7-5, 0-1MAC
Ohio
10-2, 1-0MAC
UB Women's Hoops Drops Conference Opener to Ohio
1/3/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
BUFFALO, NY – The University at Buffalo, State University of New York women's basketball team suffered a 61-50 setback to Ohio in its Mid-American Conference opener Saturday afternoon at Alumni Arena.
The Bobcats (10-2, 1-0 MAC) won their fourth straight game and their second consecutive over the Bulls (7-5, 0-1 MAC).
"We knew that Ohio would bring a great game. Mariah (Byard) did a tremendous job disrupting our zone play," stated third-year head coach Felisha Legette-Jack. "I thought we did a great job on the inside with (Kristen) Sharkey, but we're going to have to work to become a better rebounding team."
A Joanna Smith layup opened scoring in a game that featured seven lead changes. The contest bounced back-and-forth before the Bulls pieced together a 7-0 run to claim a 17-11 advantage. The six-point gap proved to be UB's largest lead of the game. The Bearcats answered with a 12-0 streak. Ohio remained a step ahead down the stretch, but a Christa Baccas and-one play inched the Bulls within 31-28 at the half.
Smith and junior Mackenzie Loesing tallied back-to-back buckets for a 32-31 edge at 18:42 of the second – UB's final lead of the game. Ohio held the Bulls scoreless over the next five minutes, while tallying 10 straight. Senior captain Kristen Sharkey, who was 7-for-8 from the line, hit two at the charity stripe to tip off a 7-0 UB run. The Bearcats again silenced the Bulls to take an indefinite two-possession gap. Ohio held a 12-point margin, 59-47, at 1:29 en route to a 61-50 victory.
Sharkey paced the Bulls with her 17th career double-double putting up 15 points and matching a season-high with 13 rebounds in her 100th career game. Baccas swatted a season-high seven blocks, one shy of her career high, and added eight points. Loesing added nine points and Smith eight. Junior Karin Moss had a season-best four steals.
Ohio's Mariah Byard, who was 5-for-8 from downtown, led the game with 16 points. Kiyanna Black added 15 and Quiera Lampkins 11. Lexie Baldwin pulled down a Bobcat-best nine rebounds and Kat Yelle made four steals.
The Bobcats narrowly edged UB shooting 34.5 percent from the field to UB's 33.3 percent showing. Ohio also led rebounding efforts 42-39. The Bulls committed 22 turnovers that resulted in 22 Bobcat points.
UB will hit the road for a pair of conference matchups. The Bulls travel to Central Michigan for a 7 pm game on Wednesday and will take on Miami (OH) on Saturday at 3 pm.
