Saturday, January 4
Oxford, OH
2:00 pm
at
Miami (OH)
Bulls Open Mid-American Conference Play at Miami (OH) on Saturday
1/3/2020 9:31:00β―AM | Women's Basketball
Buffalo (9-2, 0-0 MAC) vs. Miami (OH) (7-5, 0-0 MAC)
January 4, 2020
Millett Hall β 2 pm
Bulls on the Air β
Radio β TuneIn App
Television β ESPN3
BUFFALO, NY - The University at Buffalo women's basketball team opens Mid-American Conference play on Saturday as they travel to Oxford, Ohio for a 2pm contest against the Miami (OH) RedHawks. The game will be streamed live on ESPN3 with Steve Baker (pbp) and Carol Smith (color) announcing and broadcast on TuneIn Radio with Matt Mattia on the call.
Β
TODAY'S STORYLINES
β’ The University at Buffalo women's basketball team opens Mid-American Conference play on Saturday as they travel to Oxford, Ohio for a 2pm contest against the Miami (OH) RedHawks.
β’ This is the 41st meeting between Buffalo and Miami, with the series split evenly 20-20. The Bulls swept the series with the RedHawks last season, including an 86-61 win on Senior Day at Alumni Arena.
β’ Buffalo extended their winning streak to five games as they defeated Dartmouth 73-49 on Saturday.
β’ Dyaisha Fair was named MAC East Player of the Week on Tuesday after scoring a game-high 22 points to go along with nine rebounds, seven assists and four steals in the Bulls' win over the Big Green.
β’ UB is one of three teams in the country to have two players averaging 17.5+ ppg (Dyaisha Fair 23.6 ppg, Theresa Onwuka 17.6 ppg). Fair is currently third in the nation in scoring.
β’ The Bulls have held five straight opponents to 59 points or less, giving UB a perfect 46-0 record over the last three seasons when holding teams under the 59 point mark.
β’ The Bulls rank in the top-70 in the nation in three point field goals made per game (7.8) and three point field goals attempted (282).
β’ The Bulls moved up to No. 7 in the latest College Insider Mid-Major Top 25 poll. UB is the highest-ranked of the three MAC teams on the list.
GAME 11 RECAP: DARTMOUTH
β’ The University at Buffalo women's basketball team closed out the year and the non-conference portion of the schedule with a 73-49 win over Dartmouth at Alumni Arena on Saturday afternoon to extend their win streak to five games.
β’ Freshman Dyaisha Fair led Buffalo flirted with a triple double as she poured in a game-high 22 points to go along with nine rebounds, seven assists and four steals.
β’ Hanna Hall scored 13 points, including 3-of-6 from beyond the arc, and Elea Gaba also got into double figures with 12 points.
β’ Freshman Jessika Schiffer tied a career-high with nine points on 3-of-6 shooting from deep.
β’ Buffalo outshot the Big Green from the field and won the battle of the boards 50-37, while turning 19 Dartmouth turnovers into 14 points. The Bulls also dominated the fastbreak category 19-2.
Β
PREVIEWING MIAMI (OH)
β’ The Miami (OH) RedHawks enter Saturday's contest with a 7-5 overall record after defeating Tiffin 83-51 on Tuesday.
β’ The RedHawks are led offensively by senior guard Lauren Dickerson who averages 15.9 points per game. Senior forward Savannah Kluesner averages 12.9 points per game while leading the RedHawks in rebounding at 8.7 rebounds per game. Peyton Scott also averages in double figures at 12.7 points per game.
β’ Kluesner reached 1,000 career points in the win over Evansville.
β’ Dickerson was named Preseason All-MAC and was named to the Nancy Liebermann Award preseason watch list. She currently ranks in the top four in program history in seven career categories.
β’ DeUnna Hendrix is in her first season at the helm of the Miami women's basketball program. Hendrix comes to Oxford from High Point University, where she was the head coach for seven seasons. She ranks third among Panther women's basketball coaches with 125 wins and amassed an 89-43 mark in the Big South. The 67.4 conference winning percentage is the best in program history.
β’ Hendrix played at the University of Richmond from 2003-07 where she helped the Spiders to an NCAA Tournament appearance (2004-05) as well as the WNIT semifinals in 2003-04.
