Ranking the Top Ten Wins of the 2024-25 UB Women's Basketball Season
4/10/2025 4:45:00 PM | Women's Basketball
The 2024-25 UB women's basketball season was one for the history books. Of their program record-setting thirty wins this season, ten stand out as the most memorable games that led to a WNIT Championship. With comebacks and remarkable individual performances a plenty, here's my ranking of the most impactful and memorable wins of the historic season.
10. Sito Gines Breakout Game - January 15th at Eastern Michigan - 77-55 W
After suffering their harshest loss of the season vs Ball State, the Bulls went on the road to Ypsilanti with the intention of shaking things up. Coach Burke made a change to the starting lineup that would prove valuable for the rest of the season. Sitota Gines earned her first start of the season to provide a spark defensively, but it also led to immediate offensive impact. The senior guard scored the first seven points of the game for Buffalo, en route to a career high eighteen points, shooting five-of-seven from the field, while recording six rebounds and two steals. Gines became a difference-maker for the Bulls, going on to start in eighteen games this season.
9. Fourth Quarter Comeback - January 18th vs Miami (OH) - 59-51 W
The Miami Redhawks were the dark horse in the MAC this season, challenging Buffalo for the top defensive statistics all season long. Both teams entered the game even in the MAC Standings at 3-3 in league play. The Redhawks won the low-scoring duel in the first half, leading the Bulls 32-22 at halftime. Trailing by as many as fifteen points in the third quarter, Buffalo put on their "mad dog" defense, leading to one of the most impressive defensive stretches UB fans saw all season. In the fourth quarter, the Bulls held Miami to just two made shots in their thirteen attempts from the field without sending the Redhawks to the free throw line a single time. Led by a career-high twenty-nine points and ten rebounds from sophomore Kirsten Lewis-Williams, Buffalo gained crucial, early-season ground over Miami in the standings.
8. Late Breakthrough At BGSU - January 8th at Bowling Green - 70-60 W
Since Becky Burke took over as Head Coach, The Stroh Center at Bowling Green has strangely been one of UB's best venues, having won there in each of her first two seasons. After sweeping the Falcons and ending their season in the Quarterfinal last year, the only scheduled rematch this season was expected to be a dog fight, and boy did it live up to the hype. Coming off their first loss of the season at Kent State, Buffalo remained on the road for an extended trip, building the anticipation for what has become a bit of a rivalry against BGSU.
Bowling Green began the game on a 13-0 run, stunning the Bulls, who couldn't seem to have an answer to Erika Porter in the paint. Enter Jordyn Beaty, brought off the bench halfway into the opening quarter. Beaty, who had only played six minutes per game through nine appearances at that point, became the most impactful player on the floor, showing no fear against one of the top post players in the MAC. The senior Bull earned her first "Dawg of the Game" award with six points and four rebounds in twenty-three minutes of playing time, which helped to ignite the Buffalo comeback effort.
UB trailed 50-45 entering the fourth quarter, before two made Chellia Watson jumpers brought it within one. Then, off a defensive stop, Watson snagged a rebound and started the fastbreak with a long pass to Paula Lopez, who dimed up Noelani Cornfield for the go-ahead bucket, giving Buffalo their first lead of the day at 53-52. The Bulls never looked back. The exclamation point on the win was perhaps one of the best individual plays of the season: Cornfield crossed up Bowling Green's Paige Kohler, sending the sophomore to the floor as Buffalo's point guard blew past her for the easy lay up. UB sealed the victory, outsourcing BG 25-10 in the fourth quarter.
7. Defensive Dominance in Kalamazoo - January 29th at Western Michigan - 73-40 W
The Bulls took to Kalamazoo on a four game winning streak, including two dominant wins in that two-week stretch. Western Michigan sat one game behind Buffalo in the MAC standings. The Bronco's stout defense, especially on their home floor, had led them to a 5-3 league record out the gates, which included a 41-38 win over Toledo at University Arena. UB was prepared for a hard-nosed defensive duel on WMU's "Class at the Court" day, with an early Wednesday morning tipoff and hundreds of young Broncos fans in attendance.
I'm not sure if it was due to the fire playlist that the DJ was bumping or what, but from the time Buffalo took to the floor for warmups, you could tell the Bulls were feeling good and we were in for a treat. The game started with back to back shot clock violations, meeting our original expectations for a low-scoring battle. From that point on, though, UB took the lead and never gave it up with a defensive performance for the record books. Buffalo outscored Western Michigan 28-8 in the second quarter, leading to a 42-18 lead at halftime. The Bulls went on to force twenty-five Bronco turnovers, the second most forced against a Division I opponent on the season to that point.
6. MAC Quarterfinal Comeback - March 12th vs Bowling Green - 65-63 W
Heading to Cleveland as the third seed in the MAC Tournament, it was widely agreed upon that Buffalo had drawn the toughest Quarterfinal matchup, the sixth seeded Bowling Green Falcons. They were the hottest team in the conference at that point, having won seven of their last eight games of the regular season, with the lone loss coming in double overtime. Not to mention, this was a rematch of not only my 8th-ranked win of the season, but the 2024 MAC Quarterfinal, which Buffalo won as well.
