Bulls Drop Heartbreaker at Central Michigan on Saturday

Saturday, February 11

Mount Pleasant, MI

1:00pm

University at Buffalo

9-12,4-8MAC

Central Michigan

5-18,3-9MAC

Buffalo

Central Mich.

Bulls Drop Heartbreaker at Central Michigan on Saturday

2/11/2023 3:29:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

MOUNT PLEASANT, MI – The University at Buffalo women's basketball team had a great look on their final possession but couldn't get the shot to drop as they came up short in a 72-71 loss to Central Michigan at McGuirk Arena on Saturday afternoon.

Three Bulls scored in double figures led by fifth year guard Re'Shawna Stone who left it all on the floor, scoring a game-high 23 points to go with four rebounds and six assists. Zakiyah Winfield scored 19 points and Jazmine Young added 11.

The Chippewas opened the game on a 7-2 run before Young hit a three for UB's first field goal of the day, but CMU answered with a 9-2 run, and they would lead 18-11 at the first media timeout. Buffalo began to turn defense into offense as Young came up with a pair of steals that led to fastbreak baskets for her and Winfield to cut the CMU lead to five with two minutes to go and later, Stone knocked down a deep triple on the wing to cap a 7-2 run as the Bulls cut the lead to 22-18 at the end of the first.

The Bulls continued to get out and run as Latrice Perkins and Winfield scored in transition to tie the game at 22 early in the second quarter. The Chippewas rattled off an 8-0 run in just under two minutes before Emerita Mashaire hit a three and Young knocked down a midrange jumper to pull UB back within three at the media timeout. Mashaire attacked the basket on a driving layup, Stone knocked down a step back jumper and then Winfield curled baseline and got the layup plus the foul to give UB its first lead of the game, 37-36, but the Chippewas answered with a three in the final seconds to take a one-point lead at the half.

Central Michigan knocked down back-to-back triples to take a five-point lead early in the third quarter. Winfield stayed aggressive as she got to the rim for a pair of layups and then Stone got going, finishing tough off glass for two and then drilling a triple from the top of the key to put UB up 47-45 at the 5:51 mark. Later, Winfield curled off a screen and scored and Stone converted a pair from the charity stripe but CMU responded with a 10-2 run to take a 58-53 lead at the end of the third.

The Chippewas scored on three straight possessions to open the fourth quarter and take a double-digit lead before Hattie Ogden drilled a three from the top of the key to stop the run. Later, Winfield scored on an out of bounds play and then sliced to the basket for a layup off the assist from Mashaire to cut the CMU lead to 68-61 at the final media timeout. Stone came up big again, drilling a deep three from the top of the key and then found a curling Winfield for a layup off glass to tie the game at 68 with 2:01 remaining. Ogden then hit a big three to put UB up 71-70 at the 1:26 mark. After the teams traded defensive stops Mikayla Hall hit a runner in the lane to put CMU up by one with 7.2 seconds to go. Buffalo had a great look on their final possession but Winfield's shot missed the mark.

Buffalo held a slight edge in the paint, scoring 36 points inside and turned nine offensive rebounds into 16 second chance points while adding 14 fastbreak points but Central Michigan scored 17 points off nine UB turnovers.

Up next, Buffalo returns to Alumni Arena for a two-game homestand, beginning on Wednesday, February 15 as they host Kent State at 7pm.