Β
ROC NATION
β’ Freshman Dyaisha Fair has made an immediate impact in her first season in the blue and white as she is averaging 23.6 points, 5.7 rebounds and 3.9 assists in 11 starts.
β’ She is currently third in the nation in scoring average (23.6 ppg) and field goals attempted (227), fifth in three point field goals made per game (3.55) and seventh in final points (260).
β’ Fair was named MAC East Player of the Week on Tuesday after scoring a game-high 22 points to go along with nine rebounds, seven assists and four steals in Buffalo's win over Dartmouth in the non-conference finale.
β’ At Niagara, Fair became the first Buffalo freshman to score 30+ points in a game since 2000, with 31 points. β’ A Rochester, NY native, Fair comes to the Bulls after a successful high school career at Edison Tech High School where she averaged 35 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists during her senior campaign.
β’ The ultra-talented point guard led Section V in scoring and was named All-Greater Player of the Year, becoming the first Rochester City School District player to win the award since its inauguration in 1993.
Β
ONWUKA TURNING HEADS IN STARTING ROLE
β’ Senior guard Theresa Onwuka has embraced her role as a senior captain, leading the Bulls on both ends of the floor.
β’ Onwuka is enjoying a strong start to her senior season as
she ranks second on the team in scoring (17.6 ppg) while pulling down a team-best 7.1 rebounds per game and swiping 2.8 steals per contest while shooting an impressive 58.9% from the floor and 77.4% from the charity stripe.
β’ Onwuka set a career-high in three straight games to start the season, capped by a 30 point performance in a win over Canisius.
β’ Onwuka was named MAC East Co-Player of the Week on Dec. 3 after averaging 18.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 2.0 steals in a pair of wins at the Hawk Classic.
β’ The Nigeria native earned an invite to the Nigerian national camp over the summer for the second straight season as she practiced and trained with the top basketball players from her home country. The experience helped Onwuka grow as a player and helped build her confidence.
Β
HALL PASS
β’ Junior Hanna Hall returns for her third year with the Bulls and looks to be a mainstay in the Bulls lineup after earning the start in 27 of the Bulls 34 games last season.
β’ The Hamilton, ON native is averaging 7.0 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.4 assists in 11 starts this season.
β’ Hall set a career-high with nine assists at San Jose State.
β’ The junior had the best game of her career at Eastern Michigan on 1/9/19 as she went 6-of-9 from the floor and 5-of-8 from beyond the arc on the night, finishing with a career-high 20 points.
β’ Hall was named to the MAC All-Tournament Team after averaging 14.3 points, 3.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists over three games in Cleveland.
β’ Hall competed at the 2019 Pan American Women's Basketball Games in Lima, Peru as a member of the Canadian National Team.
Β
SUMMER TIME IN BUFFALO
β’ Senior forward Summer Hemphill begins her final season in the blue and white tied for 10th on UB's all-time rebounding list with 759 rebounds and is just 81 points away from becoming Buffalo's 26th 1,000 point scorer.
β’ Hemphill was named Second Team All-MAC last season after averaging 14.5 points and 10.3 rebounds per game while recording a team-high 13 double-doubles on the year
β’ The Buffalo, NY native tied her career-high with 24 points, including a career-high 12 field goals, in a win over Central Michigan in the MAC Tournament semifinals (3/15/19).
β’ Hemphill set the MAC Tournament record with 21 rebounds in a win over Ohio in the championship game, earning her a spot on the All-Tournament Team.
β’ Over the past three years, Hemphill has scored in double figures 46 times, while going over the 20+ point mark four times.
β’ Hemphill was named to the Katrina McClain Award watch list as one of the top-20 power forwards in Division 1 college basketball.
β’ Hemphill was also named to the Preseason All-MAC East Division Team and was selected as the unanimous Preseason Big 4 Player of the Year.
Β
YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS
β’ With 11 underclassmen on the roster, the Bulls are the youngest team in the MAC and the youngest of any opponent on the schedule this season.
Β
UNITED NATIONS
β’ The Bulls roster features players from five countries including Germany (Gaba, Schiffer), Great Britain (Christie), Nigeria (Onwuka), Canada (Adeyeye, Hall, Kounkou, Walters) and the U.S.
