by BUFFALO, NY – Behind a school record 23 rebound effort by sophomore forward Summer Hemphill (Seneca Nation), the University at Buffalo women’s basketball team (23-4, 14-2 MAC) was able to win their seventh straight game on Saturday afternoon inside a packed Alumni Arena as they defeated the Ohio Bobcats, 70-53. Hemphill finished off her fifth double-double of the season with 10 points, 23 rebounds and four blocks as UB tied a program record with their 23rd win.
The announced attendance of 3,128 was the largest home crowd for the Bulls since 2005 and was the fifth largest crowd of all-time inside Alumni Arena.
The 23 rebound game for Hemphill is a new program record as she broke Kourtney Brown’s old school record of 22 that she set against Niagara on November 13, 2009. Hemphill fell one rebound shy of the MAC record for rebounds in a game.
It was a sloppy start for both teams early on in the first quarter as UB was able to take the 9-4 lead midway through the quarter on a Cassie Oursler jumper. The Bobcats came back quickly and were able to tie the game at 10 with just over a minute remaining in the first quarter but Hanna Hall finished the scoring with a triple to give the Bulls the 13-11 lead through 10 minutes.
The Bobcats were able to dictate the pace of play in the second quarter and they raced out to a four-point lead, 21-17, after Katie Barker drilled a triple. Oursler was able to tie the game, 21-21, with just over a minute remaining in the half but the Bobcats closed the half on a 5-0 run to take the 26-21 lead into the locker room.
After the Bobcats got out to a seven-point lead early in the third, 31-24, the Bulls turned up the intensity and took over control of the game over the final eight minutes of the third. The UB bench was able to provide the Bulls with the much needed spark as Autumn Jones came in and drilled a couple of three pointers and Mariah Suchan was able to record a pair of buckets as UB retained the lead 38-36 and never looked back. A fast break layup by Stephanie Reid gave the Bulls their biggest lead of the quarter, 47-39, but the Bobcats finished the scoring in the quarter with a layup to make the score 47-41 through 30 minutes.
Buffalo owned the final quarter, thanks in part to the play of Hemphill on the boards. After the Bobcats cut the UB lead to eight, 52-44, the Bulls were able to go on an 8-0 run as Jones knocked down her fourth triple of the game and Suchan finished off a layup after a great feed from Reid. The Bulls suffocating defense forced the Bobcats out of rhythm over the final five minutes and a Hemphill fast break layup from Hall marked the Bulls biggest lead, 70-48.
The Bulls saw six players score in double figures, led by Jones off the bench with 14 points, two rebounds and two assists. Jones was able to knock down a career-high four three pointers while playing a career-high 27 minutes.
Hemphill finished her monster game with 10 points, 23 boards and four blocks as she was all over the court for the Bulls. Oursler continued her strong play as she netted 12 points and nine rebounds while Reid chipped in with 10 points and seven assists in the win.
Cierra Dillard was able to post 10 points, six assists and two steals while Suchan came off the bench and posted her best game of the season as she went for 10 points and four boards.
As a team, Buffalo was able to win the battle on the boards 52-31 including an 18-7 advantage on the offensive glass. UB also won the paint battle 32-18 as they have won the battle inside 23 of their last 24 games. The Bulls also posted the 14-2 edge in fast break scoring and the 10-5 edge in second chance points in their program record 14th MAC win of the season.
UB will return to the road for their final road regular season game on Wednesday night as they travel to Kent State. Wednesday’s tip is set for 7:00 pm inside the M.A.C Center.
