Wednesday, January 20
Athens, OH
6:00 PM
at
Ohio
Bulls Travel to Ohio on Wednesday
1/19/2021 10:11:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Buffalo (8-3, 5-1 MAC) vs. Ohio (6-4, 4-3 MAC)
January 20, 2021
Convocation Center – 6 p.m.
Bulls on the Air
Radio – ESPN 1520-AM WWKB/TuneIn App
Television – ESPN+
BUFFALO, NY – The University at Buffalo women's basketball team is back in action on Wednesday as they travel to Athens, Ohio for a clash with the Ohio Bobcats. The game will be streamed live on ESPN+ and broadcast on ESPN 1520 WWKB and TuneIn Radio with Matt Mattia on the call.
TODAY'S STORYLINES
• The University at Buffalo women's basketball team is back in action on Wednesday as they travel to Athens, OH for a clash with the Ohio Bobcats.
• This is the 45th meeting between Buffalo and Ohio, with the Bulls owning the 25-19 series edge. UB is 9-3 in their last 12 meetings with the Bobcats dating back to 2016. UB swept Ohio last season, with Coach Jack becoming the program's all-time winningest coach with the win in Athens on February 29.
• The Bulls bounced back from their first MAC loss with an 82-74 come-from-behind win over Bowling Green on January 13 at Alumni Arena. Dyaisha Fair tied a career-high with 36 points to lead all scorers.
• The MAC has four teams ranked in the Top 100 of the initial NET Rakings with Buffalo checking in at 84. Bowling Green (66), Ohio (88) and (Central Michigan (89) are also ranked in the top 100.
• The Bulls are ranked No. 14 in the latest Mid-Major Top 25 poll. Central Michigan (No. 7) Ohio (No. 11) and Bowling Green (No. 21) join UB on the list.
• Fair is currently ranked fourth in the nation in scoring (24.9 ppg) while also ranking in the top 20 in assists (58), free throws made (71) and attempted (91), final points (274) and three point field goals made (33).
• Fair is just 66 points away from becoming Buffalo's 26th 1,000 point scorer.
• Fair was named to the midseason watch list for the Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year Award. Fair is one of five MAC players on the 15-player list. She was also named to the preseason watch list for the Nancy Lieberman Award, recognizing the nation's best point guard.
GAME 11 RECAP: BOWLING GREEN
• The University at Buffalo women's basketball team overcame an 11-point first half deficit and outscored Bowling Green 25-14 in what proved to be a pivotal third quarter, to defeat the Falcons 82-74 at Alumni Arena on Wednesday night. With the win the Bulls improve to 8-3 on the year and 5-1 in league play.
• Buffalo was led by sophomore guard Dyaisha Fair who poured in a career-high 36 points, including 8-of-12 shooting from behind the arc, to go along with seven rebounds and six assists. Senior Hanna Hall recorded 17 points, including four triples, to go along with five assists and Cheyenne McEvans also scored in double figures with 13 points while adding nine rebounds.
• The Bulls won the battle on the glass 42-34, including 18 offensive rebounds. Buffalo also outscored the Falcons 17-9 in transition and scored 16 points off of 17 BGSU turnovers. The 12 three-pointers made was just shy of the season-high of 13 makes at James Madison.
PREVIEWING OHIO
• The Ohio Bobcats enter Wednesday's contest with a 6-4 overall record and 4-3 MAC mark after defeating Central Michigan 93-84 on Saturday.
• The Bobcats are led offensively by senior guard CeCe Hooks who is second in the MAC in scoring at 24.4 points per game and redshirt junior Erica Johnson who is averaging 21.1 points and a team-best 6.0 rebounds per contest. Gabby Burris 12.8 ppg) is also scoring in double figures.
• Ohio leads the MAC in scoring (82.0) while ranking second in steals per game (9.9) and turnover margin (+6.5) and third in field goal percentage (42.6) and free throw percentage (73.5)
• Hooks and Johnson were named to the midseason watch list for the Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year Award. Ohio is one of two teams with two players on the list.
• Hooks, Johnson and Burris are all 1,000 point scorers for Ohio.
