Balanced Offensive Effort Leads Bulls To 96-44 Exhibition Win Over Mercyhurst

Friday, November 1

Buffalo, NY

7:00 pm

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Mercyhurst (Exhibition)

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Mercyhurst

Buffalo

Balanced Offensive Effort Leads Bulls To 96-44 Exhibition Win Over Mercyhurst

11/1/2019 9:54:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

BUFFALO, NY – The University at Buffalo women's basketball team raced out to quick start and never looked back as five Bulls scored in double figures in a 96-44 victory over Mercyhurst on Friday night at Alumni Arena.

There were many new faces on the floor for the Bulls but UB stuck to their core values as Buffalo turned defense into offense at a high rate turning 27 Mercyhurst turnovers into 33 fast-break points. UB showed its depth as well, as 12 players found the scoring column on the night.

The Bulls got off to a fast start opening the game on a 14-2 run, led by sophomore Keowa Walters who scored UB's first six points in her first career start in the blue and white. The Bulls would extend the lead to 20-2 with three quick baskets coming out of the media timeout. Freshman Loren Christie would convert her first collegiate points with a beauty of a triple from the top of the key to extend the lead to 23-8 and junior Marissa Hamilton would get in on the action a few possessions later with a three of her own to give the Bulls a 22 point lead, their largest of the first half. UB was 11-20 from the floor in the opening period, while going a perfect 6-6 from the charity stripe.

The Mercyhurst offense would find some rhythm as the Lakers cut the lead to 13 points with 6:25 to go in the second quarter but the Bulls responded with a 9-3 run, sparked by a charge drawn by Hanna Hall and followed by a trio transition baskets by Hall and Walters and a second chance putback by Christie to give Buffalo a 41-22 lead at the half.

Buffalo shot just under 69% from the field in the second half as the Bulls exploded for 55 points over the final 20 minutes of play. The Bulls opened the second half on an 18-2 run, including eight points from Dyaisha Fair, to take a 59-24 lead at the media timeout. From there, Buffalo would end the quarter on a 10-6 run, sparked by back-to-back baskets by freshman Elea Gaba, to take a 69-30 lead after three quarters of play.

The Bulls would put the game out of reach in the 4^th quarter as they outscored the Lakers 27-14 over the final ten minutes of play to secure the victory.

Fair led the Bulls with 18 points on 6-of-11 shooting and a perfect 5-of-5 from the charity stripe. The Rochester, NY native added three assists and five steals. Walters and Theresa Onwuka had 12 points with the former coming up one rebound shy of a double-double.

Hanna Hall added 11 points, four assists and three steals while Schiffer chipped in 10 points, including 3-of-6 from behind the arc, in the win.

Hamilton and Aireal Dickson added eight points. Christie finished with five points and five rebounds while Gaba and Oceane Kounkou added four points apiece. Sophomores Zena Elias and Adebola Adeyeye finished with two points each while combining for 12 rebounds.

As a team, the Bulls outscored Mercyhurst 58-18 in the paint, 33-4 on fast breaks and had the 42-10 edge in points off turnovers.

"I think this young team is going to get older," said head coach Felisha Legette-Jack. "We beat a good team but we have so many things that we need to work on. Our defense has to get a little bit better but it looks like we can score the basketball so I'm really excited about the future of this women's basketball program."

Buffalo will return to action when it opens the regular season on November 5 against Central Connecticut State at Alumni Arena.