
Photo by: Paul Hokanson/UBBulls.com
Bulls Host Northern Illinois on Pride Night
2/20/2024 3:17:00β―PM | Women's Basketball
BUFFALO, NY β The University at Buffalo women's basketball team (14-9, 7-5 MAC) opens a two-game homestand on Wednesday as they host Northern Illinois on Pride Night at Alumni Arena.
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 32nd overall meeting between Buffalo and Northern Illinois with the Huskies owning a 20-11 series advantage. The Bulls defeated NIU 65-58 in the first meeting of the year.
Buffalo came up short in a 65-54 loss to Akron on Saturday afternoon. Freshman Kirsten Lewis-Williams recorded a new career-high with 22 points to lead all scorers while fellow rookie Alexis Davis also scored in double figures with 13 points and six rebounds.
Redshirt senior guard Chellia Watson, a five-time MAC Player of the Week, leads the league and ranks fourth in the nation in scoring at 23.6 points per game to go with 5.5 rebounds and 3.2 assists per contest. She also ranks in the top 10 nationally in field goals made (215), field goals made per game (9.3) and total points (543). Lewis-Williams currently ranks 11th in the MAC in scoring (12.0 ppg) and 15th in rebounding (5.3 rpg), which is first and third, respectively, among all rookies in the league in those categories. Senior Rana Elhusseini (8.4 ppg, 3.3 apg) and sophomore Hattie Ogden (7.9 ppg, 5.1 rpg) continue to be impact players for UB while Davis leads the Bulls in rebounding (5.8 rpg).
As a team, Buffalo leads the MAC in field goal defense (.378) and three point field goal defense (.273) while also ranking in the top four in the MAC in scoring defense (62.3), scoring margin (+4.2), free throw percentage (.709), defensive rebounding (26.6) and assist-to-turnover ratio (+0.9). The Bulls are averaging 34 points per game in the paint while also turning defense into offense, averaging 15 points per contest off opponent's turnovers.
The Northern Illinois Huskies are 12-12 overall and 5-7 in league action after defeating Eastern Michigan 61-52 on Saturday. The Huskies are led offensively by Jayden Marable who is averaging 11.6 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game. Brooke Stonebraker (11.3 ppg, 9.0 rpg) is also scoring in double figures while Sidney McCrea (9.0 ppg, 2.7 rpg) has also been a main contributor. Stonebreaker has elevated her game in league play, nearly averaging a double-double at 12.3 points and 9.7 rebounds per game, while shooting 49% from the field.
As a team, NIU is third in the MAC in three-point attempts (21.9) and fifth in three-pointers made (6.9) per game. They also lead the MAC in defensive rebounding (.29.2) and rank third in the league in 3FG defense (.290) and rebounding (40.5). The Huskies have assisted on assisted on at least 50% of its baskets in 18 of 24 games this season and are 9-2 this season when dishing out at least 15 assists. They have also outrebounded their opponent in five of the last six games.
Up next, Buffalo will conclude the homestand on Saturday, February 24 as they welcome the Ohio Bobcats to Alumni Arena for a 2pm contest.
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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 32nd overall meeting between Buffalo and Northern Illinois with the Huskies owning a 20-11 series advantage. The Bulls defeated NIU 65-58 in the first meeting of the year.
Buffalo came up short in a 65-54 loss to Akron on Saturday afternoon. Freshman Kirsten Lewis-Williams recorded a new career-high with 22 points to lead all scorers while fellow rookie Alexis Davis also scored in double figures with 13 points and six rebounds.
Redshirt senior guard Chellia Watson, a five-time MAC Player of the Week, leads the league and ranks fourth in the nation in scoring at 23.6 points per game to go with 5.5 rebounds and 3.2 assists per contest. She also ranks in the top 10 nationally in field goals made (215), field goals made per game (9.3) and total points (543). Lewis-Williams currently ranks 11th in the MAC in scoring (12.0 ppg) and 15th in rebounding (5.3 rpg), which is first and third, respectively, among all rookies in the league in those categories. Senior Rana Elhusseini (8.4 ppg, 3.3 apg) and sophomore Hattie Ogden (7.9 ppg, 5.1 rpg) continue to be impact players for UB while Davis leads the Bulls in rebounding (5.8 rpg).
As a team, Buffalo leads the MAC in field goal defense (.378) and three point field goal defense (.273) while also ranking in the top four in the MAC in scoring defense (62.3), scoring margin (+4.2), free throw percentage (.709), defensive rebounding (26.6) and assist-to-turnover ratio (+0.9). The Bulls are averaging 34 points per game in the paint while also turning defense into offense, averaging 15 points per contest off opponent's turnovers.
The Northern Illinois Huskies are 12-12 overall and 5-7 in league action after defeating Eastern Michigan 61-52 on Saturday. The Huskies are led offensively by Jayden Marable who is averaging 11.6 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game. Brooke Stonebraker (11.3 ppg, 9.0 rpg) is also scoring in double figures while Sidney McCrea (9.0 ppg, 2.7 rpg) has also been a main contributor. Stonebreaker has elevated her game in league play, nearly averaging a double-double at 12.3 points and 9.7 rebounds per game, while shooting 49% from the field.
As a team, NIU is third in the MAC in three-point attempts (21.9) and fifth in three-pointers made (6.9) per game. They also lead the MAC in defensive rebounding (.29.2) and rank third in the league in 3FG defense (.290) and rebounding (40.5). The Huskies have assisted on assisted on at least 50% of its baskets in 18 of 24 games this season and are 9-2 this season when dishing out at least 15 assists. They have also outrebounded their opponent in five of the last six games.
Up next, Buffalo will conclude the homestand on Saturday, February 24 as they welcome the Ohio Bobcats to Alumni Arena for a 2pm contest.
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Players Mentioned
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