Hot 3 Point Shooting Leads to Buffalo Victory over Syracuse

Shooting nearly 60% from beyond the arc, the UB Women’s Basketball team picked up a victory over Syracuse, 88–79, in the final round of the Battle 4 Atlantis Tournament. Buffalo is now 2–2 for the season.

It was the Bulls’ first victory over a Power 5 Conference team since Buffalo beat Rutgers in 2019 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. It was Buffalo’s first victory over Syracuse since 1997, and the first time the two Western New York had played each teams other since 2011.

The Bulls were led, as they usually are, by junior guard Dyaisha Fair and super-senior Summer Hemphill. Fair picked up 34 points, including 7-for-11 from beyond the arc, and also 11-for-15 overall. Hemphill scored a career high 28 (besting her career high from the previous night) and also set a career high with 4 made three-pointers (without a miss), while leading the team with 10 rebounds.

The Bulls held a one point lead at the end of the first quarter, and a four point lead 48–44 at halftime, as the two teams put on a sizzling offensive performance. Both team shot over 50% in the first half, and both teams shot over 60% from downtown.

Buffalo pushed the lead to 15 late in the third quarter, one a three-pointer from Hemphill and two baskets from Fair. And at that point, the question was could the Orange come back. After the Orange cut the lead to 10, Fair made a running shot at the third quarter buzzer to give the Bulls a 12 point lead.

Syracuse cut the lead to 6 with 4:45 left in the fourth quarter, but Syracuse had already picked up their fifth team foul. The Bulls, despite being somewhat cold from the floor, made a steady succession of free throws to push the lead back to double digits. Two free-throws by Fair, one by junior forward Loren Christie, two more by Fair and two more by senior guard Jazmine Young and the Bulls lead was back to 11, and they were never seriously challenged after that.

Senior forward Ade Adeyeye had 9 rebounds and sophomore guard Cheyenne McEvans had 8. Young had 6 steals and 6 assists, both team highs, plus 10 points. Christie recorded 3 blocks.

Notes:

• One negative was that the Bulls had 23 turnovers.
• Buffalo was called for only 13 fouls, and only one player (Adeyeye) was in foul trouble.
• Earlier in the week, Hemphill recorded her 1000th career point.
• Fair was 6-for-7 from downtown in the first half. The last time a Bulls player had 6 three pointers in a half was Margeaux Gupilan against Miami (OH) on January 30, 2014.