Bulls Buck Broncos, 72-64

Five UB players score in double figures

Brittany Hedderson

BUFFALO, NY – The University at Buffalo women’s basketball team used a total team effort on Saturday afternoon, defeating the Western Michigan Broncos, 72-64, at Alumni Arena. The Bulls had five players in double figures in scoring as UB snapped a 12-game losing skid.

The game was a back and forth contest as neither team led by more than nine points throughout the game. The Bulls led for the majority of the first half as they shot 52.4 percent from the field in that opening 20 minutes of action. Freshman Brittany Hedderson had 10 of her 14 points in the first half for UB.

In the second half, WMU got off to a quick start, taking a two point lead with 17:02 left in the half. However, the Bulls regained the lead and got their lead to as many as nine on a layup from Jessica Fortman with 6:56 left in the game. Western Michigan would cut the UB lead to as little as three, but the Bulls hit their free throws when it mattered, converting on their last 12 free throws.

Jamie Schiebner

“I had complete confidence that our team would pull out today’s victory,” said head coach Linda Hill-MacDonald. “I looked at the faces of the players and I knew that we were going to hit the shots that we needed to at the end of the game.”

The Bulls were led by five players in doubles figures, including 14 points from Kourtney Brown , Fortman and Hedderson. The 14 points, tied a career high for Hedderson, who went a perfect 8-for-8 from the free throw line. Jamie Schiebner and Dayna Smith each had 13 points. Smith went 5-of-5 from the free throw line, while Schiebner had a career-high three treys on the afternoon. It was the first time that UB had five players in double figures since November 20, 2007 against Detroit. Making a huge impact for the Bulls was freshman Beth Christensen who grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds, while also recording two blocks and three steals in 21 minutes of action.

Beth Christensen

As a team, the Bulls converted on 28 of their 32 attempts from the foul line as three players had perfect games from the charity stripe. UB also shot 42.6 percent from the floor for the game, including 40.0 percent from three point range. The Bulls also recorded 40 rebounds, opposed to just 29 for Western Michigan.

WMU was led by 15 points from Brenna Bankston and Miami Giden. Sara Vest added six rebounds and Tiera DeLaHoussaye had 12 points and four assists.

The Bulls will be back in action on Wednesday night as they head to Toledo for a 7:00 pm match with the Rockets.