Joanna Smith leads Buffalo Women's Basketball to come from behind 57-48 road win over Niagara

Joanna Smith scored 26 points, UB overcame 15-4 and 21-9 deficits, and Niagara will have to wait another year to get their first win over the Bulls since 2004 after Buffalo went on the road and comes home from Lewiston with a 57-48 win over their local rival.

Led by Smith, UB outscored the Purple Eagles 36-18 over a 20-minute stretch that bridged halftime and turned that 21-9 deficit with six minutes to play in the first half to a six point advantage heading into the final minutes. While NU's Sam Lapszynski controlled play down low early, she never found her rhythm after picking up a second foul before halftime and two more in the third quarter.

Niagara couldn't take advantage of Buffalo's weakness in the low post, and Mariah Suchan benefited from Lapszynski's absence, pulling down 12 rebounds, eight on the offensive glass; both single-game highs for UB on the season. Everyone found something as the game ticked on and the Purple Eagles - working with only a six-woman rotation, tired and couldn't keep with the UB energy.

Liisa Ups finished with nine assists and Camera Miley eight points as the Buffalo offense really got going against their fatigued hosts. UB did commit a ton of fouls - Katherine Ups fouled out, Mirte Scheper and Stephanie Reid had four apiece, and Mariah Suchan had three - but Niagara was just 10-17 from the line, unable to take advantage of UB's pitiful 6-16 showing themselves.

Smith's 26 points matched her career high set a few weeks ago against Clemson, while Suchan's 12 boards were just the second double-digit rebounding performance of the season for Buffalo.

Now 7-3, UB has another lengthy stretch off before playing at Sacred Heart in a final nonconference tuneup next Tuesday.