Picking up where she left off in their first meeting of the season, Beaty bothered Porter from the jump. The Texas native had four points, two rebounds, an assist and a steal, helping Buffalo take a 13-10 lead after one quarter. However, Beaty went down with an upper body injury early in the second quarter and would not return to the game, putting the spotlight on Ari Seawell and Alexis Davis, who hadn't played in the last four games of the regular season due to an injury of her own. The Bulls' forwards took some time to find their footing, which Bowling Green took advantage of, with inside-out play leading to a commanding 49-37 lead after three quarters.
Buffalo, who had become entirely too familiar with erasing fourth quarter deficits, went to work with their season on the line. By the media timeout, the Bulls had cut the BG lead down to five points. An and-one from Watson, plus free throws from Cornfield and KLW tied the game at 57 with 3:35 left in regulation time. Back and forth the two teams went, until the game was tied again at 63, and with :31 on the clock, Bowling Green had the chance at the final shot of the game. After a Falcon timeout, Cornfield picked the pocket of BG freshman Johnea Donahue, giving Buffalo possession with :19 left. Coach Burke drew up the full court play, got the ball into Chellia Watson's hands, and let the Bulls' leading scorer go to work, and that she did. With a baseline drive and easy layup, Buffalo took the lead, 65-63, needing one defensive stop to keep their season alive. Right on cue, Kirsten Lewis-Williams stole the ball away from Amy Velasko, leading to the clock eventually ticking away and Buffalo advancing to the MAC Semifinal.
While Buffalo would fall in the next game to Toledo, I am confident when I say that the Bulls would likely not have made the WNIT field had they lost this game. Despite not knowing it at the time, this comeback would eventually allow Buffalo the opportunity to make history in the Postseason WNIT.
5. A B1G Win In the WNIT Great 8 - March 30th vs Rutgers - 71-64 W
For the first time since December of 2018, UB welcomed a Power 4 opponent to Alumni Arena, and boy did WNY show out for it. On a Sunday afternoon in late March, over 2,000 fans poured in to see if the Bulls could pull off another Postseason WNIT win, this time against a much taller and battle-tested Rutgers squad. The entire Rutgers starting lineup was over six-feet tall, while Buffalo had just one player over six-foot in the starting five, and that was Beaty, who is listed at 6'0 even.
For the fans that had been following the Bulls all season, there was no doubt in their minds that Buffalo would overcome a seven point halftime deficit, 34-27. Rutgers guard Destiny Adams had eighteen points in the first half, clearly causing the UB defense fits. The second half was remarkable, specifically Chellia Watson, who took over in the fourth quarter, scoring thirteen of her game-high twenty-eight points in the final frame. As a team, the Bulls took full advantage of twenty-two Scarlet Knight fouls, shooting 27-30 from the free throw line over the course of the game. Outsourcing Rutgers by ten in the fourth quarter, Buffalo secured a 71-64 win at home in the Postseason WNIT Great 8. As the final buzzer rang out, it began to feel like the Bulls had just beaten the best team they could see all Postseason, and that a Championship might be within reach.
This victory marked the program's first home win over a P4 opponent since November of 2000, when the Bulls knocked off North Carolina 95-89. It was their first overall win over a P4 opponent since they had beat Rutgers in the First Round in the 2019 NCAA Tournament.
4. Revenge Against The Flashes - February 19th vs Kent State - 76-70 W
The taste of defeat in the 2024 MAC Championship lingered well into the new season, and was refreshed when Buffalo lost at Kent State on January 5th, 2025. Coach Becky Burke had yet to defeat the Golden Flashes in her time at UB, and with KSU one game back of Buffalo in the standings ahead of the rematch at Alumni Arena, the Bulls were hungry beyond belief to finally come out on top.
Exactly as it had been the case each time these two met in the previous four games, Kent State jumped out to an early lead, leading 20-11 after the first quarter. The second quarter began back and forth, with KSU on top by nine at the media timeout, with just under five minutes left in the first half. Following that break, the Bulls went on a 16-8 run to bring the game within one point at halftime, trailing 36-35 at halftime. Despite the lead changing sides a few times throughout the third quarter, Kent State added onto their lead and took a 57-52 lead into the fourth.
After two quick buckets from the Flashes, Buffalo trailed by ten points, 62-52. It took a team effort from UB in the final eight minutes to overcome *another* late deficit and find a way to secure a home win. An 8-0 Bulls run over the next ninety seconds had Alumni Arena rocking, with all of the momentum wearing Buffalo blue and white. Kent State silenced the crowd with a few made shots, but once again, UB's defense came to life, with Noelani Cornfield giving Dionna Gray fits, forcing seven KSU turnovers in the fourth quarter.
When the Bulls went down 67-64 with 2:47 left, Chellia Watson went on a 6-0 run by herself, giving Buffalo a three point lead with two minutes to play. A Sito Gines rejection on Gray set up a game of free throws, and Cornfield made four straight, followed by a pair from Watson to secure the hard fought victory.
3. WNIT Second Round Comeback - March 23rd vs UMass - 84-82 OTW
Following the heartbreak of falling short in the MAC Tournament, the Bulls accepted a bid for the Postseason WNIT, and earned a bye through the first round. The question on everyone's mind heading into this game was "how badly do the players want to win this?" It was generally agreed upon that Buffalo, who had the most wins of any team in the WNIT field, was one of the best teams in the Tournament, but as Coach Burke had echoed all week in practice, the team that wants it more will win the whole thing. Effort and willingness to fight for every win is what would lead a team to a championship.