• Bob Bolden is in his eighth season at the helm of the Bobcats. The 2015 MAC Coach of the Year is the winningest coach in program history. OU has taken down seven Power Five teams in his time at Ohio, including one win over Big Ten teams in each season since 2015.
UNPRECEDENTED TIMES
• Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, this season is unlike any other. The pandemic, which caused the cancellation of conference and national tournaments last season, has altered the way student-athletes and coaches get ready for each game.
• It is suggested and widely implemented that, all Tier 1 individuals, which include student-athletes, coaches, and day to day support staff, must test for COVID-19 at least three times a week on non-consecutive days. At Buffalo, this test is a rapid antigen test. Should those tests come back inconclusive, a second PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test will be administered.
• In addition to the testing done by players, all travel party members must wear face coverings for the duration of any and all bus trips. Face coverings are required for the travel party at all times unless in your own room or on the playing court during the game
MACtion
• After seeing its teams find success in the NCAA Tournament in recent years the Mid-American Conference continues to gain respect on the national stage as four teams are currently ranked in the Mid-Major Top-25 - No. 7 Central Michigan, No. 11 Ohio, No. 14 Buffalo, No. 21 Bowling Green
*Receiving votes: Kent State
**As of January 12, 2021
NOTHIN BUT NET
• The MAC has four teams ranked in the Top 100 of the latest NET Rankings.
• Bowling Green leads the MAC at No. 66, followed by Buffalo (84), Ohio (88) and Central Michigan (89).
*As of January 18, 2021
BULLS LOOK TO REPEAT
• With last season's Mid-American Conference tournament being canceled due to COVID-19, the Bulls are the defending MAC champions. UB has its sights set on the MAC Tournament title once again this season and if they are successful, it would be the first time in program history that the Bulls win back-to-back MAC championships.
• In order to get to that point, the Bulls will play in a MAC that has a new look. The conference did away with East and West divisions and instead, all 12 programs will be seeded from top to bottom. The MAC also increased their league schedule to 20 games this year, the most UB has played in conference play since joining the league. First round campus site games have also been eliminated, with the top eight teams going straight to Cleveland.
ROC NATION
• Sophomore Dyaisha Fair is picking up right where she left off as a freshman, currently averaging 24.9 points, 6.3 rebounds 5.3 assists and 2.5 steals per game in 11 starts.
• Fair is currently ranked fourth in the nation in scoring (24.9 ppg). She also ranks eighth in free throws made (71), seventh in free throws attempted (91) and in final points (274) and 13th in three point field goals made (33).
• The Rochester, NY native recorded the program's first triple double in nearly 20 years on December 13th, going for 28 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists in a win over Akron. She is one of seven players in Division I to record a triple-double this season.
• Fair was named to the midseason watch list for the Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year Award. She is one of five MAC student-athletes on the 15 player list.
• She also named to the preseason watch list for the Becky Hammon Award, which honors the nation's best mid-major player.
SUMMER TIME IN BUFFALO
• Redshirt senior forward Summer Hemphill made her return to the court for the first time in over 14 months at Canisius on December 6, scoring 11 points and adding six rebounds and two steals in 11 minutes in a win over the Griffs.
• She is currently tied for seventh on UB's all-time rebounding list with 767 rebounds and is just 58 points away from becoming Buffalo's 26th 1,000 point scorer.
• Hemphill was named to the Cheryl Miller Award watch list as one of the top-20 small forwards in Division 1 college basketball.
• Hemphill was also named to the Preseason All-MAC Second Team and was a unanimous selection to the Preseason Big 4 First Team.
• Over her three plus seasons in the blue and white, Hemphill has scored in double figures 48 times, while going over the 20+ point mark four times.
HALL PASS
• Senior guard Hanna Hall is anchoring the Bulls backcourt once again this season, averaging 8.8 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 11 games this season.
• Hall set career-highs in points (24), three point field goals made (8) and field goals made (8) in the win at James Madison on November 30th.
• The Hamilton, ON competed at the 2019 Pan American Women's Basketball Games in Lima, Peru as a member of the Canadian National Team.
TWIN TOWERS
• Junior forwards Adebola Adeyeye and Keowa Walters are continuing to take on bigger roles this season after posting career highs in several categories last season.
