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(04/26/10 4:00am)
The rowing team topped five crews to win the 2010 Colonial Athletic Association Championships on Sunday in Sandy Run, Va. Buffalo competed along with Northeastern, Drexel, George Mason, Delaware and Old Dominion in three events on the Occoquan Reservoir in pursuit of the CAA crown.
(04/20/10 4:00am)
After recording consecutive losses against Ball State on Friday, the softball team looked to turn around the rest of their weekend when they took on the Miami (Ohio) RedHawks in just their third home game this season.
The Bulls (14-24, 4-6 Mid-American Conference) started out strong as they took down the RedHawks (20-19, 5-5 MAC) in Saturday's opener at Nan Harvey Field, 4-1.
Assistant coach Jessica Jones thought the Bulls performed well.
"We played well against Miami in both games, and we actually had an opportunity to win the second game as well," Jones said. "Any time you're in both games, you have to be proud of your kids. Obviously we can do better, but we're improving every game."
After a scoreless first inning, Buffalo struck in the bottom of the second.
Senior pitcher Sharon Barr reached first base on a walk and she advanced to second on a single to right field by freshman infielder Alyssa Ward. Freshman infielder Andi Saucier then drove a single to center field to bring Barr home, giving the Bulls an early 1-0 lead.
Miami answered back. Freshman Taylor Rice tied the game up with a homerun in the top of the third inning, however, the RedHawks would be unable to plate any more runs for the remainder of the contest.
In the bottom of the third inning, freshman infielder Kristin Waldron singled down the middle. Freshman infielder Jessica Griffin followed up with a double to right-center field to drive in Waldron and regain the lead for the Bulls.
Buffalo struck again in the bottom of the fifth as junior outfielder Candice Sheehan drew a walk to reach first before senior outfielder Kristen Gallipani came in to pinch run. Freshman infielder Ashley Bertot reached first on a fielder's choice and Gallipani moved to second.
Both Gallipani and Bertot stole a base, putting two runners in scoring position. Gallipani then scored an unearned run on a fielding error by Miami's shortstop to put Buffalo up, 3-1. The Bulls finished off the RedHawks with a late homer in the bottom of the sixth. Saucier knocked one over the center field fence for her first collegiate home run to secure the victory.
Barr pitched a complete game and earned her 12th win of the season. She struck out six batters over seven innings and allowed only three hits and one walk.
Game two of the doubleheader began much like earlier in the day as the teams closed out a scoreless first inning. But the Bulls once again jumped out to an early lead following a solo home run by Barr in the bottom of the second.
A series of wild pitches in the top of the third allowed the RedHawks to take the lead. Sophomore Daniela Torres hit a single down the middle to take first and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Sophomore Jordan McElroy took first on a walk before a second wild pitch moved each player ahead a base.
Jones said that the RedHawks' runs were not a direct result of the wild pitches.
"There were a lot of different factors that fell into [the RedHawks] scoring in that particular inning," Jones said. "Barr obviously threw a phenomenal day; she threw both games. With them scoring in that particular inning, they kind of had her number. She was trying to throw around them a little bit. It got away from our catcher and also they had some timely hits. It was just unfortunate that it moved the runners into scoring position at that moment."
Miami junior Meghan Mawn brought home both Torres and McElroy with a double to left field to give the RedHawks a 2-1 advantage.
Down one, Saucier started the fifth inning for Buffalo with a single to third base. Gallipani took first after being hit by a pitch and Bertot laid a sacrifice bunt to advance Gallipani and pinch runner Lindsay Hampton.
Hampton was called out at home on a fielder's choice as Waldron took first base and Gallipani advanced to third. With two outs and two runners on base, the Bulls could not convert in their final at-bat. The RedHawks held on to the narrow 2-1 lead to seal the victory.
Barr pitched another complete game and recorded five strikeouts for Buffalo.
The Bulls face the Niagara Purple Eagles (11-13, 4-2 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference) in a non-conference doubleheader today at Nan Harvey Field. Game one is set to get under way at 3 p.m.
"Niagara is a hitting team, so we're going to have the pitchers do a pretty decent workout to make sure that they're prepared for hitting their spots and trying to shut down their defense," Jones said. "But our whole team is going to be focused on offense."
