Wednesday, February 19
Buffalo, NY
6:00pm
21-4,10-3MAC
76
vs
70
Kent State
16-10,8-5MAC
1
2
3
4
F
Kent St.
20
16
21
13
70
Buffalo
11
24
17
24
76
Photo by: Paul Hokanson / UB Athletics
Resilient Bulls Rally for 76-70 Win Over Kent State on Wednesday
2/19/2025 9:30:00 PM | Women's Basketball
BUFFALO, NY – The University at Buffalo women's basketball team (21-4, 10-3 MAC) outscored Kent State 24-13 in the fourth quarter to complete a second half comeback and defeat the Golden Flashes 76-70 in a pivotal late-season matchup at Alumni Arena on Wednesday night.
Fifth year guard Chellia Watson put on a show for the home crowd, tying a season-high with 28 points to go with nine rebounds. Sophomore Kirsten Lewis-Williams also scored in double figures with 17 points, including 7-of-9 shooting from the free throw line and Noelani Cornfield flirted with a triple-double with 13 points, eight rebounds and 10 assists.
Kent State opened the game on an 8-2 run to take the lead at the first media timeout. Watson recorded UB's first field goal of the game at the 3:46 mark on a runner in the paint before knocking down a triple on the wing, and later, Cornfield flew up court and banked home a mid-range jumper to pull the Bulls within single digits at the end of the first.
Lewis-Williams scored the first four points of the second quarter and then later found Watson for a pair of jumpers as UB cut the lead to four, but the visitors answered with a 5-0 run to take a 28-19 lead at the media timeout. Cornfield got to the rim for a layup and Terah Harness followed with a triple on UB's next possession to cut the lead to four at the 3:47 mark. Sitota Gines gave the Bulls a spark with a corner three and then the Bulls ramped up the defense as Harness came up with a pair of steals and converted the ensuing fastbreak layup before Cornfield put her defender on skates and finished off glass at the buzzer to cap a 6-0 rum and cut the lead to 36-35 at the half.
Senior forward Jordyn Beaty powered up for a layup on UB's first possession of the third quarter and then scored inside again a couple possessions later before Lewis-Williams sliced to the basket for a layup plus the foul and then spun through the lane for an acrobatic layup off glass to pull UB within one, but Kent State then got to the charity stripe on three straight possessions to take a 52-46 lead at the media timeout. The visitors took a nine-point lead at the 3:42 mark but the Bulls answered as Watson found Harness for a fastbreak layup before curling off a screen and knocking down a midrange jumper of her own and then Cornfield got to the free throw line in the final seconds to pull UB within five at the end of the third.
Kent State took a 10-point lead early in the fourth quarter before the Bulls began to chip away as Beaty, Watson and Lewis-Williams scored on three straight possessions and then Watson got a running jumper to drop to pull UB within two, but the Golden Flashes had an answer and maintained a 67-62 lead at the media timeout. Senior forward Ariana Seawell got deep position for a layup before Watson scored on three straight trips down the floor to give UB their first lead of the game, 70-67, with two minutes to go and Cornfield and Watson would seal the game from the charity stripe as they went 6-of-6 in the final 90 seconds to secure the victory.
Buffalo dominated inside, outscoring Kent State 46-24 in the paint, while also continuing to turn defense into offense as they forced 15 turnovers and scored 20 points off those miscues. The Bulls also excelled in transition, recording a season-high 35 fastbreak points.
"So incredibly proud of our group for battling tonight for 40 minutes," said head coach Becky Burke. "I think this game was a huge turning point for us in terms of coming together and winning a tough one that took each and every one of us. They prepared at the highest level this week to win that game and it showed in our performance. We will definitely enjoy this one."
Up next, Buffalo will close out the month with a pair of road games, beginning on Saturday, February 22 as they travel to Oxford for a clash with the Miami (OH) RedHawks. Tipoff from Millett Hall is set for 1pm.
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.
Click here for ticket information.
Click here for information on the Blue & White Fund and how you can help UB Athletics.
Fifth year guard Chellia Watson put on a show for the home crowd, tying a season-high with 28 points to go with nine rebounds. Sophomore Kirsten Lewis-Williams also scored in double figures with 17 points, including 7-of-9 shooting from the free throw line and Noelani Cornfield flirted with a triple-double with 13 points, eight rebounds and 10 assists.
Kent State opened the game on an 8-2 run to take the lead at the first media timeout. Watson recorded UB's first field goal of the game at the 3:46 mark on a runner in the paint before knocking down a triple on the wing, and later, Cornfield flew up court and banked home a mid-range jumper to pull the Bulls within single digits at the end of the first.
Lewis-Williams scored the first four points of the second quarter and then later found Watson for a pair of jumpers as UB cut the lead to four, but the visitors answered with a 5-0 run to take a 28-19 lead at the media timeout. Cornfield got to the rim for a layup and Terah Harness followed with a triple on UB's next possession to cut the lead to four at the 3:47 mark. Sitota Gines gave the Bulls a spark with a corner three and then the Bulls ramped up the defense as Harness came up with a pair of steals and converted the ensuing fastbreak layup before Cornfield put her defender on skates and finished off glass at the buzzer to cap a 6-0 rum and cut the lead to 36-35 at the half.
Senior forward Jordyn Beaty powered up for a layup on UB's first possession of the third quarter and then scored inside again a couple possessions later before Lewis-Williams sliced to the basket for a layup plus the foul and then spun through the lane for an acrobatic layup off glass to pull UB within one, but Kent State then got to the charity stripe on three straight possessions to take a 52-46 lead at the media timeout. The visitors took a nine-point lead at the 3:42 mark but the Bulls answered as Watson found Harness for a fastbreak layup before curling off a screen and knocking down a midrange jumper of her own and then Cornfield got to the free throw line in the final seconds to pull UB within five at the end of the third.
Kent State took a 10-point lead early in the fourth quarter before the Bulls began to chip away as Beaty, Watson and Lewis-Williams scored on three straight possessions and then Watson got a running jumper to drop to pull UB within two, but the Golden Flashes had an answer and maintained a 67-62 lead at the media timeout. Senior forward Ariana Seawell got deep position for a layup before Watson scored on three straight trips down the floor to give UB their first lead of the game, 70-67, with two minutes to go and Cornfield and Watson would seal the game from the charity stripe as they went 6-of-6 in the final 90 seconds to secure the victory.
Buffalo dominated inside, outscoring Kent State 46-24 in the paint, while also continuing to turn defense into offense as they forced 15 turnovers and scored 20 points off those miscues. The Bulls also excelled in transition, recording a season-high 35 fastbreak points.
"So incredibly proud of our group for battling tonight for 40 minutes," said head coach Becky Burke. "I think this game was a huge turning point for us in terms of coming together and winning a tough one that took each and every one of us. They prepared at the highest level this week to win that game and it showed in our performance. We will definitely enjoy this one."
Up next, Buffalo will close out the month with a pair of road games, beginning on Saturday, February 22 as they travel to Oxford for a clash with the Miami (OH) RedHawks. Tipoff from Millett Hall is set for 1pm.
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.
Click here for ticket information.
Click here for information on the Blue & White Fund and how you can help UB Athletics.
Team Stats
KentSt
UB
FG%
.393
.537
3FG%
.409
.333
FT%
.650
.789
RB
34
31
TO
15
14
STL
9
9
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
28
FGM
12
3FGM
1
FTM
3
Pts
17
FGM
5
3FGM
0
FTM
7
Pts
13
FGM
4
3FGM
0
FTM
5
Pts
7
FGM
3
3FGM
1
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
Forward
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's BasketballG
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