• Walters is averaging 6.2 points and a team best 6.6 rebounds per contest in 11 games this season. She has recorded two double-doubles on the season.
• Adeyeye is averaging 4.8 points and 4.7 rebounds per game in 11 games this season. She recorded her third career double-double and first this season in a win over Akron.
YOUNG GUN
• Junior guard Jazmine Young has made an immediate impact for the Bulls since being granted eligibility by the NCAA Division I Council in mid-December.
• The Milwaukee, WI native is averaging 8.7 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.3 assists per contest in five games this season.
LIVE AND LET CHY
• Freshman guard Cheyenne McEvans has had an impressive start to her career at Buffalo.
• The Southfield, MI native is currently averaging 10.3 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game while shooting 42.9% from the floor through 11 games this season.
• She recorded a career-high 17 points in a win at Eastern Michigan on January 6.
AUSSIE AUSSIE AUSSIE
• The Bulls are getting a mid-year boost in the backcourt with the addition of Casey Valenti-Paea who hails from Melbourne, Australia.
• A versatile guard who has great size and skill, a high basketball IQ and a relentless competitiveness, Valenti-Paea has led Australia to a gold medal in the 3x3 Asia Cup and represented Victoria at the Australian Junior National Championship several times.
UNITED NATIONS
• Buffalo has players from seven different countries represented on its 2020-21 roster.
• The Bulls have players who hail from Germany (Gaba, Schiffer), Great Britain (Christie), Sweden (Ojhammar), Australia (Valenti-Paea), Mali (Keita), Canada (Adeyeye, Hall, Walters) and the U.S (Elias, Fair, Hemphill, McEvans, Young).
QUEEN CITY
• Head coach Felisha Legette-Jack became Buffalo's all-time winningest coach in Buffalo women's basketball history on January 25, 2020 with UB's win at Kent State, her 156th win in Buffalo.
• Legette-Jack currently owns a 311-264 career record over 18 seasons as a head coach. She is 170-101 in eight seasons at Buffalo.
CLOSING TIME
• The Bulls have been extremely effective closing out games over the last five plus years, winning 127 of their last 133 games (.955) when leading or tied with five minutes left, including 94 of their last 99 wins.
CLEANING THE GLASS
• One of the keys to the Bulls success once again this season is their ability to rebound the basketball. The Bulls currently lead the MAC and are ranked 36th in the nation in rebounds per game (43.4).
• The Bulls also limited their opponents to 38.3 rebounds per game and are 6-0 when winning the rebounding battle.
CREATING SECOND CHANCE OPPORTUNITIES
• The Bulls are currently second in the MAC with 15.1 offensive boards per game, while averaging 13.1 second chance points off of those rebounds.
• Buffalo has grabbed at least 10 offensive rebounds in eight of 11 games this season, including a season-high 27 against St. Bonaventure on December 19th.
PAINTING A NEW PICTURE
• The Bulls are finding success in the paint once again this season as they have won or tied the battle in the paint in eight of 11 contests, going 6-2 in those games. UB is averaging 31.8 points/game in the paint.
TURNING THEM OVER
• Ever since taking over the program nine seasons ago, head coach Felisha Legette-Jack has prided herself on having a team committed to defense and that is no different this season.
• The Buffalo defense is forcing an average of 16.7 turnovers per game this season.
• The Bulls are also averaging 7.7 steals/game while netting an average of 17.2 points/game off of opponent's turnovers.
RUNNING WITH THE BULLS
• Buffalo has recorded 10 or more fast break points in seven of 11 games this season, outscoring opponents 147-90 in transition.
• Over the past four seasons, the Bulls have won or tied the fast break category in 115 of 142 games, including 89 of their 101 wins.
HOME SWEET HOME
• Since Legette-Jack took over before the 2012-13 season, the Bulls hold an 80-35 (.696) record at home across 113 contests.
• Over the last three plus seasons, UB is 33-9 at Alumni Arena.
• On the flip side, Legette-Jack's Bulls are 90-66 (.577) on the road or on neutral ground during her tenure.
80 PLUS
• 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.
• The Bulls are tough to beat when they score 80+ points as they own a 40-6 record over the past three plus years when doing so.