β’ Elea Gaba took home a gold medal with the German national team at the 2018 U18 European Championships and also competed at the 2019 U18 European Championships and 2019 U19 World Cup.
β’ Jessika Schiffer won a gold medal with Gaba at the 2018 U18 European Championships and teamed with Gaba at the 2019 World Cup. She also competed at the 2019 U20 Women's European Championship.
β’ Loren Christie represented Great Britain in two straight years at the U20 European Championships and captained the U16 Great Britain national team at the 2017 European Championship. She also led her high school to a WEABL Championship and earned WEABL first team honors during her senior season.
Β
MACtion
β’ After seeing two of its teams advance to the NCAA Tournament a year ago (Buffalo, Central Michigan), the Mid-American Conference continues to gain respect on the national stage as three teams are currently ranked in the Mid-Major Top-25 - No. 7 Buffalo, No. 10 Central Michigan, No. 13 Ohio
*As of December 31, 2019
Β
BEASTS OF THE EAST
β’ The Bulls went undefeated in non-conference play in games east of the Mississippi
Β
CLOSING TIME
β’ The Bulls have been extremely effective closing out games over the last five years, winning 110 of their last 115 games (.957) when leading or tied with five minutes left, including 77 of their last 79.
Β
BOMBS AWAY:
β’ For the second time in as many seasons, the Bulls broke the single-season record for three pointers with 242 triples, besting the previous mark set of 230 set by the 2017-18 squad. The 2018-19 Bulls also set the single-season record for three point field goals attempted with 765 surpassing the previous mark of 689 attempts set by the 2015-16 team.
β’ This season the Bulls rank in the top-70 in the nation in three point field goals made per game (7.8) and three point field goals attempted (282).
Β
TURNING THEM OVER
β’ Ever since taking over the program eight seasons ago, head coach Felisha Legette-Jack has prided herself on having a team committed to defense and that is no different this season.
β’ The Buffalo defense has forced an average of 18.5 turnovers/game this season.
β’ The Bulls are also averaging 9.2 steals/game while netting an average of 14.6 points/game off of opponent's turnovers.
Β
PAINTING A NEW PICTURE
β’ The Bulls are finding success in the paint once again this season as they have won or tied the battle in the paint in nine of 11 contests this season, going 8-1 in those games. This season, UB is currently averaging 28.0 points/game in the paint.
β’ The Bulls dominated the paint last season as UB won or tied the scoring in the paint category in 28 of 34 contests and were 19-3 last season when winning the battle inside.
Β
CREATING SECOND CHANCE OPPORTUNITIES
β’ The Bulls have continued to find success on the offensive glass this season as they are averaging a MAC-best 15.8 offensive rebounds/game, while averaging 13.5 second chance points off those offensive boards.
β’ Buffalo has grabbed at least 10 offensive rebounds in nine of their 11 games this season, including a season-high 23 in the season-opener against CCSU.
β’ Buffalo led the MAC and ranked 23rd nationally in offensive rebounding last season, averaging 14.9/game.
Β
RUNNING WITH THE BULLS
β’ The Bulls excelled in the open court last season, outscoring opponents 455-268 in the fastbreak category.
β’ Buffalo has recorded eight or more fast break points in nine of 11 games this season, outscoring opponents 132-89 in transition.
β’ Over the past three plus seasons, the Bulls have won or tied the fast break category in 92 of 112 games, including 75 of their 84 wins.
Β
HOME SWEET HOME
β’ Since Legette-Jack took over before the 2012-13 season, the Bulls hold a 71-29 (.710) record at home across 100 contests.
β’ Over the last two plus seasons, UB is 24-3 at Alumni Arena. The 2017-18 team finished a perfect 12-0 at home overall and 9-0 in conference play.
β’ On the flip side, Legette-Jack's Bulls are 81-59 (.579) on the road or on neutral ground during her tenure.
Β
80 PLUS
β’ The Bulls have always been known for their defense but over the last few seasons the UB offense has come alive, leading the Bulls to success on the national stage in back-to-back seasons.
β’ The Bulls are tough to beat when they score 80+ points as they own a 32-5 record over the past two plus years when doing so.
β’ The Bulls posted 80+ performances on 14 occasions last season, coming away with victories in 12 of those games.
