Coming off a road victory against the Ohio University Bobcats (4–18, 2–9 MAC), the UB Bulls (21–4, 10–3 MAC) pulled off a big win on Wednesday night against the Kent State Golden Flashes (16–10, 8–5 MAC), with a final score of 76–70.
Despite trailing the Golden Flashes for much of the game, the Bulls secured a spot in the Mid-American Conference tournament in Cleveland, Ohio, in March.
Wednesday night’s game was not only a crucial win for the Bulls, but also a celebration of Pride Night, where the players, staff and community members came together to honor love and inclusivity throughout the evening. The evening kicked off with the Buffalo Gay Men’s Choir singing the national anthem, followed by a message from head coach Becky Burke about what pride means to her.
Fifth-year guard Chellia Watson led the Bulls in scoring with 28 points, tying her season high. She was named Player of the Game for her impressive performance. Another standout player was fifth-year guard Noelani Cornfield, who came just shy of a triple-double, contributing 13 points, eight rebounds and 10 assists.
The first quarter saw the Bulls struggle in the paint and commit turnovers at key moments. The Golden Flashes came out strong, outscoring the Bulls 20–11. Cornfield hit a field goal in the final play of the quarter, keeping the Flashes’ lead under 10 points.
In the second quarter, the Bulls found their rhythm, with sophomore guard Kirsten Lewis-Williams setting the tone by scoring the first few points. Buffalo’s field goal percentage improved to 66.67% in the quarter, allowing them to narrow the gap and enter halftime trailing by just one point, 36–35.
The third quarter was tightly contested, with the Golden Flashes scoring 21 points and the Bulls adding 17, as both teams racked up numerous fouls. Kent State capitalized on free throws (10–12), but Buffalo's points in the paint and strong defensive pressure kept them within striking distance.
The fourth quarter saw the Golden Flashes maintain their lead until the final three minutes of the game, when Buffalo stepped up with key free-throws and effective transition offense, despite losing Lewis-Williams to a technical foul. In the last 13 seconds, Watson and Cornfield combined for four free-throws to secure a 76–70 victory for the Bulls.
The Bulls are on the road this weekend in Oxford, Ohio, taking on the Miami, Ohio, RedHawks (16–8, 8–5 MAC) at 1 p.m. The game will be streamed on ESPN+.
The sports desk can be reached sports@ubspectrum.com
Photo: Courtesy of Ken Smith