E-mail: sports@ubspectrum.com
(04/11/10 4:00am)
Dear Seniors,
In less than a month, we will walk across the stage to receive our diplomas. Some of us cannot wait for this moment so that we can finally get out of Buffalo. Some of us fear it because we are not ready to enter the real world.
Still, we must move forward into the next stage of our lives. But before this happens, we need to find the time for one last hurrah.
I created a Senior Bucket List of things to do before leaving UB. This is in no way a complete list because there is so much to experience here. This is just a highlight of some of what made my experience here great – and what may help you make the most of your remaining time here.
1) Participate in intramural or club sports and/or join a student club or organization. With an array of sports to choose from, there is essentially something for everyone. Why not give it a shot? If sports aren't for you, then join a club. It's a great way to meet new people and broaden your social network.
2) Attend a Bulls game. As part of the UB marching band in 2008-2009, I stood on the sidelines as Naaman Roosevelt made the game-changing catch against Bowling Green, and when the fans rushed the field after the win in overtime. I also traveled to Detroit for the Mid-American Conference Championship game and to Toronto for the International Bowl. It's times like those that make you proud to be a UB student.
3) Attend a Bills/Sabres game. I hear there is nothing like it. It is certainly something I wish I had done in my four years here.
4) Play football in the snow or skate on Lake La Salle. Alright, so maybe you're afraid of falling through the ice or you cannot skate. At least play football in the snow. The weather sucks up here most of the time. Why not make the best of it with a leisurely scrimmage among friends?
5) Attend a distinguished speaker event. I saw the Dalai Lama my freshman year, but we've had many great speakers in my four years – Stephen Colbert and Bill Nye, to name a few. Take advantage of these amazing free events offered to you, because you may never get the chance again.
6) Attend Fall Fest/Spring Fest and other performing arts events. All I can say is Jack's Mannequin, All-American Rejects, and Jason Mraz. Too bad Incubus never came. Maybe next year. I have also attended most of the Buffalo Chips concerts and never left disappointed. If you have not heard them, you are missing out.
7) Go to a party on South Campus, stop at University Hots (a.k.a. U-Hots), and ride the "drunk bus" back. I don't know why so many people go to South Campus to party. It is almost like some sort of rite of passage. Be sure to grab food at U-Hots on the way back to the bus stop. There's nothing like a plate of good, greasy food after a long night out.
8) See Niagara Falls. It may not officially be one of the seven wonders of the new world, but it is beautiful, especially in the fall.
9) Go to Duff's or Anchor Bar and the Taste of Buffalo or Wing Fest. Buffalo is known for its chicken wings. You cannot go four years here without trying them at least once, unless you're a vegetarian like me, in which case I recommend a Veggie Burger at Cheeburger Cheeburger or the "Instant Friend" from Moe's Southwest Grill.
10) Experience Oozfest. If you did not sign up to play, at least go watch your fellow students fall on their faces and get covered in head-to-toe mud. It's sure to be a good time.
It may be too late for some of you to accomplish these things, but there is still time left. And if you're an underclassman, why not start working on your list now? Make a list and see what you can do before graduation.
Senior Week begins April 18. Take part in Senior Rose Day and Carnival Day, Senior Brunch, Oozfest 2010, and Sign-a-Buffalo. Try to take advantage of what the school offers in your last month here.
UB has made its mark on you these past few years; now leave your mark on UB.
E-mail: christy.suhr@ubspectrum.com
(04/01/10 4:00am)
The courts of Alumni Arena have never seen so much excitement or so much drama.
Friday night, the men's and women's basketball teams came together for a friendly postseason game for charity. The men's team was playing for a cure for diabetes, while the women's team was playing for Rihanna's Battered Women and Children Fund.
Both teams pulled out all the stops in an effort to earn bragging rights as the better Bulls basketball team. The men were confident that they were going to take the title, but they did not deliver as the women came out on top, 72-57.
The men started out strong, taking a 6-0 lead off of back-to-back 3-pointers by senior guard John Boyer and senior forward Calvin Betts. A three-pointer by junior forward Jessica Fortman and a two-point jumper by sophomore guard Brittany Hedderson put the women right back in it with 16:41 left in the first half.
