Thursday, March 21
Buffalo, NY
6:00pm
vs
Monmouth University
Photo by: Paul Hokanson/UBBulls.com
Bulls Welcome Monmouth to Alumni Arena on Thursday
3/20/2024 2:33:00 PM | Women's Basketball
BUFFALO, NY – The University at Buffalo women's basketball team (19-13, 10-8 MAC) hosts Monmouth in the first round of the WNIT on Thursday night.
It is the second WNIT appearance and seventh overall postseason berth for the Bulls.
The game will be streamed on ESPN+ with Ryan Maxwell (play-by-play) and Jared Zeidman (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 first-ever meeting between Buffalo and Monmouth. UB is 16-9 all-time against opponents from the Colonial Athletic Conference.
Buffalo enters Thursday's contest with a 19-13 overall record and 10-8 league mark after advancing to the MAC championship game on Saturday where they fell to Kent State. The conference announced its postseason awards last week, with Chellia Watson receiving All-MAC First Team recognition and Kirsten Lewis-Williams named Freshman of the Year honors while also earning All-MAC Honorable Mention and All-Freshman Team honors.
Watson, a five-time MAC Player of the Week, led the league and ranks fifth in the nation in scoring at 22.9 points per game to go with 5.0 rebounds and 3.3 assists per contest. She also ranks in the top 10 nationally in field goals made (285), field goals made per game (8.9) and total points (6733). Lewis-Williams currently ranked first and third, respectively, among all rookies in the league in scoring (11.8 ppg) and rebounding (5.2). Senior Rana Elhusseini leads the team in assists (114) and steals (49) while ranking third in scoring (9.1 ppg) and freshman Alexis Davis leads the Bulls in rebounding (6.3 rpg).
As a team, Buffalo led the MAC and ranks 22nd nationally in three-point field goal defense (.273) while also ranking in the top four in the league in scoring defense (63.4), scoring margin (+2.7), field goal defense (.388), free throw percentage (.737) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.0). The Bulls are averaging 32 points per game in the paint while also turning defense into offense, averaging 14 points per contest off opponent's turnovers.
The Monmouth Hawks enter Thursday's first round game with a 21-9 overall record and 14-4 CAA record after falling in the conference quarterfinal game to eventual champion Drexel. The Hawks are led offensively by a pair of Third Team All-CAA honorees in Kaci Donovan, who is averaging 12.0 points per game, and Ariana Vanderhoop (10.8 ppg). Jania Hall was named the CAA Sixth Player of the Year after averaging 8.7 points with 50+ assists and Belle Kranbuhl was named to the CAA All-Defensive Team for the second straight year after leading the team in rebounding (7.5 rpg).
Monmouth ended the regular season on a school-record 12-game road win streak. As a team the Hawks have 176 total blocks and are fourth in the nation in blocks per game (5.9). They also rank in the top 30 nationally in three-point field goal defense (.264), rebounds per game (40.7), rebound margin (+7.9), defensive rebounds per game (29.1) and bench points per contest (24.0). The Hawks are proficient on the glass as they have outrebounded their opponents 24 times this season.
The winner of Thursday's game will face Duquesne in the second round. Date, time, and location will be determined Thursday night.
For more ticket information call 1-877-UB-THERE or click here to purchase.
It is the second WNIT appearance and seventh overall postseason berth for the Bulls.
The game will be streamed on ESPN+ with Ryan Maxwell (play-by-play) and Jared Zeidman (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 first-ever meeting between Buffalo and Monmouth. UB is 16-9 all-time against opponents from the Colonial Athletic Conference.
Buffalo enters Thursday's contest with a 19-13 overall record and 10-8 league mark after advancing to the MAC championship game on Saturday where they fell to Kent State. The conference announced its postseason awards last week, with Chellia Watson receiving All-MAC First Team recognition and Kirsten Lewis-Williams named Freshman of the Year honors while also earning All-MAC Honorable Mention and All-Freshman Team honors.
Watson, a five-time MAC Player of the Week, led the league and ranks fifth in the nation in scoring at 22.9 points per game to go with 5.0 rebounds and 3.3 assists per contest. She also ranks in the top 10 nationally in field goals made (285), field goals made per game (8.9) and total points (6733). Lewis-Williams currently ranked first and third, respectively, among all rookies in the league in scoring (11.8 ppg) and rebounding (5.2). Senior Rana Elhusseini leads the team in assists (114) and steals (49) while ranking third in scoring (9.1 ppg) and freshman Alexis Davis leads the Bulls in rebounding (6.3 rpg).
As a team, Buffalo led the MAC and ranks 22nd nationally in three-point field goal defense (.273) while also ranking in the top four in the league in scoring defense (63.4), scoring margin (+2.7), field goal defense (.388), free throw percentage (.737) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.0). The Bulls are averaging 32 points per game in the paint while also turning defense into offense, averaging 14 points per contest off opponent's turnovers.
The Monmouth Hawks enter Thursday's first round game with a 21-9 overall record and 14-4 CAA record after falling in the conference quarterfinal game to eventual champion Drexel. The Hawks are led offensively by a pair of Third Team All-CAA honorees in Kaci Donovan, who is averaging 12.0 points per game, and Ariana Vanderhoop (10.8 ppg). Jania Hall was named the CAA Sixth Player of the Year after averaging 8.7 points with 50+ assists and Belle Kranbuhl was named to the CAA All-Defensive Team for the second straight year after leading the team in rebounding (7.5 rpg).
Monmouth ended the regular season on a school-record 12-game road win streak. As a team the Hawks have 176 total blocks and are fourth in the nation in blocks per game (5.9). They also rank in the top 30 nationally in three-point field goal defense (.264), rebounds per game (40.7), rebound margin (+7.9), defensive rebounds per game (29.1) and bench points per contest (24.0). The Hawks are proficient on the glass as they have outrebounded their opponents 24 times this season.
The winner of Thursday's game will face Duquesne in the second round. Date, time, and location will be determined Thursday night.
For more ticket information call 1-877-UB-THERE or click here to purchase.
Players Mentioned
G/F
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
Guard
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