University at Buffalo - The State University of New York

Published: February 15, 2007

Basketball

MEN'S

Ball State 79, UB 73
Central Michigan 59, UB 56

Despite four players scoring in double-figures, the road woes continued for

UB as it dropped a 79-73 decision to Ball State in Worthen Arena on Feb. 7. The loss dropped the Bulls to 0-6 in Mid-American Conference road games this season.

UB got off to a great start, jumping out to a 12-2 lead in the opening five minutes. However, Ball State outscored the Bulls, 21-4, over the next seven minutes to take a seven-point lead. Back-to-back three-pointers by Ball State extended a one-point Cardinal lead to seven late in the half. Ball State led, 36-30, at the break.

After the Cardinals extended their lead to 40-32 early in the second half, UB went on a 10-2 scoring run, capped by an Andy Robinson layup, to tie the contest at 42. However, Ball State scored the next nine points to regain a 53-44 lead, and increased the advantage to as many as 15 points with 9:03 left.

The Bulls rallied and after a three-point play by Robinson, cut the lead to 63-57 with 6:38 on the clock. Ball State rebuilt its lead to 10 points with 4:57 remaining. The Bulls had one final push left and following a 7-1 scoring run, cut the lead to four with 4:09 left. However, they could get no closer and eventually fell to the Cardinals by six.

UB's struggles continued on Saturday night with a 59-56 loss to Central Michigan in Alumni Arena.

The Bulls (10-14, 2-9 MAC) got off to a sluggish start, shooting only 21.7 percent in the first half and scoring a season-low 17 points. UB trailed Central Michigan, 25-17, at the break.

An inspired Bulls team opened the second half on a 7-0 run to quickly cut the Chippewas' lead to 25-24. However, Central Michigan answered every UB basket. The Bulls finally took the lead, 40-39, at the 9:13 mark.

After Central Michigan regained a 42-40 lead, the Bulls went on an 8-3 scoring run-capped by a pair of Byron Mulkey free throws-to take a 48-45 lead with 5:59 remaining.

Following two Yassin Idbihi free throws that gave the Bulls a 50-47 lead with 5:08 left, the Chippewas scored six unanswered points to take a 53-50 lead. A jump-hook by Parnell Smith gave the Bulls a 54-53 lead with 2:57 remaining. However, on Central Michigan's ensuing possession, Sefton Barrett hit a layup and was fouled. His free throw gave the Chippewas a 56-54 lead. Idbihi hit a pair of free throws to tie the contest at 56 with 2:19 left.

A free throw gave Central Michigan a 57-56 lead with 1:18 remaining. UB had two chances to take the lead in the final minute of the game, but turned the ball over on each possession. After a pair of free throws gave the Chippewas a 59-56 lead, a three-point attempt by Smith in the closing seconds came up short.

WOMEN'S

UB 61, Western Michigan 48
UB 90, Central Michigan 80

UB's five-game losing skid came to an end with an impressive defensive effort in its win against Western Michigan, 61-48, Feb. 7 in Alumni Arena. The Bulls held the nation's leading scorer, Carrie Moore, to just nine points on 4-of-14 shooting from the field.

The Bulls got off to a quick start, with a three-point play from junior Stephanie Bennett giving UB a 25-8 lead with 6:44 remaining in the first half. The Broncos picked up their game a bit, but the Bulls still took a 31-19 lead into the halftime break.

At first it looked as if the halftime break might have cooled the Bulls off as Western Michigan began the second half on a 20-8 run, cutting the UB lead to just one point. Sophomore Jamie Schiebner took over, finding Rachelle Matthys under the basket for an easy two. Schiebner stole the ball on the inbounds play and sank two foul shots to up the lead to five and begin a 21-9 run by the Bulls to end the game.

The Bulls wrapped up play this season against MAC West teams with a 90-80 victory over the Central Michigan Chippewas Saturday afternoon in Rose Arena. The 90 points scored by the Bulls were the most since a 95-89 win over North Carolina on Nov. 17, 2000. With the win, UB's record is 8-15 on the season and 3-8 in the MAC.

Central Michigan put the first two points on the board as UB was called for a technical foul prior to the start of the game for not reporting its starters on time, The Bulls then responded by putting the first eight points after the tipoff on the board to take an 8-2 lead. The UB lead grew to as much as 11 in the first half as Belinda Gibb hit a layup with 10:35 to go in the half, giving the Bulls a 21-10 lead. The Chippewas cut into the lead and trailed by just one with 4:48 to go in the opening half. The Bulls responded with a 13-4 run to end the half, capped off by Schiebner's putback as time expired.

CMU started the second half on a 9-0 run to cut the UB lead to just one, but again the Bulls fought back as the two teams traded baskets. The game was tied four times in all, but UB never trailed after the opening free throws. The Chippewas closed in on the lead one final time, cutting the Bulls' advantage to one with 8:51 remaining in the game, but UB went on a 10-0 run to take a 75-65 lead. Bennett hit her foul shots to give UB a 10-point victory.

The Bulls experienced their best shooting half of the season in the first half, shooting 63 percent from the floor (17-of-27). In the second half, UB shot 54.8 percent to finish the game with a season-high 58.6 percent from the floor. Buffalo shot an even 60 percent from behind the arc, converting on 6-of-10 from three-point range.

Wrestling

Kent State 31, UB 7

UB completed its MAC schedule Friday night on a sour note, dropping its final home dual meet match to nationally 25th-ranked Kent State, 31-7. The Bulls end the conference season at 0-5, despite strong efforts from senior Mark Budd and junior Mike Ragusa, who each landed wins for UB.