Freshman guard Chrissy Cooper earned a chance to take the lead after Victor E. Bull, the referee for the night, called a foul on senior guard Sean Smiley. Cooper sank both foul shots to give the women a 7-6 advantage with 16:01 remaining.
Senior guard Rodney Pierce attempted to regain the lead by driving in for a lay-up, but junior forward Kourtney Brown stripped him of the ball, much to the dismay of Pierce and everyone on the sidelines.
"I couldn't believe it when she stripped me, but then again a lot of the things that happened in tonight's game surprised me," Pierce said. "The guys couldn't stop talking about that play at the end of the night. It's something that I won't live down anytime soon."
The efforts of Brown, Hedderson, and Fortman allowed the women to dominate for the next five minutes. Freshman guard Abby Dowd knocked down a 3-pointer to cap off a 17-3 run. This gave the women a 13-point lead with just under 10 minutes to go in the opening half.
Senior forward Max Boudreau began a 10-2 run for the men, scoring their next six points. Pierce and sophomore forward Mitchell Watt each contributed a bucket as well to bring the score to 26-19 with 4:55 to go. This was the closest the men would come for the rest of the game.
The women continued to build on their lead, showing greater speed and agility than the men with every passing minute. They ended the first half ahead, 38-27.
The men decided to approach the second half with fresh perspectives by putting some of their younger players in. The women mirrored this strategy and outdid the men, going with an all-freshman lineup. It paid off for the women as they continued to steamroll the men.
Freshman forward Nytor Longar led in the annihilation. Longar blew past sophomore guard Dave Barnett and proceeded to drive hard to the basket for a slam dunk. The senior men looked on in awe, not knowing what to do next.
"We've come back in some pretty tough situations before," Smiley said. "Things just didn't go in our favor. We came in thinking that we could easily beat the girls … I guess we just underestimated them."
It didn't get better for the men from there as the women went on a 20-8 run over the next 10 minutes. With the score at 58-35 and 6:37 on the clock, the women enjoyed their largest lead of the game and were able to relax a little while the men tried to dig themselves out of a very deep rut.
"We knew that we pretty much had the game in the bag at that point," Hedderson said. "So we just tried to keep doing what were doing and have fun."
Though the men were able to score more in the second half, they could not get over the hump.
Brown and Hedderson tied as the leading scorers for the women with 23 points apiece. Betts led the way for the men with 17 points, followed by Pierce and Boudreau with 15 and 12 points, respectively.
The two teams plan on making this an annual event to benefit charities of their choice.
E-mail: sports@ubspectrum.com
(03/18/10 4:00am)
While I sat in my apartment doing work Wednesday night, countless college students went out to celebrate St. Patrick's Day, and I could have been one of them. I envied them all, at first.
I could have put on my cutest green top, skinny jeans, a pair of heels and some mascara. I could have hit up Mojo's or The Steer with my friends. I could have shrugged off this column, my promotional writing assignment, and the fact that I have work at 8 a.m. on Thursdays, all for the sake of going out and getting wasted because it's St. Patrick's Day.
But I didn't. And that was okay with me.
I know that it's easy for many people I know to push work aside in favor of a little fun. I've been guilty of it before too, but not very often these days. After a six-hour shift and a three-hour lecture, I was almost ready to shirk all of my responsibilities so that I could have some fun. Almost.
My roommate wanted me to finish my column as quickly as possible so that we could go out. The only problem was that even if I finished it, I still had work early the next morning. She suggested I call in sick, but I didn't want to leave my coworkers short-handed. I couldn't do that with a clear conscience. It's not my style.
Besides, when you think about it, I'm really not missing out on much. Sure, a cute guy might offer to buy me a drink. We might talk for a while, possibly exchange numbers and then part ways on the promise that he will call or text me later.
The thing is, I could care less whether or not the guy follows through. In fact, I'd prefer if he didn't bother. Why? It's a waste of both of our time.
In general, I think the whole "college scene" has gotten old.
I don't expect to, nor do I want to, meet someone after getting into the spirit of things with one too many Irish car bombs. Still, some find any and every reason to do just that.