Against the much taller UMass team, who had been playing equally as impressive defense as Buffalo had been, the Bulls battled through a back and forth first quarter, trailing by just three points after one. The second frame was more of the same: as expected, tight defense, low scoring, and fairly even play, with the Minutewomen leading 33-31 at halftime. UMass came out of the locker room with something to prove, having just dominated Stonehill in the first round of the WNIT, the visitors came to Buffalo with no thought of their season ending that Sunday afternoon. In the third quarter, UMass shot 56% from the field, and held UB to just 36%, resulting in a 61-45 lead entering the fourth quarter.
Ten minutes separated Buffalo from the screeching halt of the season, less than two weeks after the anguish of defeat in Cleveland. To make matters worse, Kirsten Lewis-Williams fouled out of the game less than three minutes into the fourth quarter, with the Bulls trailing by thirteen. Gines came in to replace KLW and immediately forced a turnover. That was the first of nine forced UMass turnovers in the final seven minutes of the game, leading to a 18-6 run for Buffalo, eventually tying the game at 74 to force overtime.
In the first and only overtime period that Buffalo would play in all season, the Bulls and Minutewomen traded layups and free throws, keeping the game within one possession throughout the full five minute period. With 1:50 left, Cornfield found Arianna Seawell at the post, who capitalized, laying it in to give Buffalo the 84-82 lead. That was the last of a career-high fifteen assists for the Gowanda native. The UB defense forced a missed shot, and the Sito Gines came up with the game-clinching steal in the final possession of the game, advancing Buffalo to the WNIT Super 16. In the victory, three Bulls recorded at least four steals: Lewis-Williams, Gines, and Cornfield, helping to create twenty-eight UMass turnovers.
2. Largest Comeback In Program History - December 19th vs Vermont - 70-68 W
Through the first nine games of the season, Buffalo was off to a tremendous start. So good, in fact, that they were just three wins away from setting a new mark as the best start in program history. With a 9-0 record, the Bulls welcomed in Vermont, who's 5-7 record did not reflect their WNIT Fab Four run from 2024, nor did it indicate that the Catamounts would go on to win their second America East Conference Tournament in the last three season when they would punch their ticket to the "big dance" in 2025.
The first quarter saw five combined made three-pointers, with Vermont shooting three-of-eight from beyond the arc out of the gates. It was clear that the Catamounts would continue to launch the treys all night long, whether or not Buffalo was in a good position defensively. The second quarter just added more evidence to make this case, with Vermont splashing four of their eleven three-point attempts. Not only were the green and yellow hitting their shots, but their defense was stifling Buffalo, who shot three-of-fifteen in the second frame. At halftime, the visitors from Vermont had a commanding 42-25 lead over the Bulls.
The outside shots continued to fall for the Catamounts, knocking down three more triples in the third. Meanwhile, Buffalo continued to struggle finding their rhythm offensively, with missed layups and mid-range jumpers not falling. With just under four and a half minutes to play in the third, Vermont led 57-34. As Coach Burke had been preaching since game one, the Bulls' offense would have to come from their defense, and with just a few minutes left in the quarter, the UB defense came to life. They ended the third quarter on a 9-2 run, cutting the deficit from twenty-three points down to sixteen.
After a pair of made free throws from KLW, Vermont responded with another made three-pointer, silencing the festive, mid-December crowd once more. Not ten seconds later, though, Terah Harness drilled a transition three of her own to neutralize the situation. With their "mad dog" press, Buffalo began to speed up the Vermont offense, leading to turnovers and subsequent UB fast breaks. The Bulls kept chipping into the deficit, and as the midway point of the quarter was approaching, Chellia Watson converted on a layup to bring Buffalo within three points, forcing a Vermont timeout. The faithful fans at Alumni Arena rose to their feet in celebration of UB's 17-4 run to open the fourth quarter.
In the following two minutes out of that timeout, the teams went a combined zero-for-seven from the field, keeping the score at 63-60 Vermont entering the final three minutes. Finally, Lewis-Williams got to the rack and converted a layup to end Buffalo's scoreless drought, cutting the Catamount lead down to one point. Two Vermont turnovers and a defensive stop later, Chellia Watson's and-one layup gave Buffalo the 64-63 lead with 1:14 left. Despite missing the free throw, Watson hustled back on defense and stole the ball back for UB, leading to an easy fast break layup to extend the Bulls' lead up to 66-63. After another Vermont turnover, Watson put the nail in the Catamounts' coffin with a mid range jumper to give Buffalo a five-point lead with sixteen seconds left.
Even with a Vermont three-pointer in the dying seconds of the game, two Cornfield made free throws put the game on ice, as Buffalo ended the night out-scoring the visitors 27-9 in the final quarter. Four Bulls scored in double figures and Cornfield added eight points and eight assists en route to the come-from-behind win.
Honorable Mentions:
HM #1. Road Win Without KLW - January 25th at Akron - 80-71 W
In the only game that Kirsten Lewis-Williams missed due to injury all season, the Bulls found a way to win in Akron, a feat never before accomplished in the Becky Burke era. KLW blossomed into a vocal leader from the bench while UB mounted another comeback after trailing by 13 after one quarter. Four Bulls scored in double figures to rally and extend their winning streak to four games.
