Bulls Fall To Northern Illinois in Three Overtimes

Four players finish in double figures, two play over 50 minutes
DEKALB, IL - The University at Buffalo women's basketball team was outscored 11-2 in the third overtime as the Bulls fell 81-72 to the Northern Illinois Huskies, Tuesday night at the Convocation Center in the longest game in UB history. The Bulls sent the game into overtime as senior Brooke Meunier (Saginaw, MI/Heritage) hit a layup as time expired.

Junior Viorica Badinici (Turku, Finland/Central Florida CC) hit a jumper with seven seconds to go in the first overtime to extend the game. The Bulls (7-12, 2-6 MAC) had a chance to win the game in the second extra period, but Meunier's jumper fell just short and for the first time ever the Bulls entered a third overtime. Foul trouble for UB set in as the Huskies finished the game on a 10-0 run.

Jamie Schiebner

Four Bulls finished in double figures led by 17 points from Meunier. Stephanie Bennett (Springfield, OH/Kenton Ridge) and Heather Turner (West Seneca, NY/Mount Mercy Academy) each added 16 points for UB and freshman Jamie Schiebner (Saginaw, MI/Heritage) scored 12 points, but it was her career-high 17 rebounds that kept the Bulls in the game.

"I am really happy with the way the team fought," said head coach Linda Hill-MacDonald. "We hadn't seen that type of fight and determination in a while and we're not happy with the outcome, but somebody had to win and lose that game. That was a tough one."

Three of the UB starters and one reserve fouled out so the bench saw significant action as nine players saw 10 or more minutes. Freshman guard Rayna Brown (Montclair, NJ/Montclair) who was averaging just 2.8 minutes per game, played 10 minutes and gave the Bulls a spark on defense.

The Bulls had two leads of five points in the game, but the lead went back-and-forth as it changed 19 times as well as the contest being tied 11 times.

While UB managed to shoot a better percentage from the charity stripe, the Bulls failed to go to the line once during the 15 minutes of overtime, opposed to a 14-of-19 performance in overtime for NIU.

Stephanie Bennett

In the last game the Bulls hit just one three-point field goal, but tonight they hit nine treys, including five from Bennett. It was the second time she hit five in a game this season.

Northern Illinois (8-11, 4-4 MAC) was led by four players in doubles figures, including a game-high 18 points from Mary Basic. Jessie Wilcox contributed 16 points, while Tara Michaels and Jamie Wilson each chipped in 11.

The Bulls will return to the Midwest as they take on Ball State on Saturday. Tip off is set for 1 p.m.

01/31/2006