Final Stats

NIU-UB Box Score 

BUFFALO - NIU women’s basketball (6-10, 2-4 MAC) limited Buffalo (10-8, 3-4 MAC) to 47 points Saturday afternoon at Alumni Arena but the Huskies fell to the Bulls, 47-43. Ally Lehman (Nineveh, Ind./Indian Creek) led the Huskies wit 10 points with six rebounds. She attempted a game tying shot with 13 seconds left, after stealing an inbounds pass with 13 seconds left.

NIU only allowed 11 points at halftime on four Buffalo field goals as it carried a nine point lead, 20-11. The Huskies outscored the Bulls in the paint, 24-18, despite being outrebounded in the affair, 43-36.

“I thought we played a great first half, we talked talked a lot about their height and how we had to jump stomp to let them fly by and then go back to shooting. I think we need start taking it more personally by looking at our stat line and work to get better as a team by finding some poise,” said Head Coach Kathi Bennett.

We’re playing our hearts out and I thought we were really gritty today and did everything in our power to make this game tight and close after we trailed. We just need some players  to start stepping up and making routine plays for us,” Bennett closed.

A defensive tone was set early as the Huskies and Bulls combined for five points at the first media timeout with 15:12 left in the first. NIU then held Buffalo scoreless for 7:02, which allowed the Huskies to score 10 unanswered points led by two layups from Renee Sladek (Merrill, Wis./Merrill) to take a 10-5 lead.

Built as a strong post team, the Bulls were unable to penetrate the paint in the half as NIU outscored UB, 16-2. Buffalo finished the half with 11 points, shooting 4-of-26 (.156) from the field to set an NIU opponent low this season. The Huskies only turned the ball over twice in the period, while the Bulls committed nine turnovers.

Buffalo’s 11 points in the half was its lowest of the year, surpassing its 18 point period versus St. Bonaventure on Dec. 15. SIUE scored 17 points in the first against the Huskies on Dec. 17.

The Huskies scored as a group as seven of their eight players that appeared in the period were on the scoring register. Sladek, Lehman and Kelly Smith (Hartland, Wis./Arrowhead) each scored four.

Buffalo came back in the second half as it started the second half on a 14-2 run to take its second lead of the game and its first in over 21 minutes of gameplay.

While the Bulls built a six point lead with 8:40 remaining, 34-29, NIU responded each time as it climbed back within two points each time UB tried to pull away.

Both Lehman and Corral sunk two, three-point baskets in the final minutes of the game to put the Huskies within two points, including Lehman’s with 36 seconds left to make it a 44-42 ball game.

A free throw by Danny Pulliam (Indianapolis, Ind./Pike) with 24 seconds left again brought the Huskies within two points, 45-43. On the following inbounds pass, Lehman made the steal with 19 seconds left.

Attempting the game tying shot, Lehman attempted a layup to kiss off the glass but Buffalo’s Christa Baccas rose up to block the shot just outside the lane. Ayana Bradley ran off on a fast break to lay the ball off the backboard and seal the game with 8.6 seconds left, 47-43.

The 47 points surrendered by NIU was the lowest allowed by the Huskies in a loss since Dec. 14 at Mizzou this season, when NIU fell to the Rockets, 47-44.

The Huskies outshot the Bulls in the game, 18-for-55, and finished with 24 points in the paint. Defensively, NIU caused 17 Buffalo takeaways. UB’s Kristen Sharker had 18 points and seven rebounds.

Lehman led NIU with 10 points, including six rebounds and three assists. Corral closed with eight points and 10 rebounds. Smith led the Huskies in assists off the bench with four while adding eight points in the effort.

NIU will return to action Wednesday night when it hosts Bowling Green at the NIU Convocation Center. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. Central. The game will air live on ESPN3.