12-8, 5-4MAC
Toledo
12-8, 5-4MAC
Bulls Post Third Straight Win Outlasting Toledo, 68-61
2/4/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
BUFFALO, NY – The University at Buffalo, State University of New York women's basketball team posted its third straight win defeating Mid-American Conference opponent Toledo, 68-61, Wednesday night at Alumni Arena. For the third time this season, the Bulls trailed by nine at the half and battled back to win.
"This is a team that's ready to fight for something that's bigger than themselves," said third-year head coach Felisha Legette-Jack. "Today was indicative of – hopefully – what our February is going to look like."
UB trailed by as many as 10 in the second. Down 47-38 at 12:33, a Liisa Ups three on a Karin Moss feed tipped off a 20-2 run. The swing ate up seven minutes of clock, forcing the Rockets to burn a timeout. Toledo answered with nine straight to knot the game, 58-58, at 2:48. Kristen Sharkey and Ups pieced together five consecutive for a 63-58 gap at 1:14. The Rockets cut within two with a trey at the one-minute mark, but the Bulls connected on five free throws down the stretch to seal the come-from-behind victory.
Toledo shot 48.4 percent in the first half and led for 17:28. UB held an early edge, 16-8, on a 6-0 run at 11:17, but the Rockets scored 19 of the next 21 points to power ahead. The squads each scored 11 points over the last four minutes of the first for a 38-29 UT advantage at intermission.
"Every day somebody different is stepping up. That's the beauty of our team. Whenever we're down at one position, somebody steps up. Tonight it was Karin (Moss) and Liisa (Ups).
Sharkey and fellow senior captain Christa Baccas led the game statistically. Sharkey had 26 points, her fifth 20-point game of the season and second straight, and added eight boards. She moved into 14th place all-time with 1,103 points. Baccas tallied her third double-double of the season and 14th of her career with 11 points and a contest-best 10 rebounds, surpassing 800 career boards. She sits fifth in program history with 809. The duo made two blocks apiece. Sharkey added three assists and a pair of steals.
UB matched a season-high 19 assists, with the first 19 also coming against the Rockets. Moss met a career-high five assists for the second straight game, while junior Mackenzie Loesing and freshman Stephanie Reid added four each. Moss made a game-high four steals and Loesing chipped in 12 points and five boards. Ups added a collegiate-best five rebounds, including a clutch offensive grab with 34 ticks lingering in the game.
Inma Zanoguera and Ana Capotosto led the Rockets with 18 each. Zanoguera and Sophie Reecher grabbed eight boards apeice and Janice Monakana tallied a team-best nine. Zanoguera dished out six assists and Brenae Harris five.
The teams were deadlocked on the boards, 42-42. UB committed just 12 turnovers and made nine steals. UT had 14 and six, respectively.
UB, who has won two of the last three meetings, shot 41.5 percent for the game, highlighted by a 50.0 percent second-half showing. Toledo made good on 35.6 percent of all attempts.
The Bulls will return to Alumni Arena on Saturday for a 2 pm game against MAC East rival Bowling Green.
