Bulls Lead Wire-to-Wire in 87-72 Rout of Miami (OH) to Open MAC Tournament Play

Monday, March 9

Buffalo, NY

5:00 pm

19-11,9-9MAC

#11 Miami (OH)

11-20,4-14MAC

Miami (OH)

Buffalo

Bulls Lead Wire-to-Wire in 87-72 Rout of Miami (OH) to Open MAC Tournament Play

3/9/2020 8:11:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

BUFFALO, NY – Four players scored in double figures as the University at Buffalo women's basketball team never trailed in an 87-72 win over Miami (OH) in the first round of the MAC Tournament at Alumni Arena on Monday night. With the win the Bulls advance to the MAC Tournament quarterfinals where they will face #3 seed Kent State.

Buffalo was led by freshman Dyaisha Fair who scored a game-high 28 points to go along with four rebounds, three assists and five steals. Senior Theresa Onwuka scored 18 points to go with eight rebounds, six assists and three steals. Junior Hanna Hall was happy to see the calendar turn to March as scored 13 points while adding five assists and three rebounds and Adebola Adeyeye chipped in 10 points and six rebounds.

The two teams would trade baskets in the early going before Buffalo rattled off a 13-6 run, sparked by a pair of transition buckets and a Hall three, to take a 20-11 lead at the first media timeout. Buffalo would continue to attack, extending the run to 21-8 out of the media to take a 28-13 lead and force a RedHawks timeout and the Bulls would take a 32-14 lead at the end of the first. The 32 first quarter points were the most scored by UB in a quarter this season.

The Bulls would extend their lead to 37-16 on a Hall spot up three early in the second quarter and the teams would trade baskets from there as UB maintained a 41-22 lead at the media timeout. Buffalo would continue to stay hot as they rattled off a 9-0 run out of the media, scoring on four straight possessions with baskets by Fair, Keowa Walters, Loren Christie and Onwuka to go up 50-24 at the 2:35 mark and UB would lead 56-27 at the half.

The 56 first half points were the most scored by the Bulls in a half this season. Buffalo shot a blistering 56.4% from the floor and dominated the paint, outscoring the RedHawks 34-10 in the opening half. UB also turned 11 Miami turnovers into 19 first half points.

It would be a back-and-forth affair to start the third quarter as Miami would get no closer than 27 and UB would lead 66-39 at the media timeout. Miami would come alive, putting together a 15-0 run to cut the UB lead to 66-51 at the 1:41 mark, but Fair would stop the four-plus minute UB scoring drought with a runner in the lane and the Bulls would take a 70-53 lead at the end of the third.

Fair went on a 6-2 run on her own to start the fourth quarter to give UB a 76-55 lead. Later, Onwuka sliced to the basket and dumped a pass off to Adeyeye who went up strong for two to put UB up 80-57. Freshman Jessika Schiffer got in on the action with a three on the wing off the feed from Aireal Dickson to give Buffalo an 83-59 lead at the final media timeout. Miami would close the game on a 9-0 run but it wouldn't be enough as the Bulls held on for the home court win.

The Bulls dominated the paint, outscoring Miami 48-16. Buffalo also took advantage of 18 Miami turnovers, scoring 25 points and capitalized in transition as well, scoring 25 fastbreak points.

"What a great opportunity to represent our University on this stage again," said head coach Felisha Legette-Jack. "It's a privilege to wear Buffalo across your chest and to go and represent the fashion we did today. This team is really starting to hit its stride. We've been working really hard to find our way. We are one of the youngest teams in the country but now we've turned into just a team that has stayed in our foxhole and I'm excited about the story we have to tell."

The Bulls will face #3 Kent State in the MAC Tournament quarterfinals at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in Cleveland on Wednesday, March 11. It will be the fourth game of the day and will begin 30 minutes after the conclusion of game three.