CHAMPIONS!!! UB Women Win WNIT Tournament
The Bulls women’s basketball team staged one last comeback in a season full of them, coming back from a 34-44 halftime deficit to beat Troy 88-84 in the WNIT Finals, at Alumni Arena. The WNIT is the second-biggest women’s basketball tournament, after the NCAA’s March Madness, and the Bulls fought their way through a 48-team bracket, straight to the top.
Chellia Watson once again led scoring with 23 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists. But it was a team effort, as sophomore Kirsten Lewis-Williams was right behind her with 18/6/5, senior Terah Harness scored 17, including four 3-pointers, guard Noelani Cornfield had 15 points and 11 assists for a double-double, while senior forward Jordyn Beaty scored 13.
Down by 10 at the half, the Bulls pulled within four in the third quarter, only go to down by 10, and then go on an 8-0 run, ending the quarter down 61-64. Harness hit a game-tying three to open the fourth, but Troy pulled ahead again. With just over 4 minutes remaining, Harness and Watson each hit 3-pointers to put UB within two, then Harness hit her fourth three of the night to give Buffalo our first lead of the night, 83-81. Troy got the chance to tie things up, but Beaty immediately stole the ball at halfcourt, and beat the defense to the hoop to make it 85-81. Troy never caught up, and the Bulls won their first-ever WNIT title. The title game marked the team’s 30th win of the season, the most in the history of the program.
