Onwuka Scores 1,000th Career Point, Bulls Clinch No. 6 Seed in MAC Tournament

Saturday, March 7

Buffalo, NY

2:00 pm

18-11,9-9MAC

Kent State

18-11,11-7MAC

Kent St.

Buffalo

Onwuka Scores 1,000th Career Point, Bulls Clinch No. 6 Seed in MAC Tournament

3/7/2020 5:03:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score Postgame Press Conference Photo Gallery

BUFFALO, NY – Senior Theresa Onwuka scored her 1,000^th career point and the University at Buffalo women's basketball team defeated Kent State 72-58 on Senior Day at Alumni Arena on Saturday afternoon. With the win the Bulls clinched the #6 seed in next week's MAC Tournament and will host No. 11 Miami (OH) in the first round at Alumni Arena on Monday at 5pm.

Onwuka became the 26th 1,000 point scorer in program history with a jumper in the paint in the fourth quarter.

The Bulls were led by freshman guard Dyaisha Fair who scored 25 points to go along with nine rebounds and four steals. Onwuka added 16 points and four rebounds while junior Hanna Hall also scored in double-figures, recording 10 points, and junior Marissa Hamilton tied a career-high with 10 rebounds.

Buffalo has now held 11 opponents to 59 points or less this season, going a perfect 11-0 in those games, and are 48-0 over the last three plus seasons when holding opponents under the 59 point mark.

It would be a slow start to the game for both teams as they traded baskets in the early going before Keowa Walters converted a mid-range jumper in the paint to give UB a 6-4 lead at the media timeout. The Bulls would extend the lead to 13-8 on a great drive and finish by Onwuka and UB would extend their lead as Aireal Dickson drained a three in the corner at the buzzer off the assist from Hall to take an 18-12 lead at the end of the first.

Neither team scored for the first three plus minutes of the second quarter before Onwuka knocked down a jumper at the 6:42 mark to put UB up 20-12. Kent State would hit back-to-back threes to cut the lead to two before Onuwka converted on a mid-range jumper through contact to give the Bulls a 22-18 lead at the media timeout. Lindsey Thall continued to heat up for Kent State as she drained a pair of threes to tie the game at 24 at the 2:57 mark. A mini 4-0 UB run put the Bulls up 28-24, and they would maintain a 28-27 lead at the half.

Back-to-back buckets by Hamilton and Adebola Adeyeye would give UB a 32-27 lead early in the third and force a Kent State timeout at the 8:29 mark. The Bulls would then go on a 6-2 run, taking advantage of an extended Golden Flashes scoring drought, to take a 38-30 lead at the media timeout. Hall continued the offensive attack for the Bulls getting a bucket and the foul to put UB up 13 at the 3:47 mark and Buffalo would maintain a 51-37 lead at the end of the third.

Kent State opened the fourth quarter on a 7-0 run before Fair stopped the bleeding with a bucket at the 7:53 mark to put UB back up by 10. Fair would continue to heat up as she got a runner to go plus the foul to give UB a 62-48 lead at the final media timeout. Onwuka's 1,000^th career point would come in classic "Tessy" fashion on a pull up mid-range jumper to give UB a 66-50 lead and the Golden Flashes would not get closer from 11 from there as the Bulls were able to make stops and run out the clock.

Buffalo dominated the paint 38-14 and won the battle on the glass 47-34, while turning 18 offensive rebounds in 23 second chance points.

"What a great team win, what a great story that we are telling," said head coach Felisha Legette-Jack. "This is a team that decided that they are going to be the ones to determine the end of their story and they just weren't ready to have that be today. Our success today came on the back of Theresa Onwuka. She demonstrated that she is the leader of our defense and we made some really great stops and we held another team to under 59 points and that's really cool."

Buffalo will host Miami (OH) in the first round of the MAC Tournament on Monday, March 9, at 5pm. It will be the first game of a doubleheader with the UB men who will also play Miami (OH) at 7:30pm.

For MAC Tournament ticket information click here.