Β
60 OR LESS
β’ Over the last three seasons, UB is 67-3 when holding their opponents to under 70 points and 46-0 when holding opponents to 59 points or less.
β’ The stingy Buffalo defense held a total of eight opponents under 70 points this season, going a perfect 8-0 in those contests.
PRESEASON PRAISE
β’ The Bulls were picked to finish second in the MAC East in the preseason poll as voted on by the conference coaches.
β’ Buffalo earned 56 total points behind Ohio who notched 12 first place votes and 72 total points.
β’ The defending MAC champions also earned one vote to win the MAC Tournament Championship, while Ohio earned 10 votes and Northern Illinois garnered one vote.
β’ The Bulls also placed Summer Hemphill on the preseason All-MAC East Division Team for the second consecutive year.
Β
HEMPHILL NAMED BIG 4 PRESEASON PLAYER OF THE YEAR
β’ Senior forward Summer Hemphill was selected by local media and athletic communication offices as the Preseason Big 4 Player of the Year.
β’ Hemphill was also one of three unanimous First Team All-Big 4 representatives.
β’ Joining Hemphill on the First Team is senior guard Theresa Onwuka and junior guard Hanna Hall.
Β
ANOTHER 20+ WIN SEASON
β’ The wins continue to pile up for the Bulls under head coach Felisha Legette-Jack as they produced their fourth straight 20+ win campaign in 2018-19.
β’ This marks the second time in school history the Bulls have won 20+ games in four straight seasons as they previously accomplished that feat from 1993-97.
β’ Buffalo posted 16 victories last season by double-digits, including four of their last five games and also posted six victories by 20+ points including a season-high 47 point victory, 90-43, over St. Bonaventure on December 23, 2018.
Β
QUARTET OF CAPTAINS NAMED FOR 2019-20 SEASON
β’ After the graduation of one of the winningest classes in the Bulls division I history, Buffalo will be relying on a new group of captains to lead the squad this season.
β’ After a team vote, the Bulls named Hanna Hall, Theresa Onwuka, Adebola Adeyeye and Summer Hemphill as team captains.
β’ The four captains have been a part of three straight 20+ win seasons.
Β
UP NEXT:
Buffalo continues its road trip at Toledo on Wednesday, January 8, with a 7pm contest against the Rockets.
Β
January 4, 2020
Millett Hall β 2 pm
Bulls on the Air β
Radio β TuneIn App
Television β ESPN3
BUFFALO, NY - The University at Buffalo women's basketball team opens Mid-American Conference play on Saturday as they travel to Oxford, Ohio for a 2pm contest against the Miami (OH) RedHawks. The game will be streamed live on ESPN3 with Steve Baker (pbp) and Carol Smith (color) announcing and broadcast on TuneIn Radio with Matt Mattia on the call.
Β
TODAY'S STORYLINES
β’ The University at Buffalo women's basketball team opens Mid-American Conference play on Saturday as they travel to Oxford, Ohio for a 2pm contest against the Miami (OH) RedHawks.
β’ This is the 41st meeting between Buffalo and Miami, with the series split evenly 20-20. The Bulls swept the series with the RedHawks last season, including an 86-61 win on Senior Day at Alumni Arena.
β’ Buffalo extended their winning streak to five games as they defeated Dartmouth 73-49 on Saturday.
β’ Dyaisha Fair was named MAC East Player of the Week on Tuesday after scoring a game-high 22 points to go along with nine rebounds, seven assists and four steals in the Bulls' win over the Big Green.
β’ UB is one of three teams in the country to have two players averaging 17.5+ ppg (Dyaisha Fair 23.6 ppg, Theresa Onwuka 17.6 ppg). Fair is currently third in the nation in scoring.
β’ The Bulls have held five straight opponents to 59 points or less, giving UB a perfect 46-0 record over the last three seasons when holding teams under the 59 point mark.
β’ The Bulls rank in the top-70 in the nation in three point field goals made per game (7.8) and three point field goals attempted (282).
β’ The Bulls moved up to No. 7 in the latest College Insider Mid-Major Top 25 poll. UB is the highest-ranked of the three MAC teams on the list.
GAME 11 RECAP: DARTMOUTH
β’ The University at Buffalo women's basketball team closed out the year and the non-conference portion of the schedule with a 73-49 win over Dartmouth at Alumni Arena on Saturday afternoon to extend their win streak to five games.