"Oh, it's [Labor Day, Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Martin Luther King Day, etc.]. We don't have classes, let's get trashed!"
"I don't feel like writing my paper now. Do you want to drink with me?"
I cannot tell you how many times I've heard statements like these ones and shaken my head at them. I don't see the point of drinking excessively on a regular basis just because we're in college and because it's thought that this is our last chance to live it up before entering the real world.
Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying people can't let loose every once in a while, especially on St. Patrick's Day, a holiday that many often associate with drinking. Go ahead, raise a glass to the Irish. Make a few new friends for the night.
I just wouldn't advise making a habit of it because everything you tried to put off will still be there the next morning – only now you'll probably have a headache as well. Why not save the money, time and energy?
Maybe most people won't agree with me, or they won't care, or both. Maybe I'm alone in this stance, but after four years of the same old-same old, I'm ready for a new scene.
I'm ready for the real world.
E-mail: christy.suhr@ubspectrum.com
(03/17/10 4:00am)
Senior wrestler Dan Bishop went to the Mid-American Conference Championships looking to win a MAC title to close out his four-year career as a Bull. Bishop's goal seemed within reach, but in an instant, his dream of a championship was shattered.
Bishop endured a life-threatening spinal cord injury on March 6 while competing in the semifinals of the MAC Championships at Central Michigan University's Rose Center in Mt. Pleasant, Mich. Following the injury, Bishop was taken to St. Mary's Hospital in Saginaw and underwent emergency surgery that night to reduce inflammation caused by a fracture between his C5 and C6 vertebrae.
Prior to surgery, Bishop lost feeling in all extremities. Doctors successfully fused his two vertebrae back together and also put in a metal plate with permanent screws to support his spine. Bishop awoke after surgery with feeling returned to his limbs.
For Bishop, last week had it share of highs and lows.
He battled pneumonia and a fever, and beat both. He was taken off a ventilator and ended the week positively with greater limb functionality.
Associate Athletic Director/Communications Paul Vecchio gave an update on Bishop's condition.
"It was a very encouraging weekend," Vecchio said. "Bishop was able to move toes on his right foot, which was more of a concern since he had already been moving his left leg [for a whole] day prior. That was a real breakthrough."
The Bishop family wants to keep Dan close to their hometown of Whitehall, N.Y. during the full-scale rehabilitation process. Vecchio expects Bishop to move from St. Mary's to Sunnyview Rehabilitation Hospital in Schenectady on Thursday.
According to Vecchio, Sunnyview is one of the best trauma and rehabilitation facilities in the state. It is located about an hour from Whitehall.
On Tuesday, Norm Bishop, Dan's father, said that Dan has regained some fine motor skills in his hands. He was able to send a text message for the first time since the injury. More importantly, Bishop stood on his own for 30 seconds.
"The nurses were shocked," said Norm Bishop.
Head coach Jim Beichner said that Bishop's conditioning as a Division I athlete will assist him in the rehabilitation process.
"He'll recover faster than just about anybody else because he's in such good shape," Beichner said. "He's in the best physical condition of his life. He was prepared to get to the National Championships and compete out there, so his body and his mind are probably in as good a shape as they possibly could be. Whatever is in store for him, I know that he's physically and mentally ready to fight it, and heal."
Bishop entered Saturday's competition as a second seed in the 125-pound weight class and had a first round bye. In his only match of the day, Bishop squared off against Ohio freshman Gabe Ramos, who Bishop defeated earlier in the year on Jan. 30 in a 17-5 decision.
Bishop led 4-0 in Saturday's contest before Ramos performed an illegal throw, which injured Bishop and put him out of competition. Because of the Ramos' illegal maneuver, Bishop was awarded the win. Officials deemed the illegal move by Ramos unintentional.
"It's a situation that happens a lot in a wrestling match, where [Ramos] tried to lift Bishop, and return him to the mat," Vecchio said. "It's a common move in wrestling. Unfortunately, Bishop got caught in a position where his head was in a bad spot. [Ramos] got himself into a spot where I think he was maybe not completely sure of where Bishop's head position was, which is [Ramos'] responsibility. But I can tell you that both the young man and his family have contacted the Bishop family."
