UB’s Magical Run Ends In Conference Semifinals

Kourtney Brown finishes with 21 points; becomes single-season scoring leader

Kourtney Brown

CLEVELAND, OH - The University at Buffalo women’s basketball team was unable to overcome a slow first half as the Bulls fell to Ball State, 68-54, in the Mid-American Conference Semifinals on Saturday afternoon at the Quicken Loans Arena. Redshirt Sophomore Kourtney Brown scored a game-high 21 points as she became UB’s single-season scoring leader with 532 points on the year.

The Bulls had a hard time getting anything going offensively in the opening half as UB managed to score just 12 points in the opening 20 minutes. UB shot just 13.6 percent in the opening half as Ball State took a 34-12 halftime lead.

The Cardinals got their lead up to as many as 25 points three minutes into the second half, but the Bulls fought back in the final 20 minutes and eventually outscored the Cardinals, 42-34, in the second half. While UB had a tough time shooting in the first, the second half saw UB shoot 42.9 percent from the field. The Bulls were never able to get the deficit in single digits, but UB did get it down 12 with 3:09 left and eventually to 10. However, Ball State shot 14-of-17 from the free throw line in the second half for the final 14-point margin.

Jessica Fortman

“It’s unfortunate that the game is only two halves because while we didn’t play well in the first half, but I thought we played a championship second half,” said head coach Linda Hill-MacDonald. “We have the majority of players coming back next season and they need to remember that feeling of winning the first and second games, but they also need to remember this feeling of losing.”

Brown finished with a game-high 21 points, 19 of those coming in the second half. She added six rebounds, two blocks and two steals. Sophomore Jessica Fortman finished with a double-double recording 10 points and 10 rebounds, while adding four assists and a block. Playing in their final game Jamie Schiebner finished with eight points, four rebounds and three assists, while Dortae Freeman added five points, three rebounds and two assists.

For the second straight game the Bulls shot the ball extremely well from the free throw line, converting on 14 of their 15 attempts. Fortman went a perfect 6-for-6 from the line.

Jamie Schiebner

Ball State was led by 14 points from Danielle Gratton and 10 points from Audrey McDonald. Porchia Green had a team-high seven rebounds.

The Bulls conclude the season with an 8-23 record.