Second Half Comeback Falls Short in 61-57 Defeat at Eastern Michigan

Thursday, February 23

Ypsilanti, MI

12:00 pm

9-15,4-11MAC

Eastern Michigan

14-12,6-9MAC

Buffalo

Eastern Mich.

Second Half Comeback Falls Short in 61-57 Defeat at Eastern Michigan

2/23/2023 2:17:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

YPSILANTI, Mich. – The University at Buffalo women's basketball team outscored Eastern Michigan 18-11 in the fourth quarter, but the late rally wasn't enough as the Bulls fell to the Eagles 61-57 at the George Gervin GameAbove Center on Thursday afternoon.

Three Bulls scored in double figures, led once again by graduate guard Re'Shawna Stone who turned in another efficient performance, scoring a game-high 17 points to go with eight rebounds and five assists. Fifth year guard Jazmine Young scored 12 points and freshman Hattie Ogden added 12 points, including four makes from beyond the arc.

The Bulls struggled in the early going as Eastern Michigan jumped out to an early 9-2 lead, but the Bulls got hot from deep as Young drilled a corner triple and then Stone followed with back-to-back threes to give UB its first lead of the game, 11-9. The Eagles answered with their second three of the quarter to go back up by one at the first media timeout. Eastern Michigan attacked the glass and extended their run to 8-0 on a pair of and-one buckets before Emerita Mashaire drilled a three from the wing to cut the EMU lead to 17-14 at the end of the first.

Mashaire continued to provide a spark for the Bulls as she hit her second three to tie the game at 17 early in the second quarter. Later, Stone knocked down a triple and Latrice Perkins and Young attacked the basket, converting four straight from the charity stripe, to put UB up 24-23, but the Eagles responded with a layup at the other end as they maintained a one-point lead at the media timeout. Buffalo's offense cooled and the Eagles took advantage as they closed the quarter on an 8-0 run to take a 31-24 lead at the half.

The teams traded baskets early in the third quarter as Eastern Michigan maintained a 40-30 lead at the media timeout. The Eagles hit a three out of the break before Stone got a pull up jumper to drop and drained a three and then Zakiyah Winfield ended another UB scoring drought with a strong take to the rim for two and Perkins followed with a mid-range jumper in the final seconds to pull Buffalo within 50-39 at the end of the third.

Stone remmained aggressive as she drained a three on UB's first possession of the fourth quarter to cut the lead to 10 but the Bulls went another three minutes without scoring before Young hit a three to pull UB within nine at the 6:38 mark. Ogden then gave the Bulls a spark as she drained three straight triples to cut the EMU lead to 56-54, but the Eagles responded with two straight layups to go back up by six. Ogden hit her fourth three of the quarter to pull UB within three at the 1:42 mark. Later, Buffalo came up with a big stop and called timeout to advance the ball to halfcourt with 20.4 seconds remaining, but UB turned it over on their ensuing possession and that would prove to be the final blow as the Eagles knocked down a free throw in the final seconds to secure the win.

Winfield recorded six points and 11 rebounds while Mashaire and Perkins added six and four, respectively. Eastern Michigan dominated the paint 48-6 while also scoring 11 second chance points off eight offensive rebounds and 11 points off 13 UB miscues.

The Bulls travel to Bowling Green for their final road game of the regular season on Saturday, February 25. Tipoff from the Stroh Center is set for 1pm.