Ohio head coach Joel Greenlee offered a statement in regards to Bishop's injury.
"On behalf of our wrestling program and Ohio Athletics, I would like to extend our heartfelt sympathies to Dan Bishop, his family, and the Buffalo wrestling program," Greenlee said. "We wish him a speedy recovery and he will remain in our thoughts going forward."
The win in the semifinals moved Bishop on to the championship match in the 125-pound bracket. However, Bishop could not compete due to injury, and a medical forfeit was issued on his behalf. Bishop finished second in his weight class and earned All-MAC Honorable Mention.
Beichner thought Bishop's initial reaction to the injury showed great character."It says a lot when you're on a stretcher and you're being hauled off in an ambulance and you want to get up and wrestle, and score points for your team," Beichner said. "He wanted to get up and get back out there, and continue to wrestle. He was more concerned with his team, and that's pretty rare nowadays. I'm glad he feels that way, and I'm glad that this team meant so much to him that that was the thing that was on his mind."
The UB Wrestling Program set up a fund to aid in Bishop's recovery and help offset medical costs anticipated by the Bishop family. More information about making a donation can be found on the wrestling page at buffalobulls.com.
(02/24/10 5:00am)
Women's Swimming & Diving
(02/22/10 5:00am)
The same dilemma arises every year around this time and it never gets easier.
(02/22/10 5:00am)
Senior guard Sean Smiley had a flair for the dramatic Saturday against Saint Peter's College. First, he made a poor out-of-bounds pass that led to a turnover and a Nick Leon game-tying 3-pointer with one second left in regulation.
(02/17/10 5:00am)
Rookie Challenge
On Friday night, DeJuan Blair of the San Antonio Spurs led the NBA Rookie team to victory over the Sophomores at the American Airlines Center in Dallas. Blair recorded the first 20-20 game in the history of the Rookie Challenge with 22 points and 23 rebounds in the 140-128 win.
The Sophomores had won eight of the last 10 Rookie Challenge games and held a seven-game winning streak before Blair and Sacramento Kings' Tyreke Evans came along. Evans earned game MVP after scoring 26 points. Russell Westbrook of the Oklahoma City Thunder was the leading scorer for the Sophomore team with 40 points. Westbrook's 40-point performance came just one year after his Thunder teammate, Kevin Durant, set the Rookie Challenge record with 46 points.
Although the game is supposed to be carefree, Sophomore head coach Patrick Ewing – an assistant coach for the Orlando Magic – was not pleased with his team's effort.
"We got our butts kicked in every aspect of the game," Ewing said in a press release. "I know it's an All-Star Game, but we didn't play with enough pride in my eyes. They outplayed us, they outhustled us, they outscrapped us."
At halftime, the NBA held its first ever Slam Dunk Dunk-In contest. The competition was between Toronto Raptors' rookie guard DeMar DeRozan and Los Angeles Clippers' sophomore guard Eric Gordon. DeRozan, who had never lost a dunk contest before, received 61 percent of the fan votes to secure his spot in the contest on Saturday night.
Skills Competition
Steve Nash of the Phoenix Suns beat out Westbrook, Deron Williams and Brandon Jennings to take home the skills competition title. Proving that he's still got it, the 36-year-old took down guys who are all his juniors by more than ten years.
Both Nash and Williams had won the competition before. Nash was a winner in 2005 and Williams, who set the Skills Competition record last year, was the defending champion. They each advanced to the finals and put on a show for the fans. Nash went first and ran through the course in 29.9 seconds. The much-anticipated Williams started off on a roll. After nailing his first two passes and the jump shot, Williams was on pace to top Nash's time, but the final pass gave him trouble and as the time ticked on, his hopes of repeating dwindled. He finished the course in 37.9 seconds and Nash was crowned champion.
"I tried my best without my warm-up," Nash said in a press release. "I missed the run-through because I was a little disjointed from the trip ... I was kind of hoping for the best."
Three-point Contest
After trailing in the first round, Boston Celtics' Paul Pierce came back to take the crown in the Foot Locker Three-Point Contest. Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors led after round one, but in the final round Pierce posted 20 points while Curry earned 17, and Denver Nugget Chauncey Billups finished with 14.
