The UB women’s basketball team (13-6) dropped a 98-93 heartbreaker to MAC rival Central Michigan (15-4) in double overtime at Alumni Arena Wednesday.
The Bulls overcame a nine-point first-quarter deficit with a furious late-game rally. They forced double overtime but ultimately came up short to the reigning MAC regular-season champs.
Freshman guard Dyaisha Fair had 29 points and five assists, but it wasn’t enough to overcome a paltry defensive effort by the Bulls, who are typically stout on that end of the floor.
“I don’t care if we’re playing against the Cleveland Cavaliers,” said UB women’s head coach Felisha Legette-Jack. “We don’t give up 98 points to anyone. Our bench players have to get better. That’s on me.”
Buffalo got off to a slow start in the first quarter, with the Chippewas lighting it up from beyond the arc (3-for-7). Sophomore forward Adebola Adeyeye exited the game in the second quarter with an undisclosed injury and spent much of the contest on a sideline bicycle.
The Bulls slowly climbed back into the game after getting outscored in the first frame. They saw strong play from Fair and freshman forward Loren Christie, who had her first collegiate double-double and finished with 14 points and 10 rebounds.
The Chippewas led by as many as 14 points, but failed to pull away until the game’s waning moments. Freshman guard Molly Davis had 25 points and 11 turnovers — indicative of how the contest went. Junior guard Micaela Kelly fouled out in overtime after recording 14 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists.
“There’s no second place prizes,” Legette-Jack said. “This isn’t kindergarten. This isn’t high school. You’re not going to get a reward because you played hard. We lost.”
The Bulls will travel to DeKalb, IL, Saturday to take on Northern Illinois (5-13).
Sports desk can be reached at sports@ubspectrum.com.
Justin Weiss is The Spectrum's managing editor. In his free time, he can be found hiking, playing baseball or throwing things at his TV when his sports teams aren't winning. His words have appeared in Elite Sports New York and the Long Island Herald. He can be found on Twitter @Jwmlb1.
Photo: Ryan Hagen | UB Athletics
