Miami (OH)
Slow Second Half Dooms Bulls Against Miami, 66-50
2/18/2012 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
BUFFALO, NY – For the second straight game the University at Buffalo women's basketball team took a one-point lead into the half, but the visiting Miami (OH) RedHawks outscored the Bulls 36-19 in the second half, en route to a 66-50 victory on Saturday afternoon at Alumni Arena.
Miami raced out to an early six-point lead as it led 11-5 six minutes into the game. The Bulls responded with a 9-3 run, capped off on a three pointer by sophomore Margeaux Gupilan to tie the game up at 14-14. A pair of free throws from freshman Christa Baccas gave the Bulls their largest lead of the game at 23-20 with 8:13 left in the half, but the RedHawks answered and eventually regained a three-point lead with 1:55 left in the first half. The Bulls cut it to one on a layup from Teresa Semalulu and then regained the ball with 11 seconds left. Miami's Courtney Osborn was whistled for a foul with one second left in the half, but the Bulls managed to get the inbounds pass down low to Nytor Longar, who scored before the buzzer went off.
Miami opened the second half on a 10-4 run and did not trail for the remainder of the contest. With the game still in the balance at 45-44, the RedHawks went on a 9-0 run, taking a 54-44 lead. A Brittany Hedderson jumper pulled it back within eight at the 5:36 mark, but that would be UB's last field goal of the game.
"We didn't do a whole lot right in the second half and it cost us today," said head coach Linda Hill-MacDonald. "We struggled from the free throw line and didn't box out and you aren't going to win very many games when you don't do either of those two things."
The Bulls were led by Hedderson, who finished with 13 points, two rebounds and two steals. Semalulu added eight points, two rebounds, two assists and a game-high five steals. Longar finished with seven points and 11 rebounds, while Ephesia Holmes added seven points and three assists. Baccas added six points and five rebounds off the bench, while Gupilan and junior Nicki Hopkins each knocked down a three pointer. Sophomore Rachel Bantelman added two points and Beth Christensen finished with one point, eight rebounds, two assists, two blocked shots and three steals.
The Bulls remain home on Tuesday night when they host Kent State at 7:00 pm.
