Bulls Drop Heartbreaker to Hampton in Puerto Rico

BAYAMON, PUERTO RICO – A last second shot fell short as the University at Buffalo women's basketball team dropped a heartbreaker to Hampton, 58-56, to close out play at the Puerto Rico Clasico on Saturday.

Freshman forward Meg Lucas shined, recording a double-double with 12 points and a career-high 15 rebounds. Junior guard Paula Lopez also scored 12 points, including 3-of-5 shooting from beyond the arc and fellow junior Janyah Bohanon added eight points.

The Bulls scored on their first four possessions of the game, capped by a Deana Thompson triple and a driving layup from Bohanon, to take an early 9-3 lead, but the Pirates used a 6-0 run to cut the lead to two at the media timeout. Hampton continued to heat up from deep as they made a corner three to tie the game at 15. Later, Gabby McDuffie drained a long two from the corner and Diann Jackson went to work for a bucket inside to give the Bulls a 19-17 lead at the end of the first.

Thompson sliced to the basket for a driving layup, Bohanon skied up for an offensive rebound putback, and Lucas got the steal and took it coast-to-coast to put UB up by six, but Hampton answered with an 8-0 run to take a 27-25 lead with three minutes remaining. Lucas scored off glass and then knocked down a mid-range jumper to put UB up by two, but the Pirates converted on a second chance layup to tie the game at 31 at the half.

Hampton scored on their first two possessions of the third quarter and then extended the run to 6-0 before Lopez drilled a triple on the wing to make it a one-possession game at the media timeout. Bohanon got a jumper in the paint to drop but the Pirates responded with a three at the other end and they would take a 40-38 lead at the end of the third.

Lopez knocked down a big triple on the wing to tie the game at 41 early in the fourth quarter, but Hampton answered with a 7-0 run. Bohanon converted a tough turnaround baseline jumper to end the UB scoring drought and Lucas followed with a free-throw line jumper to pull UB back within three at the final media timeout. The Bulls continued to chip away as Jackson and Lucas fought for a pair of second chance layups before Lopez drained a three from the top of the key to tie the game at 54 with 2:37 remaining. Jackson scored out of a timeout to tie the game at 56, but Hampton responded with a second chance layup to take the lead. The Bulls had one last chance with six seconds remaining but a shot from Lopez at the buzzer came up short.

The Bulls outrebounded Hampton by 10, including 14 offensive boards, and maintained a 28-16 advantage in the paint, but turnovers proved costly once again as the Pirates scored 23 points off UB miscues while adding 11 second chance points.

Up next, Buffalo will return to Western New York to host Big 4 rival Niagara on Native American Heritage Night at Alumni Arena on Wednesday, December 3 at 6pm.

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.

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University at Buffalo Athletics

Bulls Drop Heartbreaker to Hampton in Puerto Rico

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Players Mentioned

Janyah Bohanon

Diann Jackson

Paula Lopez

Meg Lucas

Gabby McDuffie

Deana Thompson

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