Central Michigan University ends Mid-American Conference streak of University at Buffalo women’s Basketball
Central Michigan is proving to be the Mid-American Conference nemesis for the University at Buffalo women’s basketball.
The defending MAC champions, ended a six-game UB winning streak in conference play, 76-65, on Saturday afternoon before 2,228 at McGurk Arena in Mount Pleasant, Mich. It was the first loss for the Bulls since their MAC opener against Ohio U. on Jan. 5.
Even in winning, the Hurons did not slow UB scoring star Cierra Dillard. She led the Bulls with 25 points while adding four rebounds, two assists, and two steals. Also in double figures for UB were Summer Hemphill, who went for 12 points, seven rebounds, two assists, three steals and a block and Hanna Hall who also chipped in 12 points.
It was a frustrating game for the Bulls. After a 2-2 tie UB never caught up. It was 39-37 at the half and 48-47 with 3:35 left in the third quarter after two foul shots by Dillard, but UB got no closer.
Reyna Frost, who played all 40 minutes led CMU with 28 points. Presley Hudson had 21 points and Micaela Kelly had 16.
UB had only nine turnovers but was outrebounded, 45-29, with Frost taking down 21 for the Hurons.
Each team is 6-2 in MAC play. Overall, UB is 14-5 and Central 15-5.
Canisius, Niagara women win
Canisius shot better than 50 percent in all four quarters and defeated Saint Peter’s 78-59 at the Koessler Athletic Center.
The Golden Griffins made 14 of 27 field goal attempts in the first half, including 7 for 11 from 3-point range in building a 42-27 halftime lead and didn’t let up making 17 for 30 in the second half to go 8-12 overall, 6-3 in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference play.
Tiana Pugh had 16 points in leading four double-figure scorers for the Griffs. Sara Hinriksdottir, Maria Welsh and Andea Zeigler had 13 points each. Welch and Zeigler were a combined 6 for 6 on 3-pointers and Hinriksdottir had 10 rebounds.”
Niagara’s shooting was just as hot in a 72-53 win over Iona before 287 at the Gallagher Center. The Purple Eagles I(10-11, 5-3 MAAC) made 31 of 55 field goal tries, although they were only 3 for 10 on 3-pointers in rolling past the Gaels. Niagara led 44-17 at the half after outscoring the visitors 21-6 in the second quarter.
Jai Moore led Niagara with 20 points. Valentina Pepic and Dagny Davidssottir had 10 points each off the bench for Niagara, which employed 11 players, 10 of whom scored. The Purple Eagles forced 29 turnovers by the Gaels and had 12 steals.
Super Sunday action for Niagara men
Niagara held off Quinnipiac, 75-72, in Hamden, Conn. last month. Now the Purple Eagles will try for a regular-season sweep of the Bobcats in a 2 p.m. game Super Bowl Sunday matinee at the Gallagher Center.
The Purple Eagles (11-11, 4-5 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference) ended January with a 27-point win over Monmouth, their largest margin of victory in 10 seasons and a win over Canisius.
Quinnipiac (10-10, 5-4 MAAC) comes in after 75-70 loss to Canisius on Friday night at the Koessler Center.
Bonnies women host GMU
After road wins at Massachusetts and Rhode Island, the St. Bonaventure women’s team goes after its third Atlantic 10 victory in a row against George Mason at 1 p.m. on Sunday in the Reilly Center.
The Bonnies and Patriots each come into the game with 3-4 records in conference play. Bona is 6-14 overall including a 68-57 victory at George Mason last month, it was the Bonnies first win ever on GMU’s home floor.
Last season George Mason came to the Reilly Center and defeated the Bonnies, 76-63 last season.
Mckenna Maycock, playing as a graduate student for Bona, scored a career-high 24 points, including six 3-points in Wednesday’s win at Rhode Island.
NU record for Stenlund
Ludwig Stenlund scored in his sixth straight game, a Niagara record, but the Purple Eagles (10-14-3, 9-9-3 Atlantic Hockey Association) lost to first place AIC, 6-3, in Springfield, Mass.
Stenlund broke the record of five by Ryan Murphy in 2012-13. He scored short-handed and unassisted at 11:20 of the opening period to give Niagara a 1-0 lead. Dylan Mills made it 2-0 at 6:22 of the second, but the Yellowjackets scored the next three goals before Niko Kovachis tallied his sixth of the season to tie it at 3-3 with a short-handed goal with 4:53 left in the second.
AIC scored three in the third, however, go win it going away and go to 15-12-1 overall and 15-8-1 in AHA.
Bona loses historic lax opener
St. Bonaventure athletics history was made Saturday when its first men’s varsity lacrosse team played its first game at High Point in North Carolina.
Coach Randy Mearns’ team lost 13-0 to the Panthers at Vert Stadium. Bona was outshot 62-17 and goalkeeper Brett Dobson made 23 saves.
High Point had 58 ground balls to 27 for Bona and won 11 of 16 faceoffs. The inexperienced Bonnies had 33 turnovers to 16 for the Panthers.
“I thought our guys played really fast in the middle of the field,” High Point coach Jon Torpey said. “We knew coming into this game that St. Bonaventure would be scrappy and tough. Randy Mearns, their head coach, has won at every level, so there was no doubt they weren’t going to give up and they were gritty from start to finish.
Sophomore Asher Nolting had three goals and four assists for High Point while Chris Young scored four goals and was assisted on three of them by Nolting. Junior Ben Baker also contributed a hat trick.
High Point was only 6-8 last season but played a difficult schedule that included games against Duke, Georgetown, Maryland, and Virginia.
Bona has a challenging first schedule, competing in the MAAC. The Bonnies will face Cornell and Hobart as well as MAAC teams including Canisius…