• The Bulls have posted five 80+ performances this season and are 5-0 in those games.
70 OR LESS
• Over the last four plus seasons, UB is 75-8 when holding their opponents to under 70 points and 50-0 when holding opponents to 59 points or less.
• The stingy Buffalo defense held two opponents under 60 points this season, going a perfect 2-0 in those contests.
PRESEASON PRAISE
• With the elimination of divisions for the 2020-21 season, the 12 teams were ranked from top to bottom led by Central Michigan who received 10 first place votes and 142 points. The Bulls were picked to finish fourth with 108 points behind Ohio (128) and Ball State (119).
• Buffalo also earned one vote to win the MAC Tournament Championship, while Ohio earned 10 votes and Northern Illinois garnered one vote.
• Dyaisha Fair earned a spot on the preseason All-MAC First Team for the first time in her career while redshirt senior Summer Hemphill landed on the All-MAC Second Team.
BULLS BREAKDOWN
• The Bulls return nine letterwinners and four starters from last year's squad that posted a 19-12 overall record and a 9-9 conference mark.
• The Bulls, who finished third in the MAC East and sixth overall, made their sixth straight appearance in the MAC Tournament quarterfinals, defeating Miami (OH) in the first round before falling to Kent State in the quarterfinals.
• The Bulls return 71% of scoring, 63% of rebounding and 69% of minutes played from 2019-20.
ANOTHER 19+ WIN SEASON
• The wins continue to pile up for the Bulls under head coach Felisha Legette-Jack as they produced their fifth straight 19+ win campaign in 2019-20.
• Buffalo has now won 17+ games in seven straight seasons, a first for the Bulls since joining the MAC in 1998.
• Buffalo posted 10 victories last season by double-digits, including a season-high 18 point victory, 73-55, over American on December 1, 2019.
TRIO OF CAPTAINS NAMED FOR 2020-21 SEASON
• Head coach Felisha Legette-Jack announced three captains for the 2020-21 season.
• After a team vote, the Bulls named Summer Hemphill, Hanna Hall and Dyaisha Fair as team captains.
• The three captains have been a part of three straight 19+ win seasons.
January 20, 2021
Convocation Center – 6 p.m.
Bulls on the Air
Radio – ESPN 1520-AM WWKB/TuneIn App
Television – ESPN+
BUFFALO, NY – The University at Buffalo women's basketball team is back in action on Wednesday as they travel to Athens, Ohio for a clash with the Ohio Bobcats. The game will be streamed live on ESPN+ and broadcast on ESPN 1520 WWKB and TuneIn Radio with Matt Mattia on the call.
TODAY'S STORYLINES
• The University at Buffalo women's basketball team is back in action on Wednesday as they travel to Athens, OH for a clash with the Ohio Bobcats.
• This is the 45th meeting between Buffalo and Ohio, with the Bulls owning the 25-19 series edge. UB is 9-3 in their last 12 meetings with the Bobcats dating back to 2016. UB swept Ohio last season, with Coach Jack becoming the program's all-time winningest coach with the win in Athens on February 29.
• The Bulls bounced back from their first MAC loss with an 82-74 come-from-behind win over Bowling Green on January 13 at Alumni Arena. Dyaisha Fair tied a career-high with 36 points to lead all scorers.
• The MAC has four teams ranked in the Top 100 of the initial NET Rakings with Buffalo checking in at 84. Bowling Green (66), Ohio (88) and (Central Michigan (89) are also ranked in the top 100.
• The Bulls are ranked No. 14 in the latest Mid-Major Top 25 poll. Central Michigan (No. 7) Ohio (No. 11) and Bowling Green (No. 21) join UB on the list.
• Fair is currently ranked fourth in the nation in scoring (24.9 ppg) while also ranking in the top 20 in assists (58), free throws made (71) and attempted (91), final points (274) and three point field goals made (33).
• Fair is just 66 points away from becoming Buffalo's 26th 1,000 point scorer.
• Fair was named to the midseason watch list for the Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year Award. Fair is one of five MAC players on the 15-player list. She was also named to the preseason watch list for the Nancy Lieberman Award, recognizing the nation's best point guard.
