WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

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BUFFALO, NY - The University at Buffalo women's basketball team set a school record for the best undefeated start in women's basketball history with its eight consecutive win, a 55-48 road victory at St. John's. Four Bulls scored in double figures and the Buffalo defense held the Red Storm to just 48 points, including only 19 in the first half, to keep their undefeated record intact. Buffalo's 8-0 start is one win better than the 1969-70 UB squad which began the season 7-0 before losing its last game of the year for a 7-1 final record.

Senior Tiffany Bell (Alexandria, VA/Hayfield) led the Bulls with 13 points and nine rebounds, and she and senior Sonia Ortega (Chihuahua, Mexico/Cobach) combined for the Bulls' final 12 points of the first half to send them into the lockerroom with a 24-19 halftime lead. Ortega finished the game with 10 points, five assists and two rebounds, and senior Mari McClure (Rochester Hills, MI/Rochester Adams) and sophomore Katie Blazewski (Plymouth, MI/Detroit Country Day) added 12 points apiece, with all of McClure's coming in the final 20 minutes of play. Buffalo led by as many as 11 points, 30-19 two minutes into the second half, but the Red Storm battled to stay in the game and cut UB's lead to four on three separate occasions late in the half. With Buffalo ahead 52-48 with 1:02 remaining in the game, McClure connected on two free throws and senior Tara Perrier (Aurora, Ontario/Aurora) hit one foul shot to secure the win.

"If we can continue to play well defensively, we'll keep winning games even if our offense struggles, which it did at times today," said Bulls' head coach Cheryl Dozier. "But we never stopped working and we found a way to win on the road."

St. John's was the first of three straight BIG EAST opponents on the Bull's schedule. Buffalo plays at Seton Hall on Friday, December 22 and at Boston College next Thursday, December 28 before closing out the non-conference schedule with a December 30 home date with Navy at Alumni Arena.