UB women’s basketball (15-10, 8-6 MAC) defeated the Ohio Bobcats (8-17, 5-9 MAC) in convincing fashion by a score of 67-54 on Saturday.
Coming off of two straight losses in which they were the favorites, the Bulls came out hungry for a win.
“We learned that we need to get tougher,” head coach Becky Burke said. “Ultimately, we need to defend every night.”
The Bulls did just that, holding their opponent to 9 points under their per game scoring average.
The Bulls came out firing in the first quarter of play. Freshman forward Alexis Davis led the way with 11 points and three boards, resulting in a 14-point lead by the quarter’s end. She finished the game with 16 points and 12 rebounds, giving her a new career high in points and tying her high in rebounds. Saturday’s performance also marked her second straight double-double, and her fourth of the season.
The Bobcats halted the Bulls’ run in the second quarter, outscoring them 10-2. By halftime, UB was up 29-23.
In the second half, redshirt senior guard Chellia Watson, the team’s leading scorer of the season, came out scorching hot. She took the game into her own hands, putting up 16 second-half points en route to once again being the top scorer. (The final statline saw her with 21, 4, 7.) Watson sits comfortably atop the Mid-American Conference (MAC) in points.
The Bulls will look to build on this win, as they try to secure a high seed in this year’s MAC playoffs. They are currently tied for fourth out of 12 teams in the conference.
The team they’re tied with? Their next opponent.
The Bulls square off against Bowling Green (14-11, 8-6 MAC) on Wednesday, marking the first of a two-game road trip. Tip-off is at 7 p.m. The game can be streamed on ESPN+.
CORRECTION: This article originally stated that the Bobcats were winning 29-23 at the half. UB was winning by that score.
The sports desk can be reached at sports@ubspectrum.com
Photo: Ryan Hagen | UB Athletics