HM #2. Wire-to-Wire In WNIT Super 16 - March 27th at Southern Indiana - 76-64 W
It was one of the most hostile environments the Bulls played in all season. From a fans perspective, it was exactly what you want from a postseason crowd in the Hoosier State. Buffalo threw the first punch, silencing the packed arena with a 9-2 run in the opening three minutes, forcing a USI timeout. Once Buffalo took a nine-point lead in the second quarter, the margin never shrunk any lower. Through multiple USI attempts at stealing momentum in the second half, UB had an answer every time. Harness hit three first half triples, Cornfield stuffed the stats sheet, and Buffalo held USI's top player scoreless in the first half.
HM #3. Foreshadowing In Season Opener - November 4th vs Troy - 80-78 W
Little did we all know that the first game of the season, matched up by the MAC and Sun Belt Conferences as a part of the MAC-SBC Challenge, would be a direct preview of the Postseason WNIT Title Game. In a foul-laden season opener, the Bulls were figuring out how each player fit within the system. Despite Cornfield fouling out and two other players dealing with four fouls, Buffalo found a way to win it.
1. WNIT Championship Victory - April 5th vs Troy - 88-84 W
The anticipation for the WNIT Championship game could not have been higher, with a record-breaking sellout crowd announced well before tip-off against Troy.
With every seat in Alumni Arena filled, the noise level reached record highs in decibels in the first two minutes of the game, with the Bulls opening the title game on a 6-0 run. Buffalo didn't allow a made field goal until more than four minutes into the rematch from the first game of the season, which got the crowd engaged immediately. The Trojans embraced the role as villains, having won two road games in the Great 8 and Fab 4 to set themselves up for a shot at the Championship in Amherst. The high-caliber Troy offense went to work, inside-outside, going on a 13-4 run to mute the fans in blue. A Chellia Watson three-pointer with two minutes left in the opening quarter was just what the doctor ordered to get the energy back up and end the Troy run. The Trojans maintained a three point lead after ten minutes.
In the second frame, Troy seemingly couldn't miss a shot, going twelve-of-seventeen from the field, bullying Buffalo inside the paint. With a 13-4 run to begin the second quarter, Troy looked in complete control, toying with the UB defense and taking advantage of a handful of missed layups from the Bulls. Again, it took a Watson triple to spark Buffalo's offense, and with two subsequent Jordyn Beaty layups, the Bulls cut into the deficit, trailing 33-26 with just over four minutes until halftime. Troy kept a leg up on UB as the second quarter came to a close, with even play keeping the score in the Trojans' favor, 44-34 at the break.
For the few thousand Bulls fans that had seen UB erase a double-digit deficit before knew not to fear. Meanwhile, a couple thousand new fans were certainly feeling antsy as the teams went to the locker room, not having cheered for a Buffalo go-ahead bucket since the score was 10-9.
In the third quarter, the outside shots began to fall more consistently for UB, opening up passes down low. Cornfield hit a three-pointer right out of halftime, and then a pair of Terah Harness moon-shots had Buffalo within four points just three minutes into the third. The two teams traded buckets, while the Troy lead slowly blossomed back up to eleven points with under four minutes left in the quarter. The Bulls went on an 11-4 run to close the frame, having the Trojans in striking distance, down 64-61 entering the final ten minutes.
A charge called against Troy less than thirty seconds into the fourth kindled the crowd, before a transition Harness trifecta ignited the Buffalo crowd into a roaring blaze, with the game tied for the first time, at 64-64. The visitors from Alabama doused the fire and regained a six point advantage, and by the halfway mark of the fourth quarter, Troy led 77-71. With one of the most effective offenses in the WNIT field, Troy was more than comfortable closing out a road win one more time. However, as time ticked away, the Bulls' defense intensified, despite not going to their "mad dog" trap once.
Harness knocked down her third three of the game with 4:58 to play, bringing Buffalo back within two points. Less than a minute later, a Chellia Watson triple did the same, trailing 79-77. Noelani Cornfield had an assist on each of those made jumpers from downtown, part of her eleven assist, fifteen point performance in her final collegiate game. Zay Dyer of Troy went one-of-two on a trip to the free throw line with 3:26 left, leading to a Buffalo fast break, and an emphatic Kirsten Lewis-Williams "and-one" to tie the game at 80. Back down the floor went the Trojans, when Brianna Jackson went one-for-two from the charity stripe following a Beaty foul.
With under three minutes left, KLW walked the baseline and found Terah Harness on the right arc, setting up one of the most iconic shots in UB Women's Basketball history: The senior, Harness, hit nylon and brought the hometown crowd to its feet, as Buffalo took their first lead since early in the first quarter. UB 83, Troy 81, with 2:52 left to play in the Championship game. Perhaps equally as memorable, Jordyn Beaty defended against Troy's point guard, Shalana Wagner, at the top of the Buffalo key. With under two minutes to go, Beaty picked Wagner's pocket. The Texas native took possession, sprinted down the floor, and connected on the right-handed layup to extend the Bulls' lead up to 85-81. From that point forward, the game of free throws went Buffalo's way, with the most clutch shot of Kirsten Lewis-Williams' two-year career coming with five seconds left: a made free throw to give the Bulls a four point lead. The buzzer rang out, the crowd erupted, and the Buffalo Bulls were cutting down a net as 2025 Postseason WNIT Champions.
