Thursday, December 19
Buffalo, NY
1:00pm
10-0,0-0MAC
70
vs
68
Vermont
5-8,0-0America East
1
2
3
4
F
Vermont
15
27
17
9
68
Buffalo
18
7
18
27
70
Bulls Rally to Beat Vermont 70-68 on Thursday
12/19/2024 4:15:00 PM | Women's Basketball
BUFFALO, NY – The University at Buffalo women's basketball team erased a 23-point second half deficit to defeat Vermont 70-68 at Alumni Arena on Thursday afternoon. The comeback was the largest by the Bulls in over 20 years.
With the win, the Bulls improve to 10-0, matching the 2016-17 team for the best start in program history.
Four Bulls scored in double figures on the day, led by Chellia Watson who scored a game-high 22 points, including 12 in the fourth quarter. Sophomore Kirsten Lewis-Williams just missed out on a double-double with 14 points and nine rebounds and senior Terah Harness added 14 as well, including 4-of-6 shooting from beyond the arc. Also in double figures was Alexis Davis who scored 10 points to go with nine rebounds.
Trailing by 23 at the 4:29 mark of the third quarter, the comeback began as the Bulls made four straight at the charity stripe before Harness gave the Bulls a spark in the final minute of the quarter as she rattled off a 5-0 run by herself to cut the lead to 59-43 at the end of the third.
The teams traded made threes to start the fourth quarter but then it was all Buffalo as they held the visitors without a field goal for a span of eight minutes. Buffalo continued to attack as they went 6-for-6 from the free throw line over a two-minute stretch to cut the lead to seven. UB continued to go to work in the paint as Davis skied up for an offensive rebound putback before Noelani Cornfield came up with a steal and found Watson up ahead for a fastbreak layup to pull the Bulls within one possession with 5:09 remaining.
UB continued to turn defense into offense as they forced a turnover and then Davis found Lewis-Williams who put her defender in the spin cycle for a layup off glass. Watson then came up with a rebound and flew up the court for a fastbreak layup plus the foul to give the Bulls their first lead since the second quarter, 64-63, with 1:14 remaining. Watson continued to heat up as she converted a steal and score to put UB up by three with 43 seconds to go. UB then forced another turnover and Watson came up with another big shot to extend the lead to five with 16 seconds remaining. The Catamounts hit a three to pull within two, but Cornfield hit two clutch free throws to seal the victory.
Buffalo dominated inside once again, outscoring the Catamounts 34-16 in the paint, while also turning defense into offense, scoring 24 points off 18 Vermont miscues and adding 24 fastbreak points.
"I am so unbelievably proud of our players and coaching staff," said head coach Becky Burke. "That game was unlike anything I've ever been a part of and shows a tremendous amount of toughness and resilience. That is what you want to see as a coach out of your team and those characteristics will take them far."
Up next, Buffalo will take a break for the holidays before closing out non-conference action on Saturday, December 28 at Le Moyne.
For all the latest on UB women's basketball, follow @UBWomensBasketball on Twitter/X and Instagram and like the UB Women's Basketball Facebook page.
Click here for ticket information.
Click here for information on the Blue & White Fund and how you can help UB Athletics.
With the win, the Bulls improve to 10-0, matching the 2016-17 team for the best start in program history.
Four Bulls scored in double figures on the day, led by Chellia Watson who scored a game-high 22 points, including 12 in the fourth quarter. Sophomore Kirsten Lewis-Williams just missed out on a double-double with 14 points and nine rebounds and senior Terah Harness added 14 as well, including 4-of-6 shooting from beyond the arc. Also in double figures was Alexis Davis who scored 10 points to go with nine rebounds.
Trailing by 23 at the 4:29 mark of the third quarter, the comeback began as the Bulls made four straight at the charity stripe before Harness gave the Bulls a spark in the final minute of the quarter as she rattled off a 5-0 run by herself to cut the lead to 59-43 at the end of the third.
The teams traded made threes to start the fourth quarter but then it was all Buffalo as they held the visitors without a field goal for a span of eight minutes. Buffalo continued to attack as they went 6-for-6 from the free throw line over a two-minute stretch to cut the lead to seven. UB continued to go to work in the paint as Davis skied up for an offensive rebound putback before Noelani Cornfield came up with a steal and found Watson up ahead for a fastbreak layup to pull the Bulls within one possession with 5:09 remaining.
UB continued to turn defense into offense as they forced a turnover and then Davis found Lewis-Williams who put her defender in the spin cycle for a layup off glass. Watson then came up with a rebound and flew up the court for a fastbreak layup plus the foul to give the Bulls their first lead since the second quarter, 64-63, with 1:14 remaining. Watson continued to heat up as she converted a steal and score to put UB up by three with 43 seconds to go. UB then forced another turnover and Watson came up with another big shot to extend the lead to five with 16 seconds remaining. The Catamounts hit a three to pull within two, but Cornfield hit two clutch free throws to seal the victory.
Buffalo dominated inside once again, outscoring the Catamounts 34-16 in the paint, while also turning defense into offense, scoring 24 points off 18 Vermont miscues and adding 24 fastbreak points.
"I am so unbelievably proud of our players and coaching staff," said head coach Becky Burke. "That game was unlike anything I've ever been a part of and shows a tremendous amount of toughness and resilience. That is what you want to see as a coach out of your team and those characteristics will take them far."
Up next, Buffalo will take a break for the holidays before closing out non-conference action on Saturday, December 28 at Le Moyne.
For all the latest on UB women's basketball, follow @UBWomensBasketball on Twitter/X and Instagram and like the UB Women's Basketball Facebook page.
Click here for ticket information.
Click here for information on the Blue & White Fund and how you can help UB Athletics.
Team Stats
UVM
UB
FG%
.434
.377
3FG%
.400
.455
FT%
.667
.905
RB
40
31
TO
18
7
STL
5
12
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
22
FGM
8
3FGM
1
FTM
5
Pts
14
FGM
3
3FGM
0
FTM
8
Pts
14
FGM
5
3FGM
4
FTM
0
Pts
10
FGM
4
3FGM
0
FTM
2
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's BasketballG/F
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's BasketballG
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