The Bulls are riding a five-match losing streak (each of which came against conference opponents) as they drop to 7-7 on the season. The 0-5 record marks the first time since joining the MAC in 1998 that UB was unable to capture a conference win. The MAC-leading Golden Flashes (14-2, 3-0 MAC) took eight matches, in part due to their seven nationally ranked grapplers, each of who captured wins.

At 133 pounds, Budd continued to plow past conference foes, cementing a perfect 5-0 MAC record with a 9-0 against Danny Mitcheff. On senior day, Budd shut out Mitcheff for his 99th career victory and is in line to earn his monumental 100th win at Binghamton this weekend-a feat been achieved by only three other UB grapplers. Budd remains undefeated in dual meet action (14-0).

Ragusa, wrestling at 165 pounds, also won over the crowd in Alumni Arena Friday night by ending his five-match losing streak against Sli Bostelman, 8-4. Ragusa landed three takedowns in all, winning his first match at home since the home opener on Nov. 18 against Princeton.

UB will travel to the Southern Tier to tangle with Binghamton University on Saturday in its final dual meet of the 2006-07 season. The Bulls will look to land their 16th win over the Bearcats in 20 lifetime meetings, as well as build momentum heading into the MAC Championships, to be held in Alumni Arena March 3-4.

Indoor Track and Field

Rucker, Hill set records at Sykes-Sabock Cup meet

Two school records and several additional regional qualifying marks were attained by UB athletes as the Bulls competed at Penn State's Sykes-Sabock Challenge Cup on Saturday. The UB women placed ninth among 17 teams with 21 points. The UB men placed 11th in a 13-team field with 24 points.

UB was paced by two school records, both culminating in second-place finishes for the Bulls. In the women's long jump, sophomore Fatimah Hill broke the record set earlier this season by teammate Patrice Coney. Hill, UB's outdoor long jump recordholder, cleared 19-4 (5.89m) to finish behind Penn State's Gayle Hunter (19-9.75, 6.04m). Hill broke Coney's record of 18-9 (5.71m) by seven inches and earned an ECAC qualification for her effort. Coney set the long jump record Jan. 20 at the Cornell Upstate Challenge.

On the men's side, senior Reggie Rucker shattered the record in the 55-meter hurdles. Rucker clocked 7.33 seconds to break Erich Smithson's 2003 mark of 7.73 seconds. Rucker turned in the record-breaking performance in the finals as he finished second behind Pittsburgh's Mike Wray (7.16). Rucker holds both of UB's sprint-hurdle records after also setting the 60-meter hurdles record two weeks ago.

Women's shot putters Sarah Vance and Tina Villa also scored for the Bulls. Vance placed third in the event with a toss of 51-5.50 (15.68m) to finish behind Virginia Tech throwers Brittany Pryor (54-2.50, 16.52m) and Ciera Ayangbile (51-8.25, 15.75m). Villa, meanwhile, attained a new personal best with her eighth-place finish. Villa's toss of 48-6.75 (14.80m) was more than two feet better than her best mark this season.

The men's 4x400-meter relay squad earned an IC4A qualifying mark with its fifth-place overall finish. The foursome of Ezekiel Porter, John Bauman, Brian Heim and Todd Joki finished in 3:17.94, cutting two seconds off of last weekend's time and earning the regional nod. Joki also picked up an IC4A mark in the long jump at 23-4 (7.11m), finishing sixth overall.

Women's distance runner Mary Veith set a personal best and attained an ECAC qualifying mark with her finish in the 3,000-meters. Veith placed seventh in a strong field, clocking in at 9:50.77, in her first race at the distance this season.

UB's high jumpers also scored points for the Bulls. Caitlin Godin placed fifth in the women's event at 5-7 (1.70m), tying her season-best and ECAC regional mark. Freshman Eugene Kennedy finished seventh in the men's competition at 6-7 (2.01m).

The Bulls will finish the regular season tomorrow at the Akron Zips Open. The MAC Championships, also to be held at Akron, get under way Feb. 23.

Tennis

WOMEN'S

UB 4, Syracuse 3
UB 7, Niagara 0

Trailing 3-0, UB rallied to win the next four matches and defeat nationally ranked Syracuse, 4-3, Friday at Syracuse's Drumlins Tennis Center. It was the first time in school history that UB defeated a ranked women's tennis program. The Orange entered the contest tied for 75th in the Fila/Intercollegiate Tennis Association rankings.

UB scored victories in the bottom three singles matches to defeat Syracuse. Junior Tina Jacob scored a straight-sets win over Syracuse freshman Chelsea Jones, 7-5, 6-1, in the number-five singles for the clincher as the Bulls avenged last season's 6-1 loss to the Orange.

Playing without their number-one player, junior Andreea Novacenau, who has been sidelined with an injury, the Bulls were forced to juggle their lineup. Novaceanu had gained a ranking of 22nd in the East region from Fila and the ITA prior to the start of the spring campaign.

After Syracuse scored the doubles point win and added singles victories in the number-two and number-three slots, UB started its rally. Number six Katrin Fischer defeated Anne Magellan, 6-1, 6-2 to get the Bulls on the board. Number one Miglena Nenova scored a 6-3, 6-0 win over Olga Votavova, ranked 28th in the East. Smaranda Stan tied the match with her 6-1, 6-2 victory over Carolina Huignard at number four, setting the stage for Jacob's heroics.

On Sunday, the Bulls did not lose a set as they rolled past Niagara, 7-0, at the Sportsplex in North Tonawanda to remain undefeated at 4-0.

Nenova and Denise Harijanto scored an 8-2 doubles win over Jennifer Cremieux and Sheila Dargout to lead the Bulls to the opening point. Nenova also scored a singles win at number one over Vanja Lakic, 6-1, 6-2. Stan scored a "double-bagel" win over Dargout, 6-0, 6-0 in the number-four match.