Sometimes you just have to win ugly.
The UB's women's basketball team (10-7, 2-4 MAC) was victorious Tuesday night in overtime against Akron (2-17, 1-7 MAC), 48-45, in front of 177 fans at the James A. Rhodes Arena. Led by a spectacular showing from junior Jessica Kochendorfer (28 points, 9 rebounds), UB stopped a two-game skid and raised their record to 2-1 in overtime situations. Kochendorfer's point total was a career-high.
The first half could be described as one clank after the next; the Bulls looked like ace marksmen hitting 29.2 percent of their shots (7-24), compared to the Zips 20.8 percent (5-24) from the field.
At halftime Akron, who have now lost four games in a row, were barely ahead of Buffalo, 16-15.
Midway through the second half UB took control of the game on a 9-0 run that gave them a 30-22 lead. The Zips would not give up easily and went on a run of their own, taking the lead, 33-32, on a crucial three-pointer by Lindsay Hemmelgarn.
Akron led late in the game, 40-36, but the Bulls scored the final four points of regulation on a jumper by Kochendorfer with under two minutes left and a pair of free throws drained by Allison Bennett with 37 seconds left. The game was tied 40-40 as the clock ran down and overtime was about to begin.
Kochendorfer got Buffalo off to a great start in overtime with a jumper that set the tone for the rest of the game. UB's Kim Kilpela scored four points in OT, her only points of the game to put the Bulls on the verge of victory.
The Zips were down 46-45 with one minute remaining in overtime, but could not get the job done, missing three field-goal attempts. Hemmelgarn, who was 4-9 from behind the arc on the night (12 points total), had the opportunity to send the game to double overtime but missed a three-pointer at the buzzer.
Kochendorfer's play was what gave UB the victory. She connected 11-21 field goal attempts for the night. The rest of the team shot a combined 8-35 from the field. Overall, Buffalo shot 33.9 percent for the game.
Each team had problems with turnovers - the Bulls had 25, while the Zips posted 24.
Other than Kochendorfer, no UB player scored in double figures. Kate McMeeken-Ruscoe played all 45 minutes for UB and was the next leading scorer with seven points, six rebounds and four assists.
Including Hemmelgarn, three Zips were in double figures. Cassandra Martin led the team with 14 points. Dominique Harris chipped in 10.
UB has won six of their last seven meetings with the Zips. Akron's lone win came in the first round of the MAC Tournament in 2001, a game that the Bulls hosted.
The Bulls come home this Saturday, Feb. 1, to face Ohio University at Alumni Arena. Tip-off is at 7 p.m.
