by ATHENS, OH – Senior guard Cierra Dillard scored her 2,000th career point and the Bulls defense stifled the Bobcats as the University at Buffalo women’s basketball team picked up a big road win, 73-43 at Ohio on Wednesday night. With the win the Bulls improve to 18-8 on the year, 10-5 in league play.
“What a special talent that we get to witness every day here in Buffalo,” head coach Felisha Legette-Jack said. “Cierra exudes what we stand for and our “CAB”, character, academics and one of the best basketball players to ever play at Buffalo. My hope is that the community comes out on Saturday and salutes her on Senior Day.”
Summer Hemphill (Seneca Nation) recorded her 10th double-double of the season with 11 points and a season-high 18 rebounds and Theresa Onwuka added 10 points.
The 43 points scored by Ohio matched a season-low for a Bulls opponent this season. Buffalo held the Bobcats to just 12-of-59 from the floor, while scoring 28 fast break points and 21 points off of 18 Ohio turnovers. The Bulls also dominated the battle of the boards, 52-33.
Dillard got off to a fast start, hitting two early triples, the second of which tied the game at ten at the first media timeout. The Bulls would then end the quarter on a 6-0 run, sparked by back-to-back baskets from Hemphill and Wilkins to take an 18-13 lead after one.
The Buffalo offense heated up in a hurry to start the second quarter as Marissa Hamilton drained a three to cap a 7-0 run for the Bulls in less than a minute to put UB up 25-16. Buffalo would extend the run to 13-4 and take a 31-17 lead at the media timeout. After an Ohio three cut the lead to 33-20, Dillard responded with a 5-0 run of her own to put UB up 38-20 and then hit another jumper late in the quarter to give the Bulls their largest lead of the half, 42-23, at the break. Buffalo shot 50% from the field in the opening half, while holding Ohio to just 6-of-24 from the field.
The offense cooled a bit to start the third but Dillard would end the drought with a layup at the 7:29 mark to put UB up 44-24 and the Bulls would lead 46-27 at the media timeout. A Dillard three out of the media put the Bulls up 49-27 and they would continue on a 9-4 run to take a 53-32 lead. One final 6-0 run over the final two minutes gave UB a 61-35 lead after three, their largest lead of the game.
The Bulls kept their foot on the gas in the fourth as the Bobcats would get the deficit to no less than 27 points as Buffalo cruised to the 30 point victory.