β’ Freshman Dyaisha Fair led Buffalo flirted with a triple double as she poured in a game-high 22 points to go along with nine rebounds, seven assists and four steals.
β’ Hanna Hall scored 13 points, including 3-of-6 from beyond the arc, and Elea Gaba also got into double figures with 12 points.
β’ Freshman Jessika Schiffer tied a career-high with nine points on 3-of-6 shooting from deep.
β’ Buffalo outshot the Big Green from the field and won the battle of the boards 50-37, while turning 19 Dartmouth turnovers into 14 points. The Bulls also dominated the fastbreak category 19-2.
Β
PREVIEWING MIAMI (OH)
β’ The Miami (OH) RedHawks enter Saturday's contest with a 7-5 overall record after defeating Tiffin 83-51 on Tuesday.
β’ The RedHawks are led offensively by senior guard Lauren Dickerson who averages 15.9 points per game. Senior forward Savannah Kluesner averages 12.9 points per game while leading the RedHawks in rebounding at 8.7 rebounds per game. Peyton Scott also averages in double figures at 12.7 points per game.
β’ Kluesner reached 1,000 career points in the win over Evansville.
β’ Dickerson was named Preseason All-MAC and was named to the Nancy Liebermann Award preseason watch list. She currently ranks in the top four in program history in seven career categories.
β’ DeUnna Hendrix is in her first season at the helm of the Miami women's basketball program. Hendrix comes to Oxford from High Point University, where she was the head coach for seven seasons. She ranks third among Panther women's basketball coaches with 125 wins and amassed an 89-43 mark in the Big South. The 67.4 conference winning percentage is the best in program history.
β’ Hendrix played at the University of Richmond from 2003-07 where she helped the Spiders to an NCAA Tournament appearance (2004-05) as well as the WNIT semifinals in 2003-04.
Β
ROC NATION
β’ Freshman Dyaisha Fair has made an immediate impact in her first season in the blue and white as she is averaging 23.6 points, 5.7 rebounds and 3.9 assists in 11 starts.
β’ She is currently third in the nation in scoring average (23.6 ppg) and field goals attempted (227), fifth in three point field goals made per game (3.55) and seventh in final points (260).
β’ Fair was named MAC East Player of the Week on Tuesday after scoring a game-high 22 points to go along with nine rebounds, seven assists and four steals in Buffalo's win over Dartmouth in the non-conference finale.
β’ At Niagara, Fair became the first Buffalo freshman to score 30+ points in a game since 2000, with 31 points. β’ A Rochester, NY native, Fair comes to the Bulls after a successful high school career at Edison Tech High School where she averaged 35 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists during her senior campaign.
β’ The ultra-talented point guard led Section V in scoring and was named All-Greater Player of the Year, becoming the first Rochester City School District player to win the award since its inauguration in 1993.
Β
ONWUKA TURNING HEADS IN STARTING ROLE
β’ Senior guard Theresa Onwuka has embraced her role as a senior captain, leading the Bulls on both ends of the floor.
β’ Onwuka is enjoying a strong start to her senior season as
she ranks second on the team in scoring (17.6 ppg) while pulling down a team-best 7.1 rebounds per game and swiping 2.8 steals per contest while shooting an impressive 58.9% from the floor and 77.4% from the charity stripe.
β’ Onwuka set a career-high in three straight games to start the season, capped by a 30 point performance in a win over Canisius.
β’ Onwuka was named MAC East Co-Player of the Week on Dec. 3 after averaging 18.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 2.0 steals in a pair of wins at the Hawk Classic.
β’ The Nigeria native earned an invite to the Nigerian national camp over the summer for the second straight season as she practiced and trained with the top basketball players from her home country. The experience helped Onwuka grow as a player and helped build her confidence.
Β
HALL PASS
β’ Junior Hanna Hall returns for her third year with the Bulls and looks to be a mainstay in the Bulls lineup after earning the start in 27 of the Bulls 34 games last season.
β’ The Hamilton, ON native is averaging 7.0 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.4 assists in 11 starts this season.
β’ Hall set a career-high with nine assists at San Jose State.
