Second Half Comeback Falls Short as Bulls Drop Non-Conference Finale at Bucknell, 80-69

Monday, December 20

Lewisburg, PA

5:00 PM

6-4,0-0MAC

Bucknell

9-2,0-0Patriot

Buffalo

Bucknell

Second Half Comeback Falls Short as Bulls Drop Non-Conference Finale at Bucknell, 80-69

12/20/2021 7:31:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

LEWISBURG, PA – The University at Buffalo women's basketball team scored 43 points in the second half, but it was not enough to overcome a slow start as the Bulls fell to Bucknell 80-69 on Monday evening at Sojka Pavilion. The Bulls finish non-conference play with a 6-4 overall record.

Freshman guard Georgia Woolley recorded the first double-double of her career, leading all scorers with 22 points to go with 11 rebounds. Junior guard Dyaisha Fair scored 20 points and Summer Hemphill notched her fourth double-double of the season with 15 points and 13 rebounds while tying a career-high with four blocks.

The Bison opened the game on a 15-4 run before Jazmine Young hit a corner three to cut the lead to 15-7 at the first media timeout. The UB offense continued to struggle as they shot just 5-of-19 from the floor in the opening quarter and Bucknell took advantage as they had 11 assists on 11 made field goals to take a 29-13 lead at the end of the first.

Bucknell extended their lead to 23 early in the second quarter before the Bulls used a 10-2 run, capped by a Woolley spot up triple, to cut the lead to 38-23 at the 4:32 mark. Both offenses stalled a bit coming out of the media timeout before Fair hit a triple from the top of the key to cut the lead to 41-26 but the Bison answered with a basket on the other end to take a 43-26 lead at the half.

Fair opened the third quarter with back-to-back threes to spark an 8-2 run and cut the lead to 10. The teams then traded baskets before a transition jumper from Cheyenne McEvans cut the Bison lead to 54-45 at the 3:53 mark. Woolley provided a huge spark for the Bulls in the final two minutes as she scored nine straight points, including triple at the buzzer, to cut the Bucknell lead to 61-55 at the end of the third.

Woolley continued to heat up as she knocked down a mid-range jumper to trim the lead to five early in the fourth quarter, but Bucknell responded with a 6-0 run to take a 67-57 lead and force a UB timeout at the 6:51 mark. The teams went back-and-forth before Woolley knocked down her fourth three of the game to cut the lead to 74-67 at the 1:38 mark. Later, Camp found Hemphill in mid-air for a quick bucket off an inbounds play to cut the Bucknell lead to 79-69 with 36.5 seconds to go but that would be as close as they would get.

The Bulls edged the Bison on the glass, 41-39, including 19 offensive boards which the Bulls turned into 14 second chance points. Buffalo also scored 11 points off 12 Bucknell turnovers.

Buffalo will have a week off before they return home to open Mid-American Conference play on Wednesday, December 29 against Central Michigan at Alumni Arena at 1pm. It is the first game of a doubleheader with the UB men.