GAME 11 RECAP: BOWLING GREEN
• The University at Buffalo women's basketball team overcame an 11-point first half deficit and outscored Bowling Green 25-14 in what proved to be a pivotal third quarter, to defeat the Falcons 82-74 at Alumni Arena on Wednesday night. With the win the Bulls improve to 8-3 on the year and 5-1 in league play.
• Buffalo was led by sophomore guard Dyaisha Fair who poured in a career-high 36 points, including 8-of-12 shooting from behind the arc, to go along with seven rebounds and six assists. Senior Hanna Hall recorded 17 points, including four triples, to go along with five assists and Cheyenne McEvans also scored in double figures with 13 points while adding nine rebounds.
• The Bulls won the battle on the glass 42-34, including 18 offensive rebounds. Buffalo also outscored the Falcons 17-9 in transition and scored 16 points off of 17 BGSU turnovers. The 12 three-pointers made was just shy of the season-high of 13 makes at James Madison.
PREVIEWING OHIO
• The Ohio Bobcats enter Wednesday's contest with a 6-4 overall record and 4-3 MAC mark after defeating Central Michigan 93-84 on Saturday.
• The Bobcats are led offensively by senior guard CeCe Hooks who is second in the MAC in scoring at 24.4 points per game and redshirt junior Erica Johnson who is averaging 21.1 points and a team-best 6.0 rebounds per contest. Gabby Burris 12.8 ppg) is also scoring in double figures.
• Ohio leads the MAC in scoring (82.0) while ranking second in steals per game (9.9) and turnover margin (+6.5) and third in field goal percentage (42.6) and free throw percentage (73.5)
• Hooks and Johnson were named to the midseason watch list for the Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year Award. Ohio is one of two teams with two players on the list.
• Hooks, Johnson and Burris are all 1,000 point scorers for Ohio.
• Bob Bolden is in his eighth season at the helm of the Bobcats. The 2015 MAC Coach of the Year is the winningest coach in program history. OU has taken down seven Power Five teams in his time at Ohio, including one win over Big Ten teams in each season since 2015.
UNPRECEDENTED TIMES
• Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, this season is unlike any other. The pandemic, which caused the cancellation of conference and national tournaments last season, has altered the way student-athletes and coaches get ready for each game.
• It is suggested and widely implemented that, all Tier 1 individuals, which include student-athletes, coaches, and day to day support staff, must test for COVID-19 at least three times a week on non-consecutive days. At Buffalo, this test is a rapid antigen test. Should those tests come back inconclusive, a second PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test will be administered.
• In addition to the testing done by players, all travel party members must wear face coverings for the duration of any and all bus trips. Face coverings are required for the travel party at all times unless in your own room or on the playing court during the game
MACtion
• After seeing its teams find success in the NCAA Tournament in recent years the Mid-American Conference continues to gain respect on the national stage as four teams are currently ranked in the Mid-Major Top-25 - No. 7 Central Michigan, No. 11 Ohio, No. 14 Buffalo, No. 21 Bowling Green
*Receiving votes: Kent State
**As of January 12, 2021
NOTHIN BUT NET
• The MAC has four teams ranked in the Top 100 of the latest NET Rankings.
• Bowling Green leads the MAC at No. 66, followed by Buffalo (84), Ohio (88) and Central Michigan (89).
*As of January 18, 2021
BULLS LOOK TO REPEAT
• With last season's Mid-American Conference tournament being canceled due to COVID-19, the Bulls are the defending MAC champions. UB has its sights set on the MAC Tournament title once again this season and if they are successful, it would be the first time in program history that the Bulls win back-to-back MAC championships.
• In order to get to that point, the Bulls will play in a MAC that has a new look. The conference did away with East and West divisions and instead, all 12 programs will be seeded from top to bottom. The MAC also increased their league schedule to 20 games this year, the most UB has played in conference play since joining the league. First round campus site games have also been eliminated, with the top eight teams going straight to Cleveland.
ROC NATION
• Sophomore Dyaisha Fair is picking up right where she left off as a freshman, currently averaging 24.9 points, 6.3 rebounds 5.3 assists and 2.5 steals per game in 11 starts.
