Wednesday, January 3
Buffalo, NY
6:00pm
vs
Kent State
Photo by: Ken Smith/UBBulls.com
Bulls Host Kent State in Mid-American Conference Opener on Wednesday
1/2/2024 2:05:00 PM | Women's Basketball
BUFFALO, NY – The University at Buffalo women's basketball team opens Mid-American Conference play on Wednesday as they welcome the Kent State Golden Flashes to Alumni Arena at 6pm.
The game will be streamed on ESPN+ with Paul Peck (play-by-play) and Matt Mattia (color) announcing and can be heard on the radio on 1520 AM or on the Varsity Network with Jack Kreuzer on the call.
This is the 46th overall meeting between Buffalo and Kent State with the Golden Flashes owning a 32-23 series advantage. The Bulls dropped a pair of close contests to Kent State last season by a total of four points.
Buffalo put a bow on the year 2023 as they defeated Maryland Eastern Shore 70-61 at Alumni Arena on Saturday afternoon. While the Bulls still have one non-conference game to play in February, the Bulls secured their 11th straight winning non-conference season. Redshirt senior Chellia Watson led all scorers with 28 points, including a career-best six triples, and sophomore Hattie Ogden had a breakthrough performance, scoring 18 points on a new career-high six made threes, all in the second half. Freshman Kirsten Lewis-Williams scored in double figures for the third straight game, and eighth time in 10 games, recording 14 points to go with six rebounds, five assists and three steals.
Watson leads the Bulls and the MAC in scoring at 21.1 points per game while also recording 4.2 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game. Lewis-Williams currently ranks 11th in the MAC in scoring (12.8 ppg) and rebounding (6.0 rpg), which is first among all rookies in the league in both categories. Ogden (9.6 ppg, 5.5 rpg) and senior Rana Elhusseini (9.3 ppg, 3.3 apg) continue to be impact players for UB.
As a team, Buffalo is ranked in the top three in the MAC in scoring defense (62.4), field goal percentage (.431), field goal defense (.376), three-point field goal percentage (.341) and 3FG defense (29.6).
The Kent State Golden Flashes are 6-4 overall after defeating La Roche 109-31 on Saturday. The Golden Flashes are balanced offensively, led by preseason All-MAC First Team selection Katie Shumate who is averaging 11.3 points and 6.5 rebounds per game. Jenna Batsch (10.8 ppg, 3.6 rpg) and Corynne Hauser (10.2 ppg, 4.6 apg) are also averaging in double figures. Shumate is currently ranked in the top 20 on the program's all-time scoring list and ranks in the top 10 in three-point field goals and blocks.
Coming off last year's 21-11 overall record and 12-6 mark in the MAC, the Golden Flashes were picked to finish third in the preseason coaches poll. They return 10 letterwinners while welcoming four newcomers. The Flashes have played in the Postseason WNIT each of the past two seasons and are receiving votes in the latest Mid-Major Top 25 poll. Kent State leads the MAC in scoring defense (60.5), rebounds per game (42.1), rebound margin (+4.9) field goal defense (35.9), 3FG defense (27.3) and assist/turnover ratio (+1.1) while ranking in the top three in scoring offense (68.9), scoring margin (+5.1), defensive rebounds per game (28.1), offensive rebounds per game (14.0), turnover margin (+3.9) and blocks per game (3.7).
Up next, Buffalo will embark on a two-game road trip beginning on Saturday, January 6 as they travel to Mount Pleasant for a contest against the Central Michigan Chippewas. Tipoff from McGuirk Arena is set for 1pm.
The game will be streamed on ESPN+ with Paul Peck (play-by-play) and Matt Mattia (color) announcing and can be heard on the radio on 1520 AM or on the Varsity Network with Jack Kreuzer on the call.
This is the 46th overall meeting between Buffalo and Kent State with the Golden Flashes owning a 32-23 series advantage. The Bulls dropped a pair of close contests to Kent State last season by a total of four points.
Buffalo put a bow on the year 2023 as they defeated Maryland Eastern Shore 70-61 at Alumni Arena on Saturday afternoon. While the Bulls still have one non-conference game to play in February, the Bulls secured their 11th straight winning non-conference season. Redshirt senior Chellia Watson led all scorers with 28 points, including a career-best six triples, and sophomore Hattie Ogden had a breakthrough performance, scoring 18 points on a new career-high six made threes, all in the second half. Freshman Kirsten Lewis-Williams scored in double figures for the third straight game, and eighth time in 10 games, recording 14 points to go with six rebounds, five assists and three steals.
Watson leads the Bulls and the MAC in scoring at 21.1 points per game while also recording 4.2 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game. Lewis-Williams currently ranks 11th in the MAC in scoring (12.8 ppg) and rebounding (6.0 rpg), which is first among all rookies in the league in both categories. Ogden (9.6 ppg, 5.5 rpg) and senior Rana Elhusseini (9.3 ppg, 3.3 apg) continue to be impact players for UB.
As a team, Buffalo is ranked in the top three in the MAC in scoring defense (62.4), field goal percentage (.431), field goal defense (.376), three-point field goal percentage (.341) and 3FG defense (29.6).
The Kent State Golden Flashes are 6-4 overall after defeating La Roche 109-31 on Saturday. The Golden Flashes are balanced offensively, led by preseason All-MAC First Team selection Katie Shumate who is averaging 11.3 points and 6.5 rebounds per game. Jenna Batsch (10.8 ppg, 3.6 rpg) and Corynne Hauser (10.2 ppg, 4.6 apg) are also averaging in double figures. Shumate is currently ranked in the top 20 on the program's all-time scoring list and ranks in the top 10 in three-point field goals and blocks.
Coming off last year's 21-11 overall record and 12-6 mark in the MAC, the Golden Flashes were picked to finish third in the preseason coaches poll. They return 10 letterwinners while welcoming four newcomers. The Flashes have played in the Postseason WNIT each of the past two seasons and are receiving votes in the latest Mid-Major Top 25 poll. Kent State leads the MAC in scoring defense (60.5), rebounds per game (42.1), rebound margin (+4.9) field goal defense (35.9), 3FG defense (27.3) and assist/turnover ratio (+1.1) while ranking in the top three in scoring offense (68.9), scoring margin (+5.1), defensive rebounds per game (28.1), offensive rebounds per game (14.0), turnover margin (+3.9) and blocks per game (3.7).
Up next, Buffalo will embark on a two-game road trip beginning on Saturday, January 6 as they travel to Mount Pleasant for a contest against the Central Michigan Chippewas. Tipoff from McGuirk Arena is set for 1pm.
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