7-4
Canisius
4-7
UB Powers Through Big 4 Play with 72-55 Victory at Canisius
12/29/2014 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
BUFFALO, NY – Senior captain Kristen Sharkey posted a game-best 26 points to lead the University at Buffalo, State University of New York women's basketball team to victory Monday night. The Bulls (7-4) defeated Canisius (4-7), 72-55, to sweep Big 4 action and close out non-conference play at the Koessler Athletic Center.
The 17-point win doubled as UB's largest margin of victory this season, while the loss was Canisius' fourth straight.
"It was a good team win tonight," praised head coach Felisha Legette-Jack. "It's exciting when we play consistent – 10 players deep. We don't care who gets the credit, as long as we get the win."
Canisius held its only lead of the game scoring the first bucket of the contest. The Bulls claimed an infinite lead with a Mackenzie Loesing three at 14:11. UB used an 8-0 run to secure its largest gap of the first, 24-11, but the Golden Griffins pieced together a streak of their own to cut within six late in the half. Committing just five first-frame turnovers, the Bulls led 35-28 at intermission.
Loesing drained another from beyond the arc to tip off the latter half with a 9-1 stretch. The Bulls never looked back. They went on to lead by 20 on a Christa Baccas put-back at 9:23. UB held the Griffs without a field goal from 12:01-2:13 as it cruised to victory – its fifth in the last six games.
"It was good to see (Kristen) Sharkey do what she did tonight. Christa (Baccas) also had some really heady plays," added Legette-Jack.
Sharkey flirted with a double-double adding a game-best nine rebounds to go with her 26 points, 17 of which came in the first stint on 7-for-9 shooting. Playing her 100th-career game for the Bulls, Baccas had nine boards, eight points and a trio of blocks. Loesing tallied 13 points, inching her closer to the 1,000-point threshold, and sophomore Alexus Malone scored 10. UB had six players dish out two assists each.
The Griffs placed three in double digits. Crystal Porter was 7-for-14 from the field for 14 points. Kayla Hoohuli contributed 12 and Tiahana Mills 11. Mills, who was 9-for-10 at the line, and Jasmine Mungo grabbed a team-high six boards apiece. The Griffs had five steals and no blocks on the night.
UB narrowly edged Canisius, 45-44, on the boards. The Blue & White had 14 turnovers, while making seven steals. The Bulls capitalized on the host squad's 19 turnovers to score 23 points.
UB, who has won four of the last five against Canisius, shot 40.3 percent from the field to the Griffs' 28.8 percent.
The Bulls will return home to open Mid-American Conference play Saturday, Jan. 3 against Ohio at 3 pm.