• Fair is currently ranked fourth in the nation in scoring (24.9 ppg). She also ranks eighth in free throws made (71), seventh in free throws attempted (91) and in final points (274) and 13th in three point field goals made (33).
• The Rochester, NY native recorded the program's first triple double in nearly 20 years on December 13th, going for 28 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists in a win over Akron. She is one of seven players in Division I to record a triple-double this season.
• Fair was named to the midseason watch list for the Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year Award. She is one of five MAC student-athletes on the 15 player list.
• She also named to the preseason watch list for the Becky Hammon Award, which honors the nation's best mid-major player.
SUMMER TIME IN BUFFALO
• Redshirt senior forward Summer Hemphill made her return to the court for the first time in over 14 months at Canisius on December 6, scoring 11 points and adding six rebounds and two steals in 11 minutes in a win over the Griffs.
• She is currently tied for seventh on UB's all-time rebounding list with 767 rebounds and is just 58 points away from becoming Buffalo's 26th 1,000 point scorer.
• Hemphill was named to the Cheryl Miller Award watch list as one of the top-20 small forwards in Division 1 college basketball.
• Hemphill was also named to the Preseason All-MAC Second Team and was a unanimous selection to the Preseason Big 4 First Team.
• Over her three plus seasons in the blue and white, Hemphill has scored in double figures 48 times, while going over the 20+ point mark four times.
HALL PASS
• Senior guard Hanna Hall is anchoring the Bulls backcourt once again this season, averaging 8.8 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 11 games this season.
• Hall set career-highs in points (24), three point field goals made (8) and field goals made (8) in the win at James Madison on November 30th.
• The Hamilton, ON competed at the 2019 Pan American Women's Basketball Games in Lima, Peru as a member of the Canadian National Team.
TWIN TOWERS
• Junior forwards Adebola Adeyeye and Keowa Walters are continuing to take on bigger roles this season after posting career highs in several categories last season.
• Walters is averaging 6.2 points and a team best 6.6 rebounds per contest in 11 games this season. She has recorded two double-doubles on the season.
• Adeyeye is averaging 4.8 points and 4.7 rebounds per game in 11 games this season. She recorded her third career double-double and first this season in a win over Akron.
YOUNG GUN
• Junior guard Jazmine Young has made an immediate impact for the Bulls since being granted eligibility by the NCAA Division I Council in mid-December.
• The Milwaukee, WI native is averaging 8.7 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.3 assists per contest in five games this season.
LIVE AND LET CHY
• Freshman guard Cheyenne McEvans has had an impressive start to her career at Buffalo.
• The Southfield, MI native is currently averaging 10.3 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game while shooting 42.9% from the floor through 11 games this season.
• She recorded a career-high 17 points in a win at Eastern Michigan on January 6.
AUSSIE AUSSIE AUSSIE
• The Bulls are getting a mid-year boost in the backcourt with the addition of Casey Valenti-Paea who hails from Melbourne, Australia.
• A versatile guard who has great size and skill, a high basketball IQ and a relentless competitiveness, Valenti-Paea has led Australia to a gold medal in the 3x3 Asia Cup and represented Victoria at the Australian Junior National Championship several times.
UNITED NATIONS
• Buffalo has players from seven different countries represented on its 2020-21 roster.
• The Bulls have players who hail from Germany (Gaba, Schiffer), Great Britain (Christie), Sweden (Ojhammar), Australia (Valenti-Paea), Mali (Keita), Canada (Adeyeye, Hall, Walters) and the U.S (Elias, Fair, Hemphill, McEvans, Young).
QUEEN CITY
• Head coach Felisha Legette-Jack became Buffalo's all-time winningest coach in Buffalo women's basketball history on January 25, 2020 with UB's win at Kent State, her 156th win in Buffalo.
• Legette-Jack currently owns a 311-264 career record over 18 seasons as a head coach. She is 170-101 in eight seasons at Buffalo.
CLOSING TIME
• The Bulls have been extremely effective closing out games over the last five plus years, winning 127 of their last 133 games (.955) when leading or tied with five minutes left, including 94 of their last 99 wins.
