Jan. 15, 2011
Final Stats
ATHENS, Ohio - Shavon Robinson scored a career-high 16 points and nine rebounds and Tenishia Benson added 17 points and eight rebounds, but Buffalo's Kourtney Brown scored a game-high 31 points and 16 rebounds to lead the visiting Bulls past Ohio, 65-51, Saturday in the Convo.
A big Bull run midway through the second half proved to be the deciding factor as it broke open a tight game and gave the Green and White a hole it was unable to dig out of. The `Cats (4-13, 0-4 MAC) pulled down a season-best 23 offensive boards en route to 44 on the game, but Buffalo's (9-8, 2-2 MAC) outside shooting made the Green and White pay as the Bulls knocked down eight treys while shooting 34.8 percent from beyond the arc. They finished the game shooting 44 percent overall.
Benson (Akron, Ohio) also chipped in four assists and three steals to add to her solid line. Kamille Buckner (Chicago, Ill.) pulled down a season-best 13 rebounds to go with five points, and Alesia Howard (Columbus, Ohio) chipped in seven points and five rebounds.
Action was tight early on, with the `Cats clinging to an 8-6 lead after a jumper from Robinson (Canton, Ohio). Buffalo came alive with a big 13-2 run to go up 19-10 at the 9:57 mark. With the Bulls still leading by nine at 24-15, Robinson scored a field goal and a free throw and Benson added two at the line to trim the gap to four with a little over three minutes remaining in the half. After a Buffalo bucket, Robinson and Benson converted successive lay-up opportunities and Howard made one of two free throws to send the `Cats into the locker room trailing by only one, 26-25.
Robinson led the `Cats with nine points while adding four rebounds. Benson scored eight points, grabbed four rebounds, dished out three assists and made three steals. Buckner, despite not scoring, led the team with six rebounds and helped Ohio hold a plus-four advantage in that category. The Green and White took advantage of 12 Buffalo turnovers and turned them into 12 points on the other end. Brown led the Bulls with 14 points and eight rebounds in the first half, converting 6-of-9 field goals.
Both sides went back and forth through the first seven-plus minutes of the second period, with Buffalo managing a 41-38 lead. The Bulls then ran off a decisive 15-2 run to take a big 56-40 lead with 8:51 remaining
The `Cats scratched and clawed to get back into things, but key buckets from Brown inside and several clutch shots from outside kept Ohio at bay as it was only able to get as close as 13 the rest of the way. The Bulls escaped with the 65-49 win.
Brown converted on 12-of-18 field goals overall and also added three blocks to pace Buffalo. Brittany Hedderson chipped in 10 points, while Jessica Fortman pulled down 11 rebounds to go with five points. Senior guard Ashley Zuber, the MAC's leader in assists, dished out nine helpers to go with eight points.
Ohio will have a quick turnaround as it heads to Oxford to battle rival Miami Tuesday. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. in Millett Hall.
