After a dismal start coming off a disappointing season, UB women's basketball is suddenly one win shy of matching its total from last year.
To some, three wins may not be much, but after a thorough defeat of Youngstown State, 53-40, on Wednesday night, the Bulls are riding a three-game win streak and have momentum on their side for the first time in recent memory.
The Bulls boosted their record to .500 by pounding the opposition down low. Standout forward Heather Turner put up 18 points and 13 rebounds, while shooting 7 of 9 from the field.
"Heather Turner is an incredible player," said head coach Linda Hill-MacDonald. "She continues to do a great job down on the block for us."
Youngstown State began the game on a positive note, taking the lead early with a 5-2 run. However, the Penguins' lead was short-lived as UB proceeded to go on a 20-7 run to take a 10-point lead and gain control.
In addition to UB's strong inside game, the team was outstanding from the free-throw line. The Bulls did not miss a single free throw, shooting a perfect 8 for 8.
It wasn't until the second half that the Bulls really separated themselves from Youngstown State. UB opened the half with a 12-2 run that effectively put an end to the Penguins' chances of winning, making the lead 16 points in the Bulls' favor.
The Bulls played shutdown defense, holding their opponent to a paltry 22.2 percent from the field. Youngstown only managed to make six of the 27 shots that it took in the half.
The large lead gave UB a chance to get everyone on the team some quality playing time. All 12 players on the roster played at least three minutes.
"Our freshmen have to get tested at some point, " Hill-MacDonald said. "They have to come out and sustain what the starters did on the floor and they didn't do a very good job at that tonight. You have to expect that from freshmen, but luckily the starters were able to come in and pick it back up again."
Senior Brooke Meunier contributed to the effort as she finished the game with 14 points and 11 rebounds. In addition to her double-double she also had three assists, which tied the team lead. Sophomore forward Barbora Homolov?Ae? helped out in the effort with four points while hauling in three rebounds and tallying a block in the game.
Youngstown State, which now falls to 2-5, was led by Kristy Gaudiose who scored a team-high 13 points to go with five rebounds and three assists. Nikita LaFleur recorded eight rebounds in the game. Velissa Vaughn, a key player in Youngstown State's offensive set, was held in check by the Bulls' smothering defense as she shot 0-7 from the field and turned the ball over three times.
"We started the game with very good defensive pressure, getting out in passing lanes, and forcing them to rush their offensive sets," Hill-MacDonald said. "We got into their heads a little bit."
UB will now have some time off before they resume play on Sunday, Dec. 18, when the team will meet Northeastern at Alumni Arena. Tip-off is set at 2 p.m.
