Women's Hoops Returns Home On Saturday To Host Central Michigan
1/20/2017 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
BUFFALO, NY - The University at Buffalo women's basketball team (13-4, 3-3 MAC) looks to extend their winning streak to three on Saturday afternoon as they welcome the Central Michigan Chippewas to Alumni Arena. Tip is set for 12:00 pm and will air live on Time Warner Cable Sports with Howard Simon and Amy Audibert on the call.
BULLS LOOK TO KNOCK OFF MAC UNBEATEN CMU
After collecting their second straight MAC road game, the UB women's basketball team will return to Alumni Arena on Saturday afternoon seeking some revenge against the Central Michigan Chippewas. Tip off on Saturday is 12:00 pm and will air live on Time Warner Cable Sports with Howard Simon and Amy Audibert on the call.
UB KNOCKS OFF BG FOR SECOND STRAIGHT ROAD WIN
The Bulls were able to collect their second straight road MAC victory on Wednesday night as they handed the Bowling Green Falcons the 61-50 loss. The difference in the game was the turnover battle as UB forced 19 Falcons turnovers that they turned into 15 points while Buffalo only turned the ball over seven times for three points. The Bulls were also able to crash the offensive glass on Wednesday night as they grabbed 19 offensive rebounds and turned those into 16 second chance points. Freshman Theresa Onwuka continued her strong play as she netted her third double-double in four career starts as she scored 10 points and 10 rebounds. JoAnna Smith led all scorers with 18 points, three rebounds and two steals while Stephanie Reid finished off her impressive game at the point with 14 points, four assists and two rebounds.
FAMILIAR FOE
This marks the 22nd meeting of all-time between the two programs with Central Michigan holding the slim 11-10 edge in the series. The Chippewas are 7-2 in their last nine meetings with the Bulls and they handed UB a 88-71 loss earlier this season at McGuirk Arena. UB did beat the Chippewas last season in the MAC Championship game to clinch their first MAC title and NCAA Tournament appearance.
CLEANING THE GLASS
One of the keys to the Bulls success this season has been winning the battle on the boards. UB wasn't able to win the battle of the boards, 43-40, but were still able to collect the road win on Wednesday. UB is now 12-4 on the year and 29-8 over the past two seasons when winning or tying the rebounding battle. As a team, UB ranks 1st in the MAC and 15th in the NCAA in rebounds per game (44.4/game).
BULLS RANK 9TH IN NATION IN OFFENSIVE REBOUNDING
Buffalo has been getting after the offensive glass all season long and this continued on Wednesday in the win over Bowling Green. The Bulls were able to snag 19 offensive rebounds and they turned those into 16 second chance points in the win. UB has now won the offensive rebounding battle in 15 of their 17 games this season. On the year, UB ranks 9th in the NCAA in offensive rebounds (18.0/game) and 10th in rebound margin (+10.8). UB is also averaging 14.3 second chance points/game so far this season while holding their opponents to an average of 7.6/game.
SMITH CONTINUES TO RISE ALL-TIME SCORING CHARTS
After becoming just the 23rd player in UB history to notch their 1,000th point at Ohio earlier this season, senior JoAnna Smith continued to score the basketball on Wednesday night as she led UB in scoring with 18 points. With her 18-point effort, Smith is now in 19th place on the all-time scoring charts and she sits just five points shy of 18th place, 10 points shy of 17th place and 11 points shy of 16th place on the all-time charts.
SHOOTING FOR THE STARS
One of the keys to success for the Bulls over the past couple of seasons under head coach Felisha Legette-Jack has been shooting a better percentage from the floor than their opponents. The Bulls weren't able to win the shooting percentage battle against the Falcons but were still able to collect the win on Wednesday. Buffalo was outshot 36.4% to 36.1% for the game as they are now just 3-4 on the season when being outshot. UB is 10-0 this season and 27-1 over the past two seasons when shooting a higher percentage from the floor than their opponents.
DOMINATE THE PAINT
Playing for a coach that dominated the paint throughout her very successful career, the talented Bulls have begun to take a page out of their coaches book as they have won the battle in the paint in 13 of their 17 games this season. UB was able to outscore the Falcons 34-22 in the paint on Wednesday as the Bulls won their second straight road game. The Bulls are 13-0 on the year when winning the battle in the paint as they are averaging 31.2 points while limiting opponents to just 23.3 points inside the paint.
RUNNING WITH THE BULLS
The Bulls haven't been known to be a team that likes to get out on the fast break and run but that trend has begun to change this season with the addition of some athletic and talented freshman. The Bulls continued to dominate this category on Wednesday as they held the 10-4 edge in fast break scoring. On the season, UB owns the 147-51 edge in fast break scoring and are 12-2 when winning the fast break category.
SPREAD OFFENSE
One of the major strengths of the Bulls this season has been their depth at every position. The Bulls have played all 13 players in at least five games this season while 12 players have appeared in at least 13 games. Buffalo has seen 12 players net at least seven points in a game this season and they have been led in scoring by six different players through 17 games. UB has had at least eight players score in 14 of 17 games this season.
NO SECOND CHANCES
The Bulls have turned into one of the best offensive rebounding teams in the nation while also limiting their opponents to limited second chance opportunities. Over their last 10 games, the Bulls have limited their opponents to an average of 6.6 second chance points. Buffalo has held 13 opponents to 10 second chance points or less this season. The rebounding effort by the Bulls has been impressive as they are limiting their last seven opponents to just 9.1 offensive rebounds/game while averaging 19.0 themselves.
