3-2
Vermont
2-3
Bulls Claim Springfield Bracket Championship With Win Over Vermont
11/22/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
BUFFALO, NY – Behind a season-high 20 points from sophomore Lamonte Bearden, the University at Buffalo, The State University of New York men's basketball team overcame a halftime deficit to defeat Vermont, 77-71, Sunday night in the Championship Game of the Springfield Bracket at the Hall of Fame Tipoff Tournament. The Bulls are now 3-2 on the season.
The Bulls got off to a slow start on Sunday evening as Vermont opened an 11-4 lead and continued to extend the advantage, leading 21-13 with 8:30 left in the opening half. A three pointer from senior Jarryn Skeete pulled the Bulls within five. Vermont built back a six-point lead with 1:45 left in the opening half, but five straight points from UB freshmen ended the half as CJ Massinburg hit a three pointer and Nick Perkins hit a layup, which pulled the Bulls within 30-29 at the break.
A three pointer from Bearden put the Bulls ahead in the second half as UB eventually went ahead by four. Vermont regained the lead 40-38 with 13:44 left when the Bulls answered with a 10-1 run to take a 48-41 lead. A three-pointer by junior Blake Hamilton increased the UB lead to 53-45, but Vermont went on 12-4 run and tied the game back up at 57-57 with 5:09 left.
Redshirt freshman Ikenna Smart answered with a pair of free throws, igniting a quick 6-0 run, which included a fast-break layup from Willie Conner and a jumper by Hamilton. Vermont was able to get no closer than five as UB hit its free throws down the stretch. The Bulls hit 11 of 12 free throws over the final 2:13 of play.
"I thought we made some big improvements this week starting after Monday where we didn't play so great at Old Dominion," said head coach Nate Oats. "The ball movement was a lot better tonight, the defensive energy was better, and our energy off the bench was a lot better. That is all we want to see, is each game us getting better and if we can do that, we will be in good shape come conference time."
Bearden led the Bulls with 20 points, the second 20-point game of his career. He went 6-of-14 from the floor and 7-of-8 from the free throw line. Bearden added four assists and two steals. Conner had a career-high 14 points, while Hamilton added 14 points, seven rebounds, three assists and two steals.
Perkins had a career-high nine points off the bench, while adding five rebounds, while Smart had five points and four rebounds. Skeete added six points, five boards and three assists, while Massinburg also added five points.
The Bulls went 21-of-26 from the free throw line and forced Vermont into 16 turnovers. Following the game, Skeete and Bearden were both named to the All-Tournament Team.
Having now completed a stretch of four games away from home in the last seven days, the Bulls will be off until Saturday when they host Canisius at Alumni Arena. Tipoff is at 2pm.