10. Sito Gines Breakout Game - January 15th at Eastern Michigan - 77-55 W
After suffering their harshest loss of the season vs Ball State, the Bulls went on the road to Ypsilanti with the intention of shaking things up. Coach Burke made a change to the starting lineup that would prove valuable for the rest of the season. Sitota Gines earned her first start of the season to provide a spark defensively, but it also led to immediate offensive impact. The senior guard scored the first seven points of the game for Buffalo, en route to a career high eighteen points, shooting five-of-seven from the field, while recording six rebounds and two steals. Gines became a difference-maker for the Bulls, going on to start in eighteen games this season.
9. Fourth Quarter Comeback - January 18th vs Miami (OH) - 59-51 W
The Miami Redhawks were the dark horse in the MAC this season, challenging Buffalo for the top defensive statistics all season long. Both teams entered the game even in the MAC Standings at 3-3 in league play. The Redhawks won the low-scoring duel in the first half, leading the Bulls 32-22 at halftime. Trailing by as many as fifteen points in the third quarter, Buffalo put on their "mad dog" defense, leading to one of the most impressive defensive stretches UB fans saw all season. In the fourth quarter, the Bulls held Miami to just two made shots in their thirteen attempts from the field without sending the Redhawks to the free throw line a single time. Led by a career-high twenty-nine points and ten rebounds from sophomore Kirsten Lewis-Williams, Buffalo gained crucial, early-season ground over Miami in the standings.
8. Late Breakthrough At BGSU - January 8th at Bowling Green - 70-60 W
Since Becky Burke took over as Head Coach, The Stroh Center at Bowling Green has strangely been one of UB's best venues, having won there in each of her first two seasons. After sweeping the Falcons and ending their season in the Quarterfinal last year, the only scheduled rematch this season was expected to be a dog fight, and boy did it live up to the hype. Coming off their first loss of the season at Kent State, Buffalo remained on the road for an extended trip, building the anticipation for what has become a bit of a rivalry against BGSU.
Bowling Green began the game on a 13-0 run, stunning the Bulls, who couldn't seem to have an answer to Erika Porter in the paint. Enter Jordyn Beaty, brought off the bench halfway into the opening quarter. Beaty, who had only played six minutes per game through nine appearances at that point, became the most impactful player on the floor, showing no fear against one of the top post players in the MAC. The senior Bull earned her first "Dawg of the Game" award with six points and four rebounds in twenty-three minutes of playing time, which helped to ignite the Buffalo comeback effort.
UB trailed 50-45 entering the fourth quarter, before two made Chellia Watson jumpers brought it within one. Then, off a defensive stop, Watson snagged a rebound and started the fastbreak with a long pass to Paula Lopez, who dimed up Noelani Cornfield for the go-ahead bucket, giving Buffalo their first lead of the day at 53-52. The Bulls never looked back. The exclamation point on the win was perhaps one of the best individual plays of the season: Cornfield crossed up Bowling Green's Paige Kohler, sending the sophomore to the floor as Buffalo's point guard blew past her for the easy lay up. UB sealed the victory, outsourcing BG 25-10 in the fourth quarter.
7. Defensive Dominance in Kalamazoo - January 29th at Western Michigan - 73-40 W
The Bulls took to Kalamazoo on a four game winning streak, including two dominant wins in that two-week stretch. Western Michigan sat one game behind Buffalo in the MAC standings. The Bronco's stout defense, especially on their home floor, had led them to a 5-3 league record out the gates, which included a 41-38 win over Toledo at University Arena. UB was prepared for a hard-nosed defensive duel on WMU's "Class at the Court" day, with an early Wednesday morning tipoff and hundreds of young Broncos fans in attendance.
I'm not sure if it was due to the fire playlist that the DJ was bumping or what, but from the time Buffalo took to the floor for warmups, you could tell the Bulls were feeling good and we were in for a treat. The game started with back to back shot clock violations, meeting our original expectations for a low-scoring battle. From that point on, though, UB took the lead and never gave it up with a defensive performance for the record books. Buffalo outscored Western Michigan 28-8 in the second quarter, leading to a 42-18 lead at halftime. The Bulls went on to force twenty-five Bronco turnovers, the second most forced against a Division I opponent on the season to that point.
6. MAC Quarterfinal Comeback - March 12th vs Bowling Green - 65-63 W
Heading to Cleveland as the third seed in the MAC Tournament, it was widely agreed upon that Buffalo had drawn the toughest Quarterfinal matchup, the sixth seeded Bowling Green Falcons. They were the hottest team in the conference at that point, having won seven of their last eight games of the regular season, with the lone loss coming in double overtime. Not to mention, this was a rematch of not only my 8th-ranked win of the season, but the 2024 MAC Quarterfinal, which Buffalo won as well.
Picking up where she left off in their first meeting of the season, Beaty bothered Porter from the jump. The Texas native had four points, two rebounds, an assist and a steal, helping Buffalo take a 13-10 lead after one quarter. However, Beaty went down with an upper body injury early in the second quarter and would not return to the game, putting the spotlight on Ari Seawell and Alexis Davis, who hadn't played in the last four games of the regular season due to an injury of her own. The Bulls' forwards took some time to find their footing, which Bowling Green took advantage of, with inside-out play leading to a commanding 49-37 lead after three quarters.
