Cold Shooting Dooms Bulls

Heather Turner pulls in 12 rebounds in the loss

Heather Turner

BUFFALO, NY – The University at Buffalo women’s basketball team was unable to recover from a first half where it scored a season-low 14 points as the Ball State Cardinals came away with a 59-44 victory, Saturday afternoon at Alumni Arena. The Cardinals scored just 19 points in the first half, but put up 40 points in the second. The loss drops UB to 6-15 on the season and 1-8 in the MAC. Ball State continues to lead the West Division as it improved to 17-3 and 8-1 in the conference with the win.

Both teams struggled to get points on the scoreboard in the first half as UB shot just 26.1 percent from the field in the opening stanza. Ball State was a little better, converting on 31 percent from the field. A stingy UB defense allowed it to go into the half down just five at 19-14.

In the second half, the Cardinals lead grew to 11 with 15:27 in the half before UB went on a 9-0 run to close within two with 12:39 remaining. Four different Bulls scored on the run, which was capped off by a layup from sophomore Dortae Freeman (Detroit, MI/Cass Technical). Ball State’s Audrey McDonald ended that run with a three pointer as UB would get no closer than four for the rest of the game.

“We didn’t do the things we needed to do to be successful today,” said head coach Linda Hill-MacDonald. “We turned the ball over too many times and missed too many layups. If we did those things different then we might have been able to get a win.”

Jamie Schiebner

Sophomore Jamie Schiebner (Saginaw, MI/Heritage) led the Bulls with 10 points, while junior Heather Turner (West Seneca, NY/Mount Mercy Academy) scored seven points and had a game-high 12 rebounds, going over 600 career rebounds with the performance. Junior Stephanie Bennett (Springfield, OH/Kenton Ridge) led all players with four assists.

Ball State had a balanced scoring attack that saw four of the five starters in double figures. Kelsey Corbin led the way with 14 points. Porchia Green had a double-double as she finished with 12 points and 11 rebounds, including seven on the offensive end.

Both teams struggled on the evening from behind the arc as UB shot 18.2 percent, while Ball State converted on just 3-of-19 for 15.8 percent.

The Bulls will wrap up their three-game homestand on Wednesday night as they welcome the Western Michigan Broncos into town. Tip off between the Bulls and Broncos is set for 7:00 pm.

02/03/2007