16-11, 9-6MAC
Akron
20-7, 10-6MAC
Balanced Scoring Leads Bulls to Crucial MAC Victory Over Akron
2/28/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
BUFFALO, NY – The University at Buffalo, State University of New York women's basketball team led visiting Akron for 38 minutes en route to a crucial 87-80 Mid-American Conference victory Saturday at Alumni Arena.
The Bulls (16-11, 9-7 MAC) placed four in double figures and tallied its second-highest point total of the season while improving to 9-2 during Saturday action. UB snapped a 10-game losing skid to the Zips (20-7, 10-6 MAC) on its senior day and regained a 21-20 series advantage. Ayana Bradley, Christa Baccas and Kristen Sharkey were honored pregame for their contributions to the program.
"Our leadership is strong. Our foundation is set. I think this is a program that's on the rise based on the fact that we have great leadership," praised third-year head coach Felisha Legette-Jack. "The future is bright. We're set for future greatness. They (underclassmen) fly because our seniors give them permission."
Led by freshman Stephanie Reid and sophomore Joanna Smith, the Bulls placed four in double figures for the first time since Jan. 10 at Miami (OH). It is the first UB duo to score 20 each since Sharkey and Alexus Malone put up 21 and 20, respectively, against Northern Illinois a season ago. They each posted career-high tallies with Reid draining a team-high 21 and Smith 20, 16 of which sparked UB to a 10-point first-half gap. Smith added a career- and contest-best five assists and Reid and Sharkey chipped in four apiece.
Malone scored in double digits for the 17th time this season with a 17-point performance on 6-for-9 shooting. Baccas added 15 and a season- and game-best four steals. Sharkey led UB with nine boards. She added nine points good for an even 1,200 for her career.
The game was tied for two minutes, lastly at 4-4, before a Smith three secured the Bulls an indefinite advantage. UB led by 10, 26-16, at 4:50, but an Akron timeout led to nine straight visitor points in just 1:22. The Bulls outscored the Zips, 10-1, down the stretch, topped off by a buzzer-beating fastbreak layup by Reid.
Sharkey fed Baccas for a three-point play at the 13-minute mark and UB's largest spread of the day, 54-35. The Zips chipped away at their deficit to sneak within 63-54 at 7:03. The Bulls, who entered the game averaging 64.2 points, stayed a step ahead on 50.0 percent second-half shooting. A nine-point game with 1:14 lingering, the Bulls made good on 7-of-10 at the line to seal the win.
Akron's Anita Brown led the game with 31 points and Sina King drained 24. She grabbed 10 boards for the game's lone double-double. Hannah Plybon scored 16, highlighted by a game-high four threes.
The Bulls shot 45.3 percent from the field to the Zips' 42.6 percent showing. Akron marginally outrebounded UB, 40-39, but led the turnover count, 19-15, creating 19 points for the Bulls. UB had 13 steals to Akron's seven.
In the hunt for a first-round bye, UB will close out the regular season with back-to-back road games at Bowling Green Wednesday at 7 pm and Kent State Saturday at 2 pm.