Buffalo, who had become entirely too familiar with erasing fourth quarter deficits, went to work with their season on the line. By the media timeout, the Bulls had cut the BG lead down to five points. An and-one from Watson, plus free throws from Cornfield and KLW tied the game at 57 with 3:35 left in regulation time. Back and forth the two teams went, until the game was tied again at 63, and with :31 on the clock, Bowling Green had the chance at the final shot of the game. After a Falcon timeout, Cornfield picked the pocket of BG freshman Johnea Donahue, giving Buffalo possession with :19 left. Coach Burke drew up the full court play, got the ball into Chellia Watson's hands, and let the Bulls' leading scorer go to work, and that she did. With a baseline drive and easy layup, Buffalo took the lead, 65-63, needing one defensive stop to keep their season alive. Right on cue, Kirsten Lewis-Williams stole the ball away from Amy Velasko, leading to the clock eventually ticking away and Buffalo advancing to the MAC Semifinal.
While Buffalo would fall in the next game to Toledo, I am confident when I say that the Bulls would likely not have made the WNIT field had they lost this game. Despite not knowing it at the time, this comeback would eventually allow Buffalo the opportunity to make history in the Postseason WNIT.
5. A B1G Win In the WNIT Great 8 - March 30th vs Rutgers - 71-64 W
For the first time since December of 2018, UB welcomed a Power 4 opponent to Alumni Arena, and boy did WNY show out for it. On a Sunday afternoon in late March, over 2,000 fans poured in to see if the Bulls could pull off another Postseason WNIT win, this time against a much taller and battle-tested Rutgers squad. The entire Rutgers starting lineup was over six-feet tall, while Buffalo had just one player over six-foot in the starting five, and that was Beaty, who is listed at 6'0 even.
For the fans that had been following the Bulls all season, there was no doubt in their minds that Buffalo would overcome a seven point halftime deficit, 34-27. Rutgers guard Destiny Adams had eighteen points in the first half, clearly causing the UB defense fits. The second half was remarkable, specifically Chellia Watson, who took over in the fourth quarter, scoring thirteen of her game-high twenty-eight points in the final frame. As a team, the Bulls took full advantage of twenty-two Scarlet Knight fouls, shooting 27-30 from the free throw line over the course of the game. Outsourcing Rutgers by ten in the fourth quarter, Buffalo secured a 71-64 win at home in the Postseason WNIT Great 8. As the final buzzer rang out, it began to feel like the Bulls had just beaten the best team they could see all Postseason, and that a Championship might be within reach.
This victory marked the program's first home win over a P4 opponent since November of 2000, when the Bulls knocked off North Carolina 95-89. It was their first overall win over a P4 opponent since they had beat Rutgers in the First Round in the 2019 NCAA Tournament.
4. Revenge Against The Flashes - February 19th vs Kent State - 76-70 W
The taste of defeat in the 2024 MAC Championship lingered well into the new season, and was refreshed when Buffalo lost at Kent State on January 5th, 2025. Coach Becky Burke had yet to defeat the Golden Flashes in her time at UB, and with KSU one game back of Buffalo in the standings ahead of the rematch at Alumni Arena, the Bulls were hungry beyond belief to finally come out on top.
Exactly as it had been the case each time these two met in the previous four games, Kent State jumped out to an early lead, leading 20-11 after the first quarter. The second quarter began back and forth, with KSU on top by nine at the media timeout, with just under five minutes left in the first half. Following that break, the Bulls went on a 16-8 run to bring the game within one point at halftime, trailing 36-35 at halftime. Despite the lead changing sides a few times throughout the third quarter, Kent State added onto their lead and took a 57-52 lead into the fourth.
After two quick buckets from the Flashes, Buffalo trailed by ten points, 62-52. It took a team effort from UB in the final eight minutes to overcome *another* late deficit and find a way to secure a home win. An 8-0 Bulls run over the next ninety seconds had Alumni Arena rocking, with all of the momentum wearing Buffalo blue and white. Kent State silenced the crowd with a few made shots, but once again, UB's defense came to life, with Noelani Cornfield giving Dionna Gray fits, forcing seven KSU turnovers in the fourth quarter.
When the Bulls went down 67-64 with 2:47 left, Chellia Watson went on a 6-0 run by herself, giving Buffalo a three point lead with two minutes to play. A Sito Gines rejection on Gray set up a game of free throws, and Cornfield made four straight, followed by a pair from Watson to secure the hard fought victory.
3. WNIT Second Round Comeback - March 23rd vs UMass - 84-82 OTW
Following the heartbreak of falling short in the MAC Tournament, the Bulls accepted a bid for the Postseason WNIT, and earned a bye through the first round. The question on everyone's mind heading into this game was "how badly do the players want to win this?" It was generally agreed upon that Buffalo, who had the most wins of any team in the WNIT field, was one of the best teams in the Tournament, but as Coach Burke had echoed all week in practice, the team that wants it more will win the whole thing. Effort and willingness to fight for every win is what would lead a team to a championship.
