Bulls Fall to Le Moyne on Saturday

Saturday, December 16

Buffalo, NY

2:00pm

University at Buffalo

5-4,0-0MAC

Le Moyne

2-8,0-0NEC

Le Moyne

Buffalo

Photo by: Paul Hokanson/UBBulls.com

12/16/2023 4:59:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score Photo Gallery

BUFFALO, NY – A late rally wasn't enough as the University at Buffalo women's basketball team fell to Le Moyne 66-61 on Saturday afternoon at Alumni Arena. It was UB's first loss at home this season.

Redshirt senior guard Chellia Watson led the Bulls offensively, scoring a game-high 20 points to go with five rebounds and five assists. Senior Rana Elhusseini recorded a UB career-high with 16 points, including five three-pointers, and freshman Kirsten Lewis-Williams also scored in double figures with 15 points to go with six rebounds and four assists.

Le Moyne started hot, opening the game on a 10-2 run to force an early UB timeout. The Bulls regrouped and turned defense into offense as they responded with a 13-2 run, capped by a pair of threes each from Elhusseini and Watson, as Buffalo retook the lead 15-14. Elhusseini wasn't done as she drilled another deep triple from the wing to put UB 19-16 at the end of the first.

The Bulls continued to attack as Paula Lopez drained a corner three before finding a cutting Lewis-Williams for a layup to put UB up 24-16 and force a Le Moyne timeout early in the second quarter. The Dolphins responded with an 11-0 run to take a 27-24 lead at the 2:28 mark, before Lewis-Williams hit Elhusseini for a deep triple from the top of the key and later, Watson found a cutting Lewis-Williams for a layup on the block to give the Bulls a 29-27 lead at the half.

Watson hit a three on UB's first possession of the third quarter before finding Hattie Ogden with a great pass for a baseline layup to put Buffalo up by four. Later, Buffalo used great ball movement, culminating with a dish from Ogden to Watson for a deep two in the corner to put the Bulls up 40-35 at the media timeout. Le Moyne then went on a 6-0 run to take a one-point lead at the 3:59 mark before Lewis-Williams scored four straight points to put UB back up by three, but the Dolphins hit a triple in the final seconds to pull within 45-44 at the end of the third.

The Dolphins used a 4-0 run to retake the lead, 48-45, early in the fourth quarter. Le Moyne then extended their lead to five before Watson sliced to the basket for a tough layup to cut the lead to 50-47 at the media timeout. After Le Moyne went up by seven with two minutes to play, Elhusseini and Watson hit big threes on back-to-back possessions to pull UB within three with 1:25 to go. Later, after Alexis Davis scored on a second chance layup, Watson hit another deep three to cut the lead to 64-61 with nine seconds to go. The Bulls were able to come up with a big defensive stop, but they immediately turned it over and Le Moyne sealed the game at the free throw line.

Up next, Buffalo will close out the non-conference portion of their schedule on Saturday, December 30 as they host Maryland Eastern Shore for a 12pm contest.