Bulls Lose to Kent State in Last Minute

The UB Women’s Basketball team took a lead into the last minute at Kent State, but despite four possessions in the last minute, they could not score again, and a Kent State basket and two free throws gave the Golden Flashes a 65–62 victory. The game was crucial in the MAC standings as whichever team won would occupy 4th place; so the Bulls remain 5th place in the MAC now with a 9–6 conference record.

In a game that saw 11 lead changes, and in which no team ever had a double-digit lead, two free throws by Buffalo sophomore guard Dyaisha Fair gave the Bulls a 62–61 lead with 1:21 left. The Bulls played very strong defense on the ensuing Kent State possession, but Kent State guard Moriah Modkins hit a running 10 foot shot with 1 second left on the shot clock to put the Golden Flashes ahead.

But then Buffalo freshman guard Cheyenne McEvans missed a shot, Fair missed a shot and then a freak play led to a Kent State basket by Nila Blackford to give Kent a 3 point lead with just 0:17 left. On that play, Kent State guard Clare Kelly tried to make a throw in, but was in danger of violating the 5-second rule and tried to bounce the ball of the Buffalo defender’s legs and out of bounds, giving Kent another throw-in, but the ball deflected off of senior forward Summer Hemphill’s legs directly to Blackford for an uncontested lay-up.

Then a turnover by senior guard Hanna Hall and a missed three-pointer by Fair at the buzzer from about 30 feet with a hand in her face ended the game.

Fair again led the Bulls, this time with 23 points. McEvans had 14 points, and junior forward Keowa Walters had 13 points on 6-for-8 shooting, and a team high 8 rebounds. It was Walters’ highest point total of the season and her first double-digit game since January 2.

Notes:

• It was only Hemphill’s third appearance of the season, after suffering an injury back in December at Purdue. She played 11 minutes and had 4 rebounds, but did not score.
• The Bulls out-shot Kent State 45.5% to 39.3%, but Kent made 9 three pointers while Buffalo only made 1.
• Buffalo out-rebounded Kent 33 to 29.
• Junior guard Jazmine Young wore uniform number 4 after wearing number 3 the rest of the season
• Buffalo next plays Ohio at Alumni Arena on Saturday, February 27 at 1pm on ESPN+. There are only three games left in the regular season.