TOLEDO, Ohio — The University at Buffalo women's basketball team snapped a six-game win streak as the Bulls lost at Toledo 71-59 on Wednesday night.
The Rockets shot just over 67% from deep in the first half, leading by as many as 24 points in the second quarter, and never relinquished the lead as UB never led at any point throughout the contest.
Freshman Dyaisha Fair led Buffalo with 17 points to go with seven rebounds, four assists and four steals. Senior Theresa Onwuka scored 14 points and grabbed five boards and junior Hanna Hall also got into double figures with 10 points, including 2-of-4 from behind the arc.
Toledo opened the game on an 8-2 run before a pair of free throws by Fair cut the lead to four but the Rockets would lead 10-4 at the first media timeout. Toledo would knock down back-to-back three's out of the media to spark a 14-1 run and they would lead 24-7 at the end of the first.
Hall knocked down a three on UB's first possession of the second quarter to cut the lead to 24-10. Toledo responded with an 8-2 run to take a 32-12 lead at the 6:08 mark before a second chance jumper by Onwuka cut the lead to 32-14 at the media timeout. The Rockets would extend their lead to 24 with just over one minute to play but Fair drilled back-to-back triples, the second coming at the buzzer, to cut the Toledo lead to 42-26 at the half.
The two teams would trade baskets to start the third quarter as the Rockets maintained a 16-point lead at the media timeout. Buffalo responded with an 8-2 run, highlighted by an acrobatic and-one by Onwuka, to cut the Toledo lead to 49-39 at the 3:34 mark. Later, Marissa Hamilton threaded the needle to Onwuka on the block for the easy lay in to cut the lead to 50-43 at the two minute mark but the Rockets closed the quarter on a mini 4-0 run to take a 54-43 lead at the end of the third.
Hamilton gave the Bulls a lift to start the fourth quarter, draining a three on the opening possession, but the Rockets responded with a 7-2 run to extend the lead 61-48 at the 7:33 mark. Hall delivered a big bucket on a three off the assist from Fair to cut the lead to 61-53 and later Keowa Walters converted the second chance bucket to make it 61-55 with 5:55 to play but Toledo responded with a 7-2 run to take a 68-57 lead with 2:42 remaining and that would be all they would need to secure the victory.
Buffalo held a narrow 43-41 edge on the boards and matched Toledo in the paint with 26 points but the Rockets were able to turn 18 Bulls turnovers into 17 points on the other end.
The Bulls return home to open a three-game homestand beginning on Saturday, January 11, as they host the Ohio Bobcats at Alumni Arena at 2pm in a rematch of last year's MAC Championship game.
