Women’s basketball (5-2) defeated the Rhode Island Rams (7-3), 69-55, Sunday afternoon at Alumni Arena.
The Bulls held on to the lead the entire game and never gave the Rams hope for a comeback. A balanced scoring attack propelled UB to its fourth straight victory as four players scored in double digits.
Redshirt fifth year forward Summer Hemphill, who was presented with a ceremonial game ball to celebrate her 1,000th career point, was inseparable from the net. Hemphill was 2-for-3 on three-pointers and 9-for-16 from the field as she posted 20 points while also aiding the defense with six boards, one block and two steals.
Junior guard Dyaisha Fair continues to be a stand-out player for UB, dominating on both sides of the ball. Fair contributed 11 points — lower than her season average of 20 points per game — and made her presence felt on the glass with eight rebounds. The 2020 first-team All-MAC selection also recorded nine assists and two steals to cap off an all-around effort.
Freshman guard Georgia Woolley scored in double digits for the fourth time this season, as she posted 13 points. Senior guard Jazmine Young scored in double digits for the fourth game in a row.
The Bulls led 41-29 after the first half thanks to an impressive 9-for-15 shooting performance from behind the arc. Buffalo shot 50% from the field during the first 20 minutes of play.
A 6-0 run by UB with 2:07 left in the third quarter allowed the Bulls to take a 54-38 lead –– their largest of the night. Strong defense held the Rams to just one field goal in the final minutes of the third as the Bulls clutched a 57-41 lead heading into the last quarter.
UB managed 22 points in the paint, turned nine offensive rebounds into 16 second-chance points and scored 17 points off of the Rams’ 19 turnovers. The Bulls shot a red-hot 45.5% from behind the arc in the winning effort. The Bulls are now 55-0 over the past five-plus seasons when they hold their opponents to less than 59 points.
UB will look to extend its winning streak against Virginia Commonwealth University, the defending Atlantic-10 Conference Champions, on Wednesday at Alumni Arena. Tipoff is at 7 p.m.
Kayla Sterner is an assistant sports editor and can be reached at kayla.sterner@ubspectrum.com
Kayla Sterner is an assistant sports editor at The Spectrum. She is studying communications with the hopes of being a sideline reporter. In her spare time, she can be found in the gym, watching football or vibing to Mac Miller. Kayla is on Twitter @kaylasterner.