β’ The junior had the best game of her career at Eastern Michigan on 1/9/19 as she went 6-of-9 from the floor and 5-of-8 from beyond the arc on the night, finishing with a career-high 20 points.
β’ Hall was named to the MAC All-Tournament Team after averaging 14.3 points, 3.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists over three games in Cleveland.
β’ Hall competed at the 2019 Pan American Women's Basketball Games in Lima, Peru as a member of the Canadian National Team.
Β
SUMMER TIME IN BUFFALO
β’ Senior forward Summer Hemphill begins her final season in the blue and white tied for 10th on UB's all-time rebounding list with 759 rebounds and is just 81 points away from becoming Buffalo's 26th 1,000 point scorer.
β’ Hemphill was named Second Team All-MAC last season after averaging 14.5 points and 10.3 rebounds per game while recording a team-high 13 double-doubles on the year
β’ The Buffalo, NY native tied her career-high with 24 points, including a career-high 12 field goals, in a win over Central Michigan in the MAC Tournament semifinals (3/15/19).
β’ Hemphill set the MAC Tournament record with 21 rebounds in a win over Ohio in the championship game, earning her a spot on the All-Tournament Team.
β’ Over the past three years, Hemphill has scored in double figures 46 times, while going over the 20+ point mark four times.
β’ Hemphill was named to the Katrina McClain Award watch list as one of the top-20 power forwards in Division 1 college basketball.
β’ Hemphill was also named to the Preseason All-MAC East Division Team and was selected as the unanimous Preseason Big 4 Player of the Year.
Β
YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS
β’ With 11 underclassmen on the roster, the Bulls are the youngest team in the MAC and the youngest of any opponent on the schedule this season.
Β
UNITED NATIONS
β’ The Bulls roster features players from five countries including Germany (Gaba, Schiffer), Great Britain (Christie), Nigeria (Onwuka), Canada (Adeyeye, Hall, Kounkou, Walters) and the U.S.
β’ Elea Gaba took home a gold medal with the German national team at the 2018 U18 European Championships and also competed at the 2019 U18 European Championships and 2019 U19 World Cup.
β’ Jessika Schiffer won a gold medal with Gaba at the 2018 U18 European Championships and teamed with Gaba at the 2019 World Cup. She also competed at the 2019 U20 Women's European Championship.
β’ Loren Christie represented Great Britain in two straight years at the U20 European Championships and captained the U16 Great Britain national team at the 2017 European Championship. She also led her high school to a WEABL Championship and earned WEABL first team honors during her senior season.
Β
MACtion
β’ After seeing two of its teams advance to the NCAA Tournament a year ago (Buffalo, Central Michigan), the Mid-American Conference continues to gain respect on the national stage as three teams are currently ranked in the Mid-Major Top-25 - No. 7 Buffalo, No. 10 Central Michigan, No. 13 Ohio
*As of December 31, 2019
Β
BEASTS OF THE EAST
β’ The Bulls went undefeated in non-conference play in games east of the Mississippi
Β
CLOSING TIME
β’ The Bulls have been extremely effective closing out games over the last five years, winning 110 of their last 115 games (.957) when leading or tied with five minutes left, including 77 of their last 79.
Β
BOMBS AWAY:
β’ For the second time in as many seasons, the Bulls broke the single-season record for three pointers with 242 triples, besting the previous mark set of 230 set by the 2017-18 squad. The 2018-19 Bulls also set the single-season record for three point field goals attempted with 765 surpassing the previous mark of 689 attempts set by the 2015-16 team.
β’ This season the Bulls rank in the top-70 in the nation in three point field goals made per game (7.8) and three point field goals attempted (282).
Β
TURNING THEM OVER
β’ Ever since taking over the program eight seasons ago, head coach Felisha Legette-Jack has prided herself on having a team committed to defense and that is no different this season.
β’ The Buffalo defense has forced an average of 18.5 turnovers/game this season.
β’ The Bulls are also averaging 9.2 steals/game while netting an average of 14.6 points/game off of opponent's turnovers.
Β
PAINTING A NEW PICTURE
β’ The Bulls are finding success in the paint once again this season as they have won or tied the battle in the paint in nine of 11 contests this season, going 8-1 in those games. This season, UB is currently averaging 28.0 points/game in the paint.