Against the much taller UMass team, who had been playing equally as impressive defense as Buffalo had been, the Bulls battled through a back and forth first quarter, trailing by just three points after one. The second frame was more of the same: as expected, tight defense, low scoring, and fairly even play, with the Minutewomen leading 33-31 at halftime. UMass came out of the locker room with something to prove, having just dominated Stonehill in the first round of the WNIT, the visitors came to Buffalo with no thought of their season ending that Sunday afternoon. In the third quarter, UMass shot 56% from the field, and held UB to just 36%, resulting in a 61-45 lead entering the fourth quarter.
Ten minutes separated Buffalo from the screeching halt of the season, less than two weeks after the anguish of defeat in Cleveland. To make matters worse, Kirsten Lewis-Williams fouled out of the game less than three minutes into the fourth quarter, with the Bulls trailing by thirteen. Gines came in to replace KLW and immediately forced a turnover. That was the first of nine forced UMass turnovers in the final seven minutes of the game, leading to a 18-6 run for Buffalo, eventually tying the game at 74 to force overtime.
In the first and only overtime period that Buffalo would play in all season, the Bulls and Minutewomen traded layups and free throws, keeping the game within one possession throughout the full five minute period. With 1:50 left, Cornfield found Arianna Seawell at the post, who capitalized, laying it in to give Buffalo the 84-82 lead. That was the last of a career-high fifteen assists for the Gowanda native. The UB defense forced a missed shot, and the Sito Gines came up with the game-clinching steal in the final possession of the game, advancing Buffalo to the WNIT Super 16. In the victory, three Bulls recorded at least four steals: Lewis-Williams, Gines, and Cornfield, helping to create twenty-eight UMass turnovers.
2. Largest Comeback In Program History - December 19th vs Vermont - 70-68 W
Through the first nine games of the season, Buffalo was off to a tremendous start. So good, in fact, that they were just three wins away from setting a new mark as the best start in program history. With a 9-0 record, the Bulls welcomed in Vermont, who's 5-7 record did not reflect their WNIT Fab Four run from 2024, nor did it indicate that the Catamounts would go on to win their second America East Conference Tournament in the last three season when they would punch their ticket to the "big dance" in 2025.
The first quarter saw five combined made three-pointers, with Vermont shooting three-of-eight from beyond the arc out of the gates. It was clear that the Catamounts would continue to launch the treys all night long, whether or not Buffalo was in a good position defensively. The second quarter just added more evidence to make this case, with Vermont splashing four of their eleven three-point attempts. Not only were the green and yellow hitting their shots, but their defense was stifling Buffalo, who shot three-of-fifteen in the second frame. At halftime, the visitors from Vermont had a commanding 42-25 lead over the Bulls.
The outside shots continued to fall for the Catamounts, knocking down three more triples in the third. Meanwhile, Buffalo continued to struggle finding their rhythm offensively, with missed layups and mid-range jumpers not falling. With just under four and a half minutes to play in the third, Vermont led 57-34. As Coach Burke had been preaching since game one, the Bulls' offense would have to come from their defense, and with just a few minutes left in the quarter, the UB defense came to life. They ended the third quarter on a 9-2 run, cutting the deficit from twenty-three points down to sixteen.
After a pair of made free throws from KLW, Vermont responded with another made three-pointer, silencing the festive, mid-December crowd once more. Not ten seconds later, though, Terah Harness drilled a transition three of her own to neutralize the situation. With their "mad dog" press, Buffalo began to speed up the Vermont offense, leading to turnovers and subsequent UB fast breaks. The Bulls kept chipping into the deficit, and as the midway point of the quarter was approaching, Chellia Watson converted on a layup to bring Buffalo within three points, forcing a Vermont timeout. The faithful fans at Alumni Arena rose to their feet in celebration of UB's 17-4 run to open the fourth quarter.
In the following two minutes out of that timeout, the teams went a combined zero-for-seven from the field, keeping the score at 63-60 Vermont entering the final three minutes. Finally, Lewis-Williams got to the rack and converted a layup to end Buffalo's scoreless drought, cutting the Catamount lead down to one point. Two Vermont turnovers and a defensive stop later, Chellia Watson's and-one layup gave Buffalo the 64-63 lead with 1:14 left. Despite missing the free throw, Watson hustled back on defense and stole the ball back for UB, leading to an easy fast break layup to extend the Bulls' lead up to 66-63. After another Vermont turnover, Watson put the nail in the Catamounts' coffin with a mid range jumper to give Buffalo a five-point lead with sixteen seconds left.
Even with a Vermont three-pointer in the dying seconds of the game, two Cornfield made free throws put the game on ice, as Buffalo ended the night out-scoring the visitors 27-9 in the final quarter. Four Bulls scored in double figures and Cornfield added eight points and eight assists en route to the come-from-behind win.
Honorable Mentions:
HM #1. Road Win Without KLW - January 25th at Akron - 80-71 W
In the only game that Kirsten Lewis-Williams missed due to injury all season, the Bulls found a way to win in Akron, a feat never before accomplished in the Becky Burke era. KLW blossomed into a vocal leader from the bench while UB mounted another comeback after trailing by 13 after one quarter. Four Bulls scored in double figures to rally and extend their winning streak to four games.
