Bulls Defeat Kent State with Late Run

Trailing Kent State by 7 with about four minutes left in the fourth quarter, the UB Women’s Basketball team did not allow Kent State another basket, and came from behind to defeat the Golden Flashes 65–62. Buffalo is now 10–4 on the season and 4–0 in the MAC.

The Bulls defense stepped up big late in the fourth quarter, keeping Kent from making baskets in the paint, and forcing them into hurried three pointers. With 1:08 left and Buffalo trailing by one after two free throws by junior guard Dyaisha Fair, Buffalo’s full court press caused Kent State’s throw-in attempt to go out of bounds without being touched. Super-senior forward Summer Hemphill then gave the Bulls the lead with a layup.

After Kent missed two more shots, Fair hit one of two free-throws the push Buffalo’s lead up to two points. After a Kent State free-throw, Fair hit two more free-throws with 15 seconds left, and the Bulls led by three. Stifling defense at the three point line by the Bulls prevented Kent from even getting a shot off, and the Golden Flashes called their final time out with 7 seconds left. Again, the Bulls’ defense was up to the task, and the pressured three-pointer by Kent State was way short of the basket, and the Bulls grabbed the rebound for the win.

Fair led the team with 26 points, but it wasn’t as efficient as we have seen her play lately. She shot only 7-for-23, but made up for it by grabbing 7 rebounds, second on the team, and leading the team in assists with 5. She played all 40 minutes, didn’t commit a turnover and didn’t commit a foul.

Freshman guard Georgia Woolley had 14 points and Hemphill had 11. Senior forward Ade Adeyeye led the team with 8 rebounds and Hemphill had 6.

Buffalo plays next on Wednesday, January 19, 2022 when they host Akron at 7pm at Alumni Arena (ESPN3).

Notes:

• Sophomore guard Cheyenne McEvans, who was injured in a recent game, was not in uniform. This left the Bulls with only 8 active players (not counting several who appear to be red-shirting).
• For the most part, Buffalo stayed out of foul trouble in the second half, which was helpful in tightening the defense against Kent.
• The Bulls hit 7-for 16 (43%) from beyond the arc, but five of their seven made three-pointers came in the first half.