Pierce came back with a vengeance after he performed terribly in 2002, scoring only eight points.
"I worked on it, I really took pride in it. In '02 I stunk it up. I wanted to come in here and put on a show," Pierce said in a press release. "I had to work on getting the technique down and knowing what side to pull the ball from, stuff like that. I knew if I got hot, I could win it."
Slam-Dunk Contest
Nate Robinson of the New York Knicks nabbed his third-consecutive title in the Slam-Dunk Contest on Saturday night. The 5-foot 9-inch highflyer narrowly captured the title over Toronto Raptors' 6-foot 7-inch rookie DeMar DeRozan.
Though the dunks weren't too impressive, there were a few that stood out. On DeRozan's second dunk in the first round, Sonny Weems of the Raptors tossed the ball off the side of the backboard and DeRozan caught the ally-oop and glided in, throwing down a tomahawk dunk that made the crowd erupt and earned him a perfect score of 50.
Robinson won the contest on a 360-degree dunk that he threw down after catching his own pass off the backboard. He narrowly won the contest by receiving 51 percent of the fan votes and became the first player in NBA history to win three years in a row.
When asked if he would return next year, Robinson quickly declined.
"No, no, no, no, no. I don't think I can bear that anymore. I'm just happy with this third one," Robinson said in a press release. "This is the last one."
All-Star Game
A world-record setting 108,713 fans packed Cowboys Stadium to see the East defeat the West in a game that came down to the final buzzer. Toronto Raptor Chris Bosh sunk a pair of free-throws to give the East a two-point lead with five seconds remaining. The West took a timeout to set up the final play. A 3-point attempt by Carmelo Anthony fell short, securing a 141-139 win for the East.
Despite trailing much of the first half, the East dominated the third quarter to take a 118-109 lead going into the fourth.
Dwyane Wade took MVP with 28 points, 11 assists, six rebounds and five steals. LeBron James and Chris Bosh backed up Wade with 25 and 23 points respectively.
Dallas now holds special meaning for Wade for two reasons. In 2006, Wade earned MVP honors in the NBA Finals when the Miami Heat defeated the Dallas Mavericks.
"I've had a little luck in Dallas. Of course, 2006 is very, very memorable, something I dreamed of doing for a long time, winning the NBA championship and I was lucky enough and blessed enough to win the MVP there," Wade said in a press release. "To come and do it again is special."
Carmelo Anthony and Dirk Nowitzki led the scoring for the West. Anthony recorded a team high 27 points while Nowitzki added 22 points.
E-mail: sports@ubspectrum.com
(02/15/10 5:00am)
Last Sunday, a record 106.5 million people tuned into Super Bowl XLIV to see the Indianapolis Colts and the New Orleans Saints battle it out. Most people I know are neither Colts nor Saints fans, so the game held little personal significance for them. Still, they watched because they expected it to be a great game.
(02/08/10 5:00am)
By CHRISTY SUHR and CHRIS LAW
Asst. Sports Editor and Staff Reporter
After losing their first game in February, the men's basketball team was looking to bounce back in hopes of having a successful final month before March Madness. Though the Bulls had a rough start, they saw the light at the end of the tunnel.
Thursday night, the Bulls (12-9, 5-5 Mid-American Conference) ran into foul trouble at the Rose Center as they faced the Central Michigan Chippewas (11-10, 6-3 MAC) in a game that saw a total of 50 personal fouls. Buffalo committed a season-high 27 fouls with three of their players fouling out, which led to the loss of 88-82.
Head coach Reggie Witherspoon was displeased with all of the fouls that were called.
'We obviously put them on the line a lot. I think they scored 16 of their final 20 points in the first half at the free-throw line,' Witherspoon said. 'I mean when that happens, you're [going to] have a hard time having any success, and we certainly had a hard time here.'
With 6:55 left in the first half, the Chippewas made a rally mostly from the free throw line, scoring their next 11 points from the charity stripe. Central Michigan went ahead of the Bulls by seven with just over two minutes to play. The Bulls then cut the lead to four and the Chippewas took a 41-37 lead going into the locker room.
