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University at Buffalo
1-0
Youngstown State
1-0
Buffalo Loses Road Opener at Youngstown State
11/16/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
YOUNGSTOWN, OH – The University at Buffalo men's basketball team dropped a road contest at Youngstown State, 64-53, on Tuesday night for its first loss of the season. It was fitting the Bulls were playing the Penguins because it was cold shooting that cost UB in the game.
Buffalo (1-1) shot 38 percent from the field, but it was the free throw line where the Bulls really struggled. UB converted only 9 of its 27 free throw attempts on the night.
The Bulls jumped out to a 10-2 start and it looked as though the team was on its way to another lopsided victory. However, the Penguins responded with a 17-0 scoring run to take a 19-10 lead. Buffalo closed the half on a 9-0 scoring run of its own to cut the lead to 32-29 at the half.
A layup by Javon McCrea brought the Bulls to within one point with 7:11 left in the game. However, that would be as close as the Bulls would get as Youngstown State responded with seven unanswered points to regain a 53-45 lead with 4:27 remaining and eventually pulled away for the 11-point victory.
The Bulls gave another strong defensive effort, forcing 20 turnovers and holding Youngstown State to 39 percent shooting from the field. Byron Mulkey had six of the Bulls' nine steals in the game.
After pulling down 56 rebounds in the opener, the Bulls were outrebounded, 46-33, by the Penguins.
Jawaan Alston had 13 points, eight rebounds and a pair of blocks for the Bulls. Dave Barnett had another strong showing with 13 points and six rebounds.
But the game came down to free throw line where the Bulls struggled mightily. After shooting 8-of-17 from the charity stripe in the first half, UB only converted 1-of-10 free throw attempts in the second stanza, including missing its final seven of the game.
"We didn't play well together," head coach Reggie Witherspoon said. "I think we got drained by the lack of free throw shooting. You have a possession, you get to the line and you come up with nothing. We did that through the entire game. We had pretty decent shooters missing free throws. To miss 18 free throws in a game is a lot to overcome."
Buffalo will return home to host Towson on Saturday at 7:00 pm at Alumni Arena.
