BUFFALO, N.Y. – The Le Moyne College women’s basketball team earned a 66-61 win over the University at Buffalo on Saturday afternoon inside UB Alumni Arena.
Le Moyne trailed Buffalo 45-44 after three quarters, then the Dolphins outscored the Bulls 22-16 in the final 10 minutes for their second road win of the campaign and hand UB its first home loss of the season.
Sophomore guard Le Moyne Kaya Jude (Rochester, N.Y./Bishop Kearney) Scored a team-high and season-high 17 points with nine free throws in 34 minutes played. Goode also contributed three rebounds, three assists and three steals, including the game-clinching takeaway with just seconds left.
Graduate guard Sidney Lusher (Oneida, NY/Oneida) tallied 16 points, four assists, four rebounds, one block and one steal in 37 minutes for the Phins, while the fifth-year guard LeToya Baker (Rochester, N.Y./Bishop Kearney) Had a game-high 13 rebounds.
Le Moyne is a junior goalkeeper Emily Florville (Brooklyn, NY/Nazareth) went a perfect 6-6 from the free throw line to set a career-high in free throws on her way to scoring a career-high 10 points. Florville also pulled down two offensive rebounds to maintain an offensive rebounding average of 2.0 per game.
Redshirt junior forward Hayden Roberts (Holland Patent, NY/Holland Patent) added 10 points and a season-high eight rebounds for Le Moyne. Roberts went 4-4 from the line to increase her free throw percentage on the season to 95%, and she made a team-best four offensive rebounds against the Bulls.
Le Moyne set season highs in free throws made and free throw attempts, shooting 22-25 from the line during the win.
The Dolphins generated 15 offensive rebounds with 13 second-chance points, while the Bulls were limited to nine offensive rebounds and five second-chance points.
Le Moyne scored 20 points on Buffalo’s 19 turnovers. The Dolphins outscored the Bulls in the paint, 24-18.
UB redshirt senior guard Chelia Watson led the Bulls in scoring with 20 points on 7-14 from the field, including 4-5 from beyond the three-point line to go along with five rebounds, five assists and three steals. Senior guard Rana Al-Husseini went 5-10 from three-point range for the Bulls and finished the non-conference competition with 16 points, four rebounds and three assists.
UB freshman guard Kirsten Lewis-Williams contributed 15 points, six rebounds and four assists for the Bulls during the setback.
Quotes from coach le moyne Mary Grimes:
On the team’s defensive intensity and its success in winning the loose ball: “I mean, that’s who we are. That’s what we’ve been doing the last (nine games), we’ve been consistent in that. So, it’s no surprise to me that we’re on the floor. “We’re diving regardless of our record. They are just fighting and it is unbelievable to see that.”
on Emily Florville production“Everything she is is what she brought to Le Moyne. Her coach told us she can’t shoot, but she can do everything else. She’s been consistent at that, and she’s adding shooting to her repertoire. She was unbelievable from the free-throw line today.” , six for six. But this kid’s heart and courage are incredible.
About the team’s balanced offensive performance: “We went back to basics this week, did a lot of individual work and skill work. Great job by Coach Joe working with them this week and getting their confidence back. Hayden [Roberts] He did a great job inside for us today and Bree [Williams] It brought some energy too. “I’m very proud of the team and everything they fought for.”
on Kaya Jude performance: “What I like Kaya Jude Is she a winner? She’s a winner. She won a state championship, I’ve seen her in that position before, and when the game is on the line and we need a free throw or we need the ball, she rises to the occasion and that’s what winners do.”
Le Moyne led 12-2 through the first four minutes of the game, but the Bulls responded with a 17-4 run to close the quarter, leading 19-16 after 10 minutes of play.
After a three-pointer from freshman guard Paula Lopez and a layup by Lewis Williams early in the second quarter, UB held a 24-16 advantage, which would be its largest lead of the game.
Loescher scored seven straight points for the Dolphins between the 8:17 and 6:42 marks to cut the deficit to one point, then the sophomore guard Sierra Lynn (Valley Cottage, NY/Albertus Magnus) sank two free throws with 3:29 left in the first half to put the Phins back in front, 25-24.
Buffalo led 29-27 at halftime, then the two teams went back and forth during the third period.
Florville provided a spark for the Dolphins in the second half after entering the game midway through the third quarter. Florville had four points, two offensive rebounds, a steal and an assist in the final 4:52 of the third period.
Loescher knocked down a 3-pointer with 34 seconds left in the third period to make it 45-44 in favor of the Bulls after 30 minutes.
After two free throws by Florville and two by Roberts within the first two minutes of the fourth quarter, the Dolphins took a 48-45 lead.
Roberts then finished off a contested layup in the paint with under 6:30 left to extend Le Moyne’s lead to five.
After a layup from Watson at the other end, Roberts grabbed an offensive rebound and converted the putback.
Florvil put the Dolphins ahead 54-47 with a layup and score on Le Moyne’s next possession.
The next four points came for Le Moyne Kaya Jude Free throws, but three pointers from Al-Husseini and Watson reduced the gap with Le Moyne to three points.
With 1:11 remaining in the fourth, Lenin drained a corner 3-pointer to give Le Moyne a six-point advantage.
After two free throws from Goode with 17 seconds left, Watson nailed a 3-pointer to make it a three-point game again.
Buffalo got a defensive rebound with five seconds left and tried to push the ball up the right side of the court, but Judd snapped the ball, stole the ball, was fouled and made two free throws to seal the win for Le Moyne.
The Dolphins will return to action on Dec. 21 at Rhode Island, then travel to Pittsburgh for a game against the Panthers on Dec. 28.
The women’s basketball team pulled off an impressive 66-61 victory in Buffalo, showcasing their talent and determination on the court. With a combination of skillful ball-handling, sharp shooting, and strong defense, the team was able to secure a hard-fought win against their opponents. This victory not only demonstrates the team’s ability to perform under pressure, but also sets a strong tone for their season ahead. The players’ hard work and teamwork were truly on display, leaving fans and spectators eager to see what the rest of the season has in store for this talented group of athletes.