CLEANING THE GLASS
• One of the keys to the Bulls success once again this season is their ability to rebound the basketball. The Bulls currently lead the MAC and are ranked 36th in the nation in rebounds per game (43.4).
• The Bulls also limited their opponents to 38.3 rebounds per game and are 6-0 when winning the rebounding battle.
CREATING SECOND CHANCE OPPORTUNITIES
• The Bulls are currently second in the MAC with 15.1 offensive boards per game, while averaging 13.1 second chance points off of those rebounds.
• Buffalo has grabbed at least 10 offensive rebounds in eight of 11 games this season, including a season-high 27 against St. Bonaventure on December 19th.
PAINTING A NEW PICTURE
• The Bulls are finding success in the paint once again this season as they have won or tied the battle in the paint in eight of 11 contests, going 6-2 in those games. UB is averaging 31.8 points/game in the paint.
TURNING THEM OVER
• Ever since taking over the program nine seasons ago, head coach Felisha Legette-Jack has prided herself on having a team committed to defense and that is no different this season.
• The Buffalo defense is forcing an average of 16.7 turnovers per game this season.
• The Bulls are also averaging 7.7 steals/game while netting an average of 17.2 points/game off of opponent's turnovers.
RUNNING WITH THE BULLS
• Buffalo has recorded 10 or more fast break points in seven of 11 games this season, outscoring opponents 147-90 in transition.
• Over the past four seasons, the Bulls have won or tied the fast break category in 115 of 142 games, including 89 of their 101 wins.
HOME SWEET HOME
• Since Legette-Jack took over before the 2012-13 season, the Bulls hold an 80-35 (.696) record at home across 113 contests.
• Over the last three plus seasons, UB is 33-9 at Alumni Arena.
• On the flip side, Legette-Jack's Bulls are 90-66 (.577) on the road or on neutral ground during her tenure.
80 PLUS
• 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.
• The Bulls are tough to beat when they score 80+ points as they own a 40-6 record over the past three plus years when doing so.
• The Bulls have posted five 80+ performances this season and are 5-0 in those games.
70 OR LESS
• Over the last four plus seasons, UB is 75-8 when holding their opponents to under 70 points and 50-0 when holding opponents to 59 points or less.
• The stingy Buffalo defense held two opponents under 60 points this season, going a perfect 2-0 in those contests.
PRESEASON PRAISE
• With the elimination of divisions for the 2020-21 season, the 12 teams were ranked from top to bottom led by Central Michigan who received 10 first place votes and 142 points. The Bulls were picked to finish fourth with 108 points behind Ohio (128) and Ball State (119).
• Buffalo also earned one vote to win the MAC Tournament Championship, while Ohio earned 10 votes and Northern Illinois garnered one vote.
• Dyaisha Fair earned a spot on the preseason All-MAC First Team for the first time in her career while redshirt senior Summer Hemphill landed on the All-MAC Second Team.
BULLS BREAKDOWN
• The Bulls return nine letterwinners and four starters from last year's squad that posted a 19-12 overall record and a 9-9 conference mark.
• The Bulls, who finished third in the MAC East and sixth overall, made their sixth straight appearance in the MAC Tournament quarterfinals, defeating Miami (OH) in the first round before falling to Kent State in the quarterfinals.
• The Bulls return 71% of scoring, 63% of rebounding and 69% of minutes played from 2019-20.
ANOTHER 19+ WIN SEASON
• The wins continue to pile up for the Bulls under head coach Felisha Legette-Jack as they produced their fifth straight 19+ win campaign in 2019-20.
• Buffalo has now won 17+ games in seven straight seasons, a first for the Bulls since joining the MAC in 1998.
• Buffalo posted 10 victories last season by double-digits, including a season-high 18 point victory, 73-55, over American on December 1, 2019.
TRIO OF CAPTAINS NAMED FOR 2020-21 SEASON
• Head coach Felisha Legette-Jack announced three captains for the 2020-21 season.
• After a team vote, the Bulls named Summer Hemphill, Hanna Hall and Dyaisha Fair as team captains.
• The three captains have been a part of three straight 19+ win seasons.
Players Mentioned
Forward
/ Women's Basketball
Guard
/ Women's Basketball
Guard
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Forward
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Forward
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Guard
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