Buffalo Tops Falcons, 75-61, to Salvage Split of Season Series

Wednesday, March 6

Buffalo, NY

7:00 PM

Bowling Green State University

9-19

Buffalo

20-8

Bowling Green

Buffalo

Morgan McMillen v Kent State - March 2 2019

Photo by: BGSU Marketing and Communications

March 06, 2019 | Women's Basketball

Box Score BGSU-Buffalo Box Score

Lambert & McMillen each hit 5 3-pointers in Wednesday-night setback

By: BUFFALO, N.Y. (BGSU Athletic Communications)

The University at Buffalo used relentless rebounding to post a 75-61 victory over the Bowling Green State University women's basketball team Wednesday night (March 6). The Mid-American Conference East Division matchup was held at Alumni Arena in Western New York.

Both teams shot just over 37 percent from the field, and BGSU held the Bulls to just a 4-for-23 performance (17.4%) from three-point range, while making 12 long-range shots themselves. But, UB had 52 rebounds on the night, including 26 at the offensive end, and posted a 21-5 advantage in second-chance points.

Cierra Dillard had 27 points for the Bulls. She took nearly half of her team's shots, going just 6-for-30 from the field and 2-of-16 from the arc, but hitting all 13 of her free-throw attempts on the night.

Summer Hemphill had 17 points and 16 rebounds for the hosts, while Brittany Morrison was an X-factor with 14 points and 14 rebounds off the bench.

Senior Sydney Lambert and freshman Morgan McMillen each scored 18 points, and both players connected five times from three-point range as BG was 12-for-33 at the arc (36.4%). Sophomore Angela Perry had eight points, senior Maddie Cole seven points and seven rebounds, and freshman Kadie Hempfling dished out nine assists, the highest total of her young career.

FIRST QUARTER
• The Falcons took an early lead, on a McMillen three-ball just under two minutes in. But, in a harbinger of things to come, Cole was whistled for her second foul of the night before three mintues had expired.
• Lambert was fouled on a shot from the left side, hitting two free throws, but Dillard scored off of a steal, and Theresa Onwuka's driving layup gave the Bulls a 6-5 lead. A Hemphill turnaround jumper put the hosts up by three with two and a half minutes left in the period.
• Sophomore Madisen Parker was fouled on a three-point try, knocking down all three of the resulting charity tosses to tie the game at 8-8. Fellow soph Angela Perry received Parker's inbounds pass in the final minute of the period, hitting a shot inside to tie the game at 10-all after 10 minutes.
• The Falcons were just 2-of-13 from the field, including 1-for-7 from the arc, in the opening quarter.

SECOND QUARTER
• Hemphill converted a layup on the first possession of the second period, giving her eight of UB's 12 points. Junior Andrea Cecil took a Hempfling pass and knocked down a corner three for a 13-12 BG lead, but Dillard's jumper moments later gave the Bulls a three-point advantage.
• Perry took a Lambert entry pass and muscled a shot up and in, putting BG within a point at 16-15, but Morrison's and-1 putback at the 4:47 mark gave the home team a 20-15 lead.
• That three-point play was part of a 9-0 UB run. Dillard made two free throws, then hit a three-pointer to make it a 25-15 game.
• Lambert answered with a three-pointer out top, ending a long BG scoring drought, but the senior was called for her second foul of the night – becoming the fourth Falcon to pick up two fouls – and two more Dillard shots from the stripe gave the Bulls a nine-point lead.
• With the shot clock winding down, freshman Molly Dever drilled a three-pointer from the left wing, and after Hemphill hit a pair of shots at the line, McMillen knocked down a straightaway trey, cutting the Bulls' lead to five.
• But, Hemphill's jumper bounced around the rim and dropped through, and Morrison hit a pair of short-range shots in the final minute of the period, the last coming in the waning seconds. UB took a 35-24 lead into the break.
• Five Falcons had two fouls apiece at the half. BGSU was whistled for eight fouls in the second quarter alone and 11 in the first half, while Buffalo committed one and five, respectively.

THIRD QUARTER
• BGSU went on a 9-2 run to begin the second half, with McMillen heavily involved in the BG run. Her steal on the first possession of the quarter gave the ball to the Falcons, and Cecil was fouled on a layup try, knocking down one of the resulting free throws.
• Then, after a Dillard jumper gave the hosts a 12-point advantage, McMillen went on her own personal 8-0 run. Twice, she took a pass from Hempfling and hit a three-pointer, with one coming from the left wing and the other from in front of the BG bench.
• BG forced a miss, and McMillen knocked down a pull-up jumper in the paint. Suddenly, UB's lead was down to four points, at 37-33.
• But, Dillard pushed the ball toward the basket with one hand, swishing the shot, and Hemphill banked home a shot in transition.
• Cole scored inside, and after Perry made three free throws in a 30-second span, it was a six-point game. But, after UB starter Adebola Adeyeye picked up her third foul, Morrison scored six-straight points. And, after another Perry charity toss, Hanna Hall hit back-to-back triples. Then, Dillard connected from the corner, and the Bulls had a 59-40 lead.
• After going just 1-of-16 from the arc to begin the game, the Bulls hit three treys in a row to open up that 19-point lead.

FOURTH QUARTER
• The Falcons would not go away. McMillen hit a three-pointer after BG had pulled down a pair of offensive rebounds, and the freshman then found Lambert for a three-ball from in front of the BG bench. The latter triple cut UB's lead to 12, 59-47, with 8:34 to go.
• Hemphill split a pair of free throws, missing the second, but Morrison grabbed the rebound and laid the ball up and in. Moments later, Cole hit a sweet step-back jumper from the foul line, and Hempfling fed Lambert for another three-pointer, making it a 62-52 game with 5:42 remaining.
• But, the Falcons were called for a foul on a Dillard three-point try, and the UB senior made all three resulting free throws. She got back to the line and hit two more shots, restoring the home team's 15-point lead.
• Cole alertly cut toward the basket, took a Hempfling bounce pass, put a shot off glass and in, drew a foul and made the free throw. And, Lambert hit two more triple tries in the final moments. But, BG could not get closer than 13 points down the stretch, and the Bulls had their 20th win of the season.

UP NEXT
• The Falcons will continue a stretch of three road games in a six-day span, heading to Athens for a Saturday (March 9) afternoon contest at MAC East Division-leading Ohio University. Tipoff is set for 1:00 p.m. at the Convocation Center.
• Then, the MAC Tournament begins with first-round action on Monday evening (March 11). BGSU will hit the road to face either Toledo or Kent State in that first round.

FOLLOW THE FALCONS
• For more information on all things BGSU women's basketball, follow the Falcons on Twitter (@BGAthletics and @BGSUwbb), Instagram (@bgsuwbasketball) and Snapchat (BGSU Falcons) as well as on the web right here at BGSUFalcons.com.