Fair scores 1,000th point in Bulls Loss

Sophomore guard Dyaisha Fair scored her 1,000th career point yesterday at Central Michigan. She is the 14th player in NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball history to score 1,000 points in her first 44 career games, and the fastest UB women’s basketball player to score 1,000 points.

The basket that gave Fair 1,000 points, a three pointer in the third quarter, came at a particularly opportune time for the Bulls, as the Bulls had fell behind by as many as 11 points in a low scoring first half. The Bulls still trailed by 10 (44–34) with about three minutes left in the third quarter, when sophomore guard Jessika Schiffer hit a three pointer, and then it was DFT — Dyaisha Fair Time. Fair scored two consecutive baskets, a free throw and after a basket by sophomore center Elea Gaba, Fair’s three pointer with 0:57 left in the third quarter gave Buffalo its first lead of the game and gave Fair 1,000 career points exactly. In about two minutes of playing time, Buffalo had erased a 10 point deficit.

Another jumper by Gaba at the start of the 4th quarter finished a 13–0 run for Buffalo and they led by 6, which would be their biggest lead of the game. Central Michigan fought back and took the lead, but the Bulls still led by one 62–61 after a three-pointer from senior guard Hanna Hall at 1:48 left.

And then, on the key play of the game, with the shot clock running down, CMU star Micaela Kelly drove in and thanks to good defense by UB, took an awkward shot and missed, but the rebound came right back to Kelly and she scored the put-back shot to give CMU the lead. Buffalo was unable to score after that.

Fair finished with 22 points, plus 9 rebounds, 3 assists, 4 steals and 5 turnovers. Gaba had a career high in points (17), as she utilized her size and weight to great effectiveness from inside the paint; CMU didn’t have anyone who could guard her and eventually resorted to double- and triple-teaming her when she got the ball in the paint. Even when her path to the basket was blocked, Gaba used her baby hook shot to score repeatedly. Gaba also had 7 rebounds (but 6 turnovers, some of which caused by the double- and triple-teaming) and stayed out of foul trouble.

Schiffer had three three-pointers, while Hall had two three-pointers. Junior center Zena Elias picked up her second career double-digit rebound game, and led the team with 12. After a slow start in the rebounding department, UB wound up with a large edge in rebounding, particularly on the offensive boards with 18 to CMU’s 9 (not counting “team rebounds”). Elias led the team with 5 offensive rebounds.

Buffalo is now 9–5 overall and 6–3 in the MAC. Their next game is on Wednesday, February 3 at Akron at 7pm.

Notes:

• Freshman guard Cheyenne McEvans, sophomore forward Loren Christie and senior forward Summer Hemphill all missed the game due to injury.
• It was Schiffer’s second consecutive start.
• Junior forward Keowa Walters only saw limited playing time (5 minutes). Gaba and Elias both set career highs in minutes played (Gaba with 35 and Elias with 23).