CMU gave the Bulls their fair share of open looks in the first half, but they stepped it up defensively in the second half and never returned the lead to the Bulls.
Buffalo was able to pull within two points with 16 minutes left in the game and a score of 51-49, but the next two minutes belonged to Central Michigan. They went on an 8-0 run and never looked back. From then on, the Bulls found themselves stuck in foul trouble and Witherspoon saw things falling apart.
'Once you get too many guys in foul trouble, then you're playing guys that don't normally play in those situations and they're trying not to foul,' Witherspoon said. 'So they essentially get out of the way, and you can't play good defense if you're getting out of the way.'
Senior guard Rodney Pierce scored 22 points and had a career-high seven assists. Senior forward Calvin Betts followed with 15 points and a team-high eight rebounds. Both players, along with senior forward Max Boudreau, fouled out in the final minute of the game.
Justin Bitzer led the Chippewas with 22 points and eight boards.
After dropping their first two games in February, the Bulls traveled to Toledo to try to pick up the team's first ever win at Savage Arena. Buffalo would soon find out that there is a first time for everything.
On Saturday, Buffalo bested the Rockets (3-22, 0-11 MAC) by ending the game on a 6-0 run to win 65-59, adding to Toledo's 14 game losing streak.
The win for the Bulls was far overdue, although the first half looked like the game would go down to the final buzzer. Toledo played Buffalo very tough for the game's first 20 minutes. The Rockets managed to control the paint throughout the first half, scoring 24 of their 38 points in the key. Toledo shot 61.5% from the field, but only managed to build a one-point lead, 38-37 at halftime.
Toledo looked poised to pull off their first MAC win of the season as the Bulls came out in the second half relatively flat. Buffalo turned the ball over numerous times in the beginning of the second period allowing Toledo to hang around in a tight game.
And the game remained tight until Pierce stepped up big in a clutch spot for Buffalo. With 3:05 left in the game, Pierce drove to the basket, pulled up just outside the key and drilled a jumper to break the 59-59 deadlock. Buffalo followed up with a stop on the defensive end. Boudreau and senior guard Sean Smiley added four free throws respectively to seal the Bulls' win, 65-59.
Sloppy play in the first half plagued Buffalo, almost leading them to their third loss in four games but the Bulls was able to show resiliency on the defensive end in the second half that helped propel them to their first ever victory at Toledo.
'I was upset with the first 25 to 28 minutes,' said head coach Reggie Witherspoon. 'To start, we were in a hurry offensively and scored some points but then we opened the second half in a worried state of mind. In the final 12 to 15 minutes, we were back to a determined style of defense, which we are accustomed to.'
Buffalo was led by their captain Pierce who scored 16 points and recorded four assists, while making clutch plays that were essential to the Bulls' win. Betts added 11 points and Boudreau, whom added a big presence in the key defensively for Buffalo, scored 11 points and recorded four rebounds.
Toledo was led by a duo of freshmen. Center Jordan Dressler led the Rockets with a career-high 19 points, shooting 9-13 from the field while adding five rebounds. Standout freshmen guard Jake Barnett poured in 14 points with two 3-pointers. Junior forward Justin Anyijong scored 10 points as well while adding four rebounds.
The Bulls return home from their two-game road trip when they face Eastern Michigan (12-11, 4-6 MAC) on Wednesday. Tip-off is set for 7p.m.
Email: sports@ubspectrum.com
(02/05/10 5:00am)
It's no surprise that the Indianapolis Colts and New Orleans Saints will go head-to-head in Super Bowl XLIV Sunday at Sun Life Stadium. Both teams rolled through the regular season with MVP-caliber quarterbacks behind center. Here's a glimpse at how each team earned its ticket to Miami.
(02/03/10 5:00am)
Sometimes you can lose a battle, but still win the war.
(02/03/10 5:00am)
It is now obvious that the men's basketball team needs to revamp the way they approach games defensively. The losses continue to pile up and the team has now dropped to .500 in the Mid-American Conference, with their latest defeat coming Monday night at Alumni Arena.
(01/27/10 5:00am)
The men's and women's indoor track and field teams entered Ithaca empty-handed, and came back with two second-place team finishes and a couple of individual records.
