Fair’s Triple Double Leads Bulls to Win in MAC Opener

A triple double from sophomore guard Dyaisha Fair led Buffalo to a comeback victory 85–77 over Akron in the MAC Opener. Fair had 28 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists, to record what is believed to be only the second triple double in program history.

Fair had scored just 3 points in the first half, and was not a regular part of the Bulls offense during the first half, as she normally would be. She didn’t touch the ball much and wasn’t aggressive with her offensive moves. The Bulls’ offense wasn’t particularly effective in the third quarter, and they trailed Akron 57–42 with 3:20 left in the third.

And then a three point basket by senior guard Hanna Hall ignited the Bulls offense and they went on a 15–1 run to cut the Akron lead to just 1 with 0:12 left in the third. In that run, Hall had two three pointers and Fair had 7 points.

That set up what looked like it would be a nail-biter fourth quarter. The Bulls finally pulled ahead at 72–71 when Fair grabbed a defensive rebound, dribbled to the other end busting past several Akron players, and scored on a coast-to-coast reverse layup off the glass. Buffalo would take the lead for good at 78–77 on a layup by sophomore center Elea Gaba off an assist by Fair (to give her the triple double). Then the key sequence that led to the Bulls breaking open the game began with two free throws made by junior forward Ade Adeyeye. Akron’s Molly Neitzel then missed two free throws, Gaba scored on an offensive rebound, and then Neitzel turned the ball over on a rather obvious illegal screen.

The Bulls had four players in double figure scoring, Fair, Adeyeye with 14, Gaba with 13 and Hall with 11. Fair led the team in rebounding, while Adeyeye had 10 and freshman guard Cheyenne McEvans had 9. The Bulls, with superior height, out-rebounded Akron 47–33*. Buffalo is now 3–2 on the season and 1–0 in the MAC.

* — from now on, I am subtracting out “Team Rebounds” from the rebound totals, as these are relatively meaningless.

Notes:

• The official attendance is listed at 1. Yes, that’s right, one. I don’t know who it was. The Bulls, after the game ended, as they have always done after a win, waved to the crowd ... er ... waved to the empty seats.
• The only other triple double in UB Women’s Basketball history was recorded in 2001 by Sonia Ortega, who also achieved her feat against Akron.
• The Bulls shot 36 free throws, making 24, while Akron shot only 15. Nineteen of the Bull’s free-throws went to Fair, and she made 15.
• Buffalo next faces St. Bonaventure on Saturday, December 19, 2020.