Late Rally Not Enough as Bulls Drop Contest to Tarleton State on Friday

Friday, December 19

Abilene, TX

8:30pm (EST)

University at Buffalo

2-8,0-0MAC

Tarleton State

6-4,0-0WAC

Tarleton St.

Buffalo

Late Rally Not Enough as Bulls Drop Contest to Tarleton State on Friday

12/20/2025 12:32:00 AM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

ABILENE, TEXAS – The University at Buffalo women's basketball team outscored Tarleton State 18-10 in the fourth quarter but the late rally came up short as the Bulls fell to the Texans 70-65 in the first game of the ACU Christmas Classic at Moody Coliseum on Friday night.

Four Bulls scored in double figures on the night, led by redshirt freshman Aniya Rowe who scored a career-high points to go with six rebounds and five assists. Freshman Deana Thompson also recorded a new career-high with 14 points and freshman Meg Lucas had another monster game, scoring 14 points while setting a new career-high with 17 rebounds. Junior guard Paula Lopez also scored in double figures with 13 points.

Tarleton State opened the game on a 10-3 run before Diann Jackson hit a midrange jumper, and Lucas skied up for a layup to pull UB within three, but the Texans answered with a run of their own to take an 18-9 lead at the media timeout. Buffalo then closed the quarter on a 7-0 run, capped by a pair of tough buckets from Rowe and Lucas, to cut the lead to two at the end of the first.

Rowe continued to attack as she got to the rim for a layup before Lopez knocked down a triple to make it a one possession game early in the second quarter, but the Texans answered with a pair of scores to go up by seven at the media timeout. Rowe continued to find her rhythm as she scored on three straight possessions before Lucas powered up for an offensive rebound putback to cut the lead to 35-29 at the half.

The Texans opened the third quarter on a 5-0 run to take a double-digit lead and force an early UB timeout. Buffalo then turned up the pressure and capitalized as Thompson scored on a fastbreak layup before Janyah Bohanon forced a turnover and Thompson converted the layup and Lucas scored on a second chance layup to cap a 7-0 run and pull UB within six at the 6:17 mark. Later, Lopez drained a corner three to pull UB within five, but the Texans answered with a second chance bucket and a triple at the buzzer to take a 60-47 lead at the end of the third.

The Bulls opened the fourth quarter on a 9-2 run, sparked by a Thompson three and fastbreak buckets from Lucas and Thompson, to cut the lead to single digits, but the Texans answered with second chance points to take a 10-point lead at the final media timeout. Thompson sliced to the basket for a bucket plus the foul before Rowe knocked down a pair of free throws to pull UB within five with just under two minutes remaining, but UB would get no closer as the late rally came up short.

Buffalo won the battle on the boards, outrebounding Tarleton State 45-33, including 20 offensive rebounds while also scoring 32 points in the paint and 17 fastbreak points but turnovers proved costly for UB as they committed 20 and the Texans capitalized scoring 22 points off those miscues.

Up next, Buffalo will have a quick turnaround as they take on Abilene Christian at 4pm (EST) on Saturday.

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