WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

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DURHAM, NC ­ Five players scored in double figures and the Bulls found a way to hang on in the consolation game of the Duke Classic, earning an 87-81 win over Howard at Cameron Indoor Stadium. The Bulls led by as many as 13 points, but the Lady Bison made a game of it late in the second half before the Bulls pulled out the win thanks to 5-of-6 shooting from the floor in the final five minutes of play and seven clutch free throws down the stretch.

Hollie Cook

The Bulls came out strong, jumping out to a 14-4 lead in the first five minutes of the first half. Howard's Asia Petty scored her 1,000th career point at the 7:50 mark and then proceeded to rattle off 15 straight points during a five-minute stretch to help the Lady Bison get within four, 37-33, with 1:08 left in the half. Freshman Hollie Cook (Horseheads, NY/Horseheads) scored two quick baskets in the final 35 seconds of the half, including a last-second jumper, to send Buffalo to the lockerroom with a 41-33 lead. Cook scored 14 of her team-high 16 points in the first half of play on 6-of-7 shooting from the floor.

The Lady Bison kept chipping away in the second half and finally took their first lead of the game, 59-58, at the 10:04 mark on a fast-break layup by Petty following a steal by Daisha Hicks. Howard's Courtney Kirk followed with a three-pointer to give the Lady Bison a four-point lead, 62-58, with 9:35 left in the game. The score was tied three times over the next four minutes and 20 seconds, 62-62, 69-69 and 70-70, before junior Jessica Kochendorfer (Allen, MI/Quincy) put Buffalo back on top for good with an easy layup off a dish from junior Kim Kilpela (West Bloomfield, MI/West Bloomfield). That bucket put the Bulls ahead 72-70 with 4:48 on the clock, and the Bulls made their next four shots from the floor and converted 7-of-10 free throws to hold on for the win.

The Lady Bison threatened twice when two free throws by Petty got them within one, 75-74, with 3:21 on the clock and when a layup by Shari Johnson cut Buffalo's lead to two, 78-76, with 1:23 remaining. The Bulls, however, kept their composure on both occasions and answered with buckets on their next possessions to keep Howard at bay.

"We're excited to come out of this tournament with one win," said head coach Cheryl Dozier. "We had a great practice yesterday afternoon, and I felt like we got off to a better start than we did on Friday night. When things got tight near the end, we stayed tough and found a way to win. Participating in this tournament that benefits the Ronald McDonald's House was a great experience for us and we're glad to have been a part of it."

In addition to Cook, Kilpela (15 points), senior Kate McMeeken-Ruscoe (Nelson, New Zealand/Hawaii) (14 points), Kochendorfer (14 points) and sophomore Allison Bennett (Springfield, OH/Kenton Ridge) (13 points) all finished in double figures for Buffalo. Kochendorfer posted her first double-double of the year with a game-high 10 rebounds. The Bulls outrebounded the Lady Bison by a 42-33 margin in the game. For Howard (0-7), Petty finished with a game-high 34 points on 12-of-20 shooting from the floor, and Kirk added 23 points, including 15 in the second half.

McMeeken-Ruscoe represented the Bulls on the All-Tournament Team. She averaged 16.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 2.5 steals in Buffalo's two games in the tournament.

The Bulls (3-1) now return home to host the Niagara Purple Eagles at 1 pm on Saturday, December 14 in Alumni Arena.