HM #2. Wire-to-Wire In WNIT Super 16 - March 27th at Southern Indiana - 76-64 W
It was one of the most hostile environments the Bulls played in all season. From a fans perspective, it was exactly what you want from a postseason crowd in the Hoosier State. Buffalo threw the first punch, silencing the packed arena with a 9-2 run in the opening three minutes, forcing a USI timeout. Once Buffalo took a nine-point lead in the second quarter, the margin never shrunk any lower. Through multiple USI attempts at stealing momentum in the second half, UB had an answer every time. Harness hit three first half triples, Cornfield stuffed the stats sheet, and Buffalo held USI's top player scoreless in the first half.
HM #3. Foreshadowing In Season Opener - November 4th vs Troy - 80-78 W
Little did we all know that the first game of the season, matched up by the MAC and Sun Belt Conferences as a part of the MAC-SBC Challenge, would be a direct preview of the Postseason WNIT Title Game. In a foul-laden season opener, the Bulls were figuring out how each player fit within the system. Despite Cornfield fouling out and two other players dealing with four fouls, Buffalo found a way to win it.
1. WNIT Championship Victory - April 5th vs Troy - 88-84 W
The anticipation for the WNIT Championship game could not have been higher, with a record-breaking sellout crowd announced well before tip-off against Troy.
With every seat in Alumni Arena filled, the noise level reached record highs in decibels in the first two minutes of the game, with the Bulls opening the title game on a 6-0 run. Buffalo didn't allow a made field goal until more than four minutes into the rematch from the first game of the season, which got the crowd engaged immediately. The Trojans embraced the role as villains, having won two road games in the Great 8 and Fab 4 to set themselves up for a shot at the Championship in Amherst. The high-caliber Troy offense went to work, inside-outside, going on a 13-4 run to mute the fans in blue. A Chellia Watson three-pointer with two minutes left in the opening quarter was just what the doctor ordered to get the energy back up and end the Troy run. The Trojans maintained a three point lead after ten minutes.
In the second frame, Troy seemingly couldn't miss a shot, going twelve-of-seventeen from the field, bullying Buffalo inside the paint. With a 13-4 run to begin the second quarter, Troy looked in complete control, toying with the UB defense and taking advantage of a handful of missed layups from the Bulls. Again, it took a Watson triple to spark Buffalo's offense, and with two subsequent Jordyn Beaty layups, the Bulls cut into the deficit, trailing 33-26 with just over four minutes until halftime. Troy kept a leg up on UB as the second quarter came to a close, with even play keeping the score in the Trojans' favor, 44-34 at the break.
For the few thousand Bulls fans that had seen UB erase a double-digit deficit before knew not to fear. Meanwhile, a couple thousand new fans were certainly feeling antsy as the teams went to the locker room, not having cheered for a Buffalo go-ahead bucket since the score was 10-9.
In the third quarter, the outside shots began to fall more consistently for UB, opening up passes down low. Cornfield hit a three-pointer right out of halftime, and then a pair of Terah Harness moon-shots had Buffalo within four points just three minutes into the third. The two teams traded buckets, while the Troy lead slowly blossomed back up to eleven points with under four minutes left in the quarter. The Bulls went on an 11-4 run to close the frame, having the Trojans in striking distance, down 64-61 entering the final ten minutes.
A charge called against Troy less than thirty seconds into the fourth kindled the crowd, before a transition Harness trifecta ignited the Buffalo crowd into a roaring blaze, with the game tied for the first time, at 64-64. The visitors from Alabama doused the fire and regained a six point advantage, and by the halfway mark of the fourth quarter, Troy led 77-71. With one of the most effective offenses in the WNIT field, Troy was more than comfortable closing out a road win one more time. However, as time ticked away, the Bulls' defense intensified, despite not going to their "mad dog" trap once.
Harness knocked down her third three of the game with 4:58 to play, bringing Buffalo back within two points. Less than a minute later, a Chellia Watson triple did the same, trailing 79-77. Noelani Cornfield had an assist on each of those made jumpers from downtown, part of her eleven assist, fifteen point performance in her final collegiate game. Zay Dyer of Troy went one-of-two on a trip to the free throw line with 3:26 left, leading to a Buffalo fast break, and an emphatic Kirsten Lewis-Williams "and-one" to tie the game at 80. Back down the floor went the Trojans, when Brianna Jackson went one-for-two from the charity stripe following a Beaty foul.
With under three minutes left, KLW walked the baseline and found Terah Harness on the right arc, setting up one of the most iconic shots in UB Women's Basketball history: The senior, Harness, hit nylon and brought the hometown crowd to its feet, as Buffalo took their first lead since early in the first quarter. UB 83, Troy 81, with 2:52 left to play in the Championship game. Perhaps equally as memorable, Jordyn Beaty defended against Troy's point guard, Shalana Wagner, at the top of the Buffalo key. With under two minutes to go, Beaty picked Wagner's pocket. The Texas native took possession, sprinted down the floor, and connected on the right-handed layup to extend the Bulls' lead up to 85-81. From that point forward, the game of free throws went Buffalo's way, with the most clutch shot of Kirsten Lewis-Williams' two-year career coming with five seconds left: a made free throw to give the Bulls a four point lead. The buzzer rang out, the crowd erupted, and the Buffalo Bulls were cutting down a net as 2025 Postseason WNIT Champions.
Players Mentioned
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