Thursday, March 21
Buffalo, NY
6:00pm
19-14,10-8MAC
58
vs
68
Monmouth University
22-9,14-4CAA
1
2
3
4
F
Monmouth
7
26
10
25
68
Buffalo
14
7
14
23
58
Photo by: Paul Hokanson/UBBulls.com
Bulls Season Comes to an End with Loss to Monmouth in WNIT
3/21/2024 8:47:00 PM | Women's Basketball
BUFFALO, NY – The University at Buffalo women's basketball team saw its special season officially come to a close with a 68-58 loss to Monmouth in the first round of the WNIT at Alumni Arena on Thursday night.
First Team All-MAC selection Chellia Watson led the Bulls offensively, scoring a game-high 26 points to go with eight rebounds. MAC Freshman of the Year Kirsten Lewis-Williams also scored in double figures with 12 points while Rana Elhusseini, playing in the final game of her career, narrowly missed out on a double-double with nine points and 10 rebounds.
The Hawks scored on their first two possessions of the game but Watson answered with a pair of jumpers before Lewis-Williams got to the rim for the bucket plus the foul to give UB an 8-7 lead at the first media timeout. The UB defense clamped down as they shut out the Hawks for the remainder of the quarter and took advantage offensively as Watson got out in transition to lead the Bulls on a 6-0 run to give them a 14-7 lead at the end of the first.
Monmouth opened the second quarter on a 13-5 run to take a one-point lead at the media timeout. They then continued the run to go up 27-19 before Watson hit a jumper in the paint, but the visitors then closed the quarter on a 6-0 run to take a 33-21 lead at the break.
The teams traded baskets to start the third quarter as Monmouth maintained a 10-point lead at the media timeout. The Bulls got back to basics, turning defense into offense as they used a 6-0 run to pull within six and force a Monmouth timeout at the three-minute mark. Later, Watson converted another jumper in traffic with just under a minute to go to pull UB within eight at the end of the third.
Monmouth opened the fourth quarter on an 11-4 run before Watson knocked down a midrange jumper on the wing to pull UB within 13 at the 6:45 mark. Later, Watson converted a second chance jump shot, Lewis-Williams scored in the paint and Watson followed with a floater on the wing to pull UB within six with 2:10 to go. Watson then drained a deep step-back triple as the Bulls cut the lead to 55-50 with 1:32 remaining but that would be as close as they would get as the Hawks sealed the game at the free throw line.
UB committed just 10 turnovers to Monmouth's 12 but were outrebounded 47-38. The teams were fairly even in field goal percentage but the Hawks went 20-of-22 from the charity stripe and maintained a 36-30 edge in the paint.
"I'm very proud of this group, this season, and our program," said head coach Becky Burke. "Obviously not the way we wanted it to end but it doesn't take away from what we achieved and accomplished this year in our second year at Buffalo. They have been a joy to coach this season and our future is very bright."
The Bulls finished the season with a 19-14 overall record, a seven win improvement from year one under Burke.
First Team All-MAC selection Chellia Watson led the Bulls offensively, scoring a game-high 26 points to go with eight rebounds. MAC Freshman of the Year Kirsten Lewis-Williams also scored in double figures with 12 points while Rana Elhusseini, playing in the final game of her career, narrowly missed out on a double-double with nine points and 10 rebounds.
The Hawks scored on their first two possessions of the game but Watson answered with a pair of jumpers before Lewis-Williams got to the rim for the bucket plus the foul to give UB an 8-7 lead at the first media timeout. The UB defense clamped down as they shut out the Hawks for the remainder of the quarter and took advantage offensively as Watson got out in transition to lead the Bulls on a 6-0 run to give them a 14-7 lead at the end of the first.
Monmouth opened the second quarter on a 13-5 run to take a one-point lead at the media timeout. They then continued the run to go up 27-19 before Watson hit a jumper in the paint, but the visitors then closed the quarter on a 6-0 run to take a 33-21 lead at the break.
The teams traded baskets to start the third quarter as Monmouth maintained a 10-point lead at the media timeout. The Bulls got back to basics, turning defense into offense as they used a 6-0 run to pull within six and force a Monmouth timeout at the three-minute mark. Later, Watson converted another jumper in traffic with just under a minute to go to pull UB within eight at the end of the third.
Monmouth opened the fourth quarter on an 11-4 run before Watson knocked down a midrange jumper on the wing to pull UB within 13 at the 6:45 mark. Later, Watson converted a second chance jump shot, Lewis-Williams scored in the paint and Watson followed with a floater on the wing to pull UB within six with 2:10 to go. Watson then drained a deep step-back triple as the Bulls cut the lead to 55-50 with 1:32 remaining but that would be as close as they would get as the Hawks sealed the game at the free throw line.
UB committed just 10 turnovers to Monmouth's 12 but were outrebounded 47-38. The teams were fairly even in field goal percentage but the Hawks went 20-of-22 from the charity stripe and maintained a 36-30 edge in the paint.
"I'm very proud of this group, this season, and our program," said head coach Becky Burke. "Obviously not the way we wanted it to end but it doesn't take away from what we achieved and accomplished this year in our second year at Buffalo. They have been a joy to coach this season and our future is very bright."
The Bulls finished the season with a 19-14 overall record, a seven win improvement from year one under Burke.
Team Stats
MU
UB
FG%
.361
.343
3FG%
.190
.167
FT%
.909
.818
RB
47
38
TO
12
10
STL
5
8
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
26
FGM
12
3FGM
1
FTM
1
Pts
12
FGM
4
3FGM
0
FTM
4
Pts
9
FGM
3
3FGM
1
FTM
2
Pts
5
FGM
2
3FGM
1
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's BasketballGuard
/ Women's Basketball1-on-1 with new head women's basketball coach Kristen Sharkey | A Sisterhood
Thursday, May 29
1-on-1 with new head women's basketball coach Kristen Sharkey | What Lead Me to Coaching
Thursday, May 29
1-on-1 with new head women's basketball coach Kristen Sharkey | Excited and Joyful
Thursday, May 29
1-on-1 with new head women's basketball coach Kristen Sharkey | Playstyle
Thursday, May 29