β’ The Bulls dominated the paint last season as UB won or tied the scoring in the paint category in 28 of 34 contests and were 19-3 last season when winning the battle inside.
Β
CREATING SECOND CHANCE OPPORTUNITIES
β’ The Bulls have continued to find success on the offensive glass this season as they are averaging a MAC-best 15.8 offensive rebounds/game, while averaging 13.5 second chance points off those offensive boards.
β’ Buffalo has grabbed at least 10 offensive rebounds in nine of their 11 games this season, including a season-high 23 in the season-opener against CCSU.
β’ Buffalo led the MAC and ranked 23rd nationally in offensive rebounding last season, averaging 14.9/game.
Β
RUNNING WITH THE BULLS
β’ The Bulls excelled in the open court last season, outscoring opponents 455-268 in the fastbreak category.
β’ Buffalo has recorded eight or more fast break points in nine of 11 games this season, outscoring opponents 132-89 in transition.
β’ Over the past three plus seasons, the Bulls have won or tied the fast break category in 92 of 112 games, including 75 of their 84 wins.
Β
HOME SWEET HOME
β’ Since Legette-Jack took over before the 2012-13 season, the Bulls hold a 71-29 (.710) record at home across 100 contests.
β’ Over the last two plus seasons, UB is 24-3 at Alumni Arena. The 2017-18 team finished a perfect 12-0 at home overall and 9-0 in conference play.
β’ On the flip side, Legette-Jack's Bulls are 81-59 (.579) on the road or on neutral ground during her tenure.
Β
80 PLUS
β’ The Bulls have always been known for their defense but over the last few seasons the UB offense has come alive, leading the Bulls to success on the national stage in back-to-back seasons.
β’ The Bulls are tough to beat when they score 80+ points as they own a 32-5 record over the past two plus years when doing so.
β’ The Bulls posted 80+ performances on 14 occasions last season, coming away with victories in 12 of those games.
Β
60 OR LESS
β’ Over the last three seasons, UB is 67-3 when holding their opponents to under 70 points and 46-0 when holding opponents to 59 points or less.
β’ The stingy Buffalo defense held a total of eight opponents under 70 points this season, going a perfect 8-0 in those contests.
PRESEASON PRAISE
β’ The Bulls were picked to finish second in the MAC East in the preseason poll as voted on by the conference coaches.
β’ Buffalo earned 56 total points behind Ohio who notched 12 first place votes and 72 total points.
β’ The defending MAC champions also earned one vote to win the MAC Tournament Championship, while Ohio earned 10 votes and Northern Illinois garnered one vote.
β’ The Bulls also placed Summer Hemphill on the preseason All-MAC East Division Team for the second consecutive year.
Β
HEMPHILL NAMED BIG 4 PRESEASON PLAYER OF THE YEAR
β’ Senior forward Summer Hemphill was selected by local media and athletic communication offices as the Preseason Big 4 Player of the Year.
β’ Hemphill was also one of three unanimous First Team All-Big 4 representatives.
β’ Joining Hemphill on the First Team is senior guard Theresa Onwuka and junior guard Hanna Hall.
Β
ANOTHER 20+ WIN SEASON
β’ The wins continue to pile up for the Bulls under head coach Felisha Legette-Jack as they produced their fourth straight 20+ win campaign in 2018-19.
β’ This marks the second time in school history the Bulls have won 20+ games in four straight seasons as they previously accomplished that feat from 1993-97.
β’ Buffalo posted 16 victories last season by double-digits, including four of their last five games and also posted six victories by 20+ points including a season-high 47 point victory, 90-43, over St. Bonaventure on December 23, 2018.
Β
QUARTET OF CAPTAINS NAMED FOR 2019-20 SEASON
β’ After the graduation of one of the winningest classes in the Bulls division I history, Buffalo will be relying on a new group of captains to lead the squad this season.
β’ After a team vote, the Bulls named Hanna Hall, Theresa Onwuka, Adebola Adeyeye and Summer Hemphill as team captains.
β’ The four captains have been a part of three straight 20+ win seasons.
Β
UP NEXT:
Buffalo continues its road trip at Toledo on Wednesday, January 8, with a 7pm contest against the Rockets.
Β
Players Mentioned
Forward
/ Women's Basketball
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