(01/25/10 5:00am)
(01/22/10 5:00am)
As my roommates and I lounged around watching television and enjoying our Monday off, my channel surfing landed us on highlights of the Cowboys/Vikings divisional playoff game. While my roommates voiced their disinterest in my choice to watch football, I argued that as a sports writer, I needed to be up to date on the latest NFL news.
(01/20/10 5:00am)
The women's basketball team entered Saturday's Mid-American Conference matchup with Ohio in search of its first MAC victory. Strong shooting proved to be the surge that Buffalo needed to crack into the in-conference win column.
The Bulls (5-12, 1-3 MAC) put on a show from 3-point range to end the losing streak and dispose of the Bobcats (4-13, 0-4 MAC), 76-62. Buffalo went 9-for-14 for 3-point range, their best shooting performance from the perimeter since the 2007-08 season.
'We sure hit some 3-point shots in the first half,' said Bulls head coach Linda Hill-MacDonald. 'I think that was creating a dilemma for Ohio because they wanted to jam on our inside game. Knocking down some threes really opened up [the floor for us]. [Ohio] had to spread out and then we were able to penetrate. I thought we penetrated the gaps really, really well today.'
Using a 7-0 run to start the game, the Bulls immediately put the Ohio on their heels. The Bobcats got off to a rough start, as shot after shot bounced off the glass and rim.
The Bobcats finally made their first layup and cut the Bulls' lead down to five with 17:40 remaining in the first half. This was the closest Ohio came in the contest. Less than a minute later, a trey by junior forward Jessica Fortman and a jumper by freshman guard Chrissy Cooper increased the Bulls' lead to ten.
Ohio gained some momentum after making two consecutive buckets to pull within six, but a trey from Cooper put an end to that run. Sophomore guard Brittany Hedderson sank the next three buckets for the Bulls, including a 3-point shot, putting the Bulls up 22-10 with just over 10 minutes left in the opening half.
The efforts of Cooper, Hedderson, and junior forward Kourtney Brown allowed the Bulls to dominate the Bobcats for the next five minutes. Freshman guard Abby Dowd knocked down a 3-pointer to cap off a 17-6 run. This gave the Bulls a 23-point lead, the largest of the half, at 39-16.
Buffalo ended the first half with 47 points to tie a season-high record set in the opening half of the Youngstown State game. Overall, the Bulls shot 56.3 percent from the field, 63.6 percent from the 3-point range, and were perfect from the free-throw line. The team continued to build on its lead and went on a 20-8 run in the first 10 minutes of the second half. Buffalo held a 67-37 lead, its largest of the game, with 9:44 left on the clock.
But the Bulls relaxed as the Bobcats tried to claw their way out of a rut. Though Ohio finished the game on a 23-8 run, it was not enough to overcome Buffalo's substantial lead.
Buffalo finished the game with four players in double digits for the first time this season. Hedderson led the team, going 7-of-12 from the floor and 3-of-4 from 3-point range for 17 points in just 21 minutes.
Hedderson, who is still fairly fresh off of a stress fracture that put her out of action for nearly six weeks, was glad to be back on the court.
'It was hard being out for that long,' Hedderson said. 'But it just made me try to fight through every day and have even more of a fire now that I'm back.'
Brown added 16 points, 15 rebounds, and four blocks. She earned her seventh-straight double-double of the season. Before the game, Brown was honored, as she became the newest member of the 1,000-point club at Buffalo.
Fortman put up 13 points, six rebounds, two assists, and a steal. She went 6-for-6 from the foul line. Dowd recorded 11 points, three boards, three assists, two steals and a block. Cooper and freshman forward Nytor Longar rounded out the team with 8 points apiece.
Hill-MacDonald said that it was nice to get a MAC win.
'I think a game like today helps build confidence and restore confidence,' Hill-MacDonald said. 'We have a tough one coming up… so we've got to be able to carry the emotion from this game down to Kent.'
The Bulls travel to Kent State to face the Golden Flashes on Tuesday night. Tip off is slated for 7 p.m. at M.A.C. Center.
Email: sports@ubspectrum.com
(01/12/10 5:00am)