It was no easy win for the Cyclones over a physical and strong Malcolm X College team; however, free throws were key in this narrow 73-68 victory.

Fast breaks and a commanding presence under the basket from the Hawks saw the Cyclones suffer an early deficit until the Cyclones slowly chipped away and Jadea Johnson scored the go-ahead bucket halfway through the second quarter. Free throws from Johnson, Lily Hernandez and Shakila Brownlow helped elevate the Cyclones just past the Hawk, 35-34, at halftime.

The third quarter was where the Cyclones surged. They went on a 9-0 run, tired out the Hawks and built an 11-point lead. Then in the fourth quarter, the Hawks went on their own 8-0 run to make it a one-point game in the final minutes. The final three Cyclone points were free throws from Laila Houseworth, who also added a layup to keep her team ahead and grab the win.

Johnson led the offense with 25 points followed closely by Houseworth with 23 along with seven steals. Brownlow added 12 points, going 10-for-12 from the free-throw line, and grabbed eight rebounds. Kyziah Lewis was tough under the basket, grabbing nine boards and fouling out of the game at the end.