University at Buffalo
5-4
St. Bonaventure
9-4
Bulls Lose in Overtime at St. Bonaventure
12/17/2013 12:00:00β―AM | Women's Basketball
ST. BONAVENTURE, NY – The Buffalo women's basketball team traveled down Route 16 Tuesday evening for a Big 4 rivalry game against St. Bonaventure. Despite 20-point games from Kristen Sharkey and Mackenzie Loesing, the Bonnies forced overtime and pulled off the 76-71 win. The loss drops Buffalo to 5-4 this season, while SBU moves to 9-4 overall.
In the first half, the Bulls leaned on the inside-outside combination of Margeaux Gupilan and Sharkey, who each had eight points in the half. Gupilan helped pace the offense after early foul trouble on Loesing, hitting all eight of her points over a critical two minute stretch midway through the half. Sharkey was able to shake off early rust, and scored all eight of her points in the final four minutes of the half. After trailing for most of the early going, a 10-0 run for UB over just a three minute stretch in the closing minutes of the half would put the team ahead 33-27 at the break.
Loesing would ultimately lead the team in scoring with nine points, but the leading scorer of the half would be St. Bonaventure's Chelsea Bowker, who connected on four three pointers to account for more than half of the team's scoring. The main advantage to aid the halftime lead was turnovers, with 13 SBU turnovers directly leading to 20 points for the Bulls.
Buffalo maintained the lead for much of the second half, even expanding to a ten-point lead with 6:46 left to go. An 8-0 run in less than two minutes of game time for St. Bonaventure would tighten it back up, but four straight points from Sharkey would take the team into the final media timeout with a 61-55 lead. The Bonnies would hold Buffalo scoreless for that final four minute stretch, and tied the game up with 45 seconds left in regulation. Both teams had quality chances to earn the win, with SBU's Katie Healy missing a layup with 0.8 seconds left to give Buffalo a chance to avoid overtime. A football pass down the court would land right in the hands of Jenna Rickan, but her attempt would carom off the rim.
The Bonnies led wire-to-wire in overtime, with the Bulls getting a boost offensively from Cherridy Thornton. The senior would score seven of the team's 10 points in the extra period, but she would account for the only field goals the team would convert in its first overtime game of the season.
For the game, Buffalo would attempt a season-high 79 shots but only could hit on 26 of them. The Bonnies would've had a chance to win the game in regulation, but hit just 11-23 free throws in regulation before making 8-14 in the extra time. Sharkey would post her second double-double of the season with 10 rebounds to go with 20 points, her third time reach 20 this season. Loesing would score 20 points as well, including a four-minute stretch in the second half where she would hit ten straight points for the team.
One game remains on the Big 4 schedule for UB, coming this Saturday at Niagara. The Bulls and Purple Eagles will square off at 1 pm, with the game airing on TV through Time Warner Cable Sports.