DEFENSE TURNING THE CORNER
The strength of the Bulls over the past two seasons has been their defense and that strong defense has helped UB gather a 13-4 record to start the season. The Buffalo defense had another strong game on Wednesday in the win over Bowling Green as they limited the Falcons to just 36.4% shooting from the floor and just 15.4% from behind the arc. UB also forced 19 turnovers that they turned into 15 points. The Bulls rank 1st in the MAC in scoring defense as they are allowing just 59.1 points/game. Buffalo is 36-7 over the last two seasons when holding their opponents under 70 points and are 16-0 when holding their opponents to scoring 50 points or less over the past two seasons. UB is also 10-0 this season when holding their opponents to 59 points or less.
NOT YOUR AVERAGE JO
Senior leading scorer JoAnna Smith continued her strong play in MAC action on Wednesday night as she was able to pour in a game-high 18 points. The Southaven, MS native finished the game going 2-for-9 from behind the arc as she has now connected on at least one three pointer in 51 of her last 53 games and at least three triples in 27 of her last 53 games. Smith sits in fourth place on the all-time three pointers made list with 157 makes in her career and she is now just four threes shy of third place on the list. Buffalo is 11-3 this season and 30-14 over the past two seasons when Smith scores at least 10 points in a game. On the season, Smith is averaging a team-best 14.5 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.3 assists and 1.6 steals while leading UB in scoring nine times. The captain has surpassed the 20-point plateau four times this season.
REID ALL ABOUT IT
Junior point guard Stephanie Reid got back on track offensively on Wednesday night in the win over Bowling Green. The Australia native turned into an offensive threat as she netted 14 points on 5-for-11 from the floor and 2-for-4 from behind the arc while also notching four assists. She has recorded at least eight helpers in in six of her last 10 games for the Bulls and 10 assists in three of her last seven contests. Reid currently sits in 7th place on the all-time assist chart with 346 career helpers and she is now just 14 shy of 6th place (Margeaux Gupilan) on the all-time charts. The junior has reached double figures in scoring nine times in her last 14 games. The crafty defender ranks 10th in the MAC averaging 1.9 SPG after notching one theft last time out. Reid has recorded at least one steal in 15 of 17 games and has notched multi-steal games nine times. Behind her recent strong play, Reid is averaging 9.0 points, 6.4 assists, 3.1 rebounds and 1.9 steals while ranking first in the MAC in assist/turnover ratio (2.9) and third in assists (6.4 APG). Through six MAC games, Reid ranks second in assists per game (6.8/game).
ONWUKA THE DOUBLE-DOUBLE MACHINE
Freshman Theresa Onwuka has continued to improve and earn the trust of the UB coaching staff through 17 games this season. The lengthy guard earned her fourth straight start on Wednesday and produced in a big was as she was able to net her third double-double in four starts with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Onwuka was able to rip down a team-high five offensive rebounds and turned those into six second chance points. The freshman has now went over the 20 minutes played mark six times in her last seven games. On the year, the Nigeria native is averaging 16.3 MPG, 5.9 PPG, 3.5 RPG and 0.9 SPG through 17 career games. She has scored in double figures in five of the six MAC games as she is averaging 11.0 points and 7.2 rebounds against MAC foes.
HEMPHILL BLOSSOMING INTO A STAR
Freshman forward Summer Hemphill has shown flashes of greatness through her first 17 games and because of those flashes she was awarded with her fourth straight start on Wednesday night. The Buffalo native didn't disappoint in her fourth straight start as she was able to produce eight points, eight rebounds, one block and one steal. Hemphill went 4-for-8 from the floor and currently ranks third in the MAC in field goal percentage (57.8%). The freshman continues to cause problems for opposing teams with her length at the top of the Buffalo press while also settling in defensively as she has notched at least one block in 14 straight games and has recorded at least one steal in 12 of 17 games. She has also notched two blocks in seven of her last 14 games as her quick leaping ability has caused problems for opposing bigs. Through 17 career games, Hemphill is averaging 7.5 points, a team-high 7.5 rebounds, 1.2 steals and 1.3 blocks while notching double digit rebounds a team-best three times this season. Her 2.8 offensive rebounds/game ranks 7th in the MAC so far this season. Through six MAC games, Hemphill is averaging 7.8 points, 9.2 rebounds (4th in the MAC) and 1.5 blocks (5th in the MAC).
BAD(E) TO THE BONE
Sophomore Gabi Bade didn't have her best game scoring the ball off the bench on Wednesday night but she was very effective running the point while Stephanie Reid was off the floor. The Milpitas, CA native was able to record a career-high six assists while not turning the ball over in the win over Bowling Green. Bade is having a career year for UB as she is averaging 15.1 minutes, 4.4 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.4 assists while also netting a career-high 16 points earlier in the season. UB is 3-0 this season and 5-1 over the past two seasons when Bade nets at least 10 points.
PROTECTING THE THREE POINT LINE
The Buffalo defense has been good against the three point shot for most of the season and this has led to the Bulls winning 13 games. UB ranks second in the MAC in three point defense on the season as they are allowing their opponents to shoot just 28.7% from behind the arc. Through six MAC games, the Buffalo defense is holding its opponents to just 26.5% from behind the arc as they have allowed an average of just 4.3 makes/game.
CHARITY STRIPE PROWESS
Having a point guard who can shoot free throws at a high percentage is a major plus for teams hoping to compete for championships and Buffalo has just that in junior Stephanie Reid. The Melbourne, Australia native has been great at the charity stripe for the Bulls over her career as she has made 162-of-215 attempts (75.3%), ranking seventh in program history for free throw percentage. Senior JoAnna Smith has also been a great free throw shooter over her UB career as she ranks 15th in school history for free throw percentage (71.5%) as she has gone 173-for-242.
