garza in the third quarter, where she set another single-game mark with her fourth 3-pointer 90 seconds into the period. A 3-point play by Greer gave Miles a 19-point lead with 6:11 left in the quarter and it looked like the Lady Bears would coast to victory.

Things fell apart quickly as CSU fought back. Miles would miss five of its six shot attempts the rest of the quarter and the Lady Marauders cut the big deficit to nine points going into the fourth quarter. The cold streak extended into the fourth quarter and when Diamond Phillips sank two free throws with 3:04 left, the Lady Bears found themselves trailing 57-55.

But Miles was able to right the ship, not allowing a field goal over the last four minutes of the contest. Greer made two free throws to tie the game and Howard-Garza split two freebies to give the Lady Bears the lead for good, 58-57, with 2:12 to play. She finished with 22 points on 8-of-12 shooting (4-of-8 on threes). Greer (14 points, eight rebounds) would score five of the last six points to close out the win.