Feb. 14, 2007
Final Stats
OXFORD, Ohio - Junior Amanda Jackson scored a game-high 26 points and sophomore Jenna Schone hit a pair of clutch free throws with 19 seconds remaining as the Miami University women's basketball team (12-13; 6-6 MAC) gutted out a 71-68 win over the Buffalo Bulls (8-16; 3-9 MAC) Wednesday night at Millett Hall. Junior Jaclyn Leininger also posted her third double-double in the past four games with 11 points and 13 rebounds as Miami snapped a three-game losing streak and completed a regular-season sweep of Buffalo.
Miami was boosted by its strong guard play, as its backcourt combined to score 60 of its 71 points. Junior Ashley Hawkins (17 points) and Schone (10 points) both scored in double figures, and junior Sarah Hull chipped in seven points. The difference in the game was Miami's ability to convert at the charity stripe, as the RedHawks hit 17-of-19 from the line (89.5 percent) and the Bulls converted only 5-of-18 (27.8 percent) from the line.
Both teams got off to a slow start and were knotted at 9-9 at the 11:27 mark in the first half. Leininger hit a pair of jumpers and Jackson added an old-fashioned three-point play in the first nine minutes, but the Bulls kept pace early. Ripping off an 8-0 run behind a pair of Stephanie Bennett 3-pointers, Buffalo moved in front, 17-9, and forced Miami to burn a 30-second timeout with 9:32 remaining in the half.
Miami battled back and got to within 24-20 with 6:12 left in the first half, but the Bulls closed the half on a 13-9 run and carried a 37-29 lead into the locker room. The RedHawks struggled from the field, connecting on only 28.1 percent of their shots in the first half (9-of-32). Jackson did hit double figures with 11 points, while Leininger grabbed a team-high seven rebounds. Buffalo shot 48.4 percent (15-of-31) in the half and benefited from a strong 3-point shooting effort, hitting on 4-of-6 from behind the arc.
Attacking the basket early in the half, Miami scored the first nine points of the second half and took its first lead at 38-37 since the 13:09 mark in the first half. Jackson and Hawkins each hit a pair of free throws after being fouled on aggressive drives to the basket, and after Hawkins' transition layup, Schone capped the 9-0 run with a 3-pointer from the right wing with 17:29 remaining.
After a Buffalo free throw knotted the game at 38-38, Miami scored seven consecutive points, including four points from Hawkins and a three-point play from Schone, as it pushed its edge to 45-38 with 14:38 left to play.
An 18-9 Buffalo run moved the Bulls in front, 58-56, and the spurt was capped by Rachelle Matthys' baseline 3-pointer with 7:11 left to play. The Bulls maintained their lead for the next four minutes, carrying a 65-60 advantage into the game's final media timeout with 3:55 remaining.
Rallying from a five-point deficit, Miami scored seven consecutive points and moved back in front, 67-65 with 2:25 left in the game. Jackson started the spurt with an off-balance jumper and a driving layup, and Leininger made it seven straight points as she dribbled the length of the floor, was fouled on her driving layup and hit a free throw to complete the three-point play.
Jackson's pair of free throws with 1:57 left accounted for Miami's ninth straight points, pushing the RedHawks' lead to 69-65, but Kourtney Brown's three-point play cut Miami's lead to 69-68 with under a minute to play.
On Buffalo's next possession, the Bulls came up with a loose ball and appeared to have a wide open layup for the go-ahead basket, but sophomore Stephanie Ford came in for an emphatic swat from behind, preserving Miami's one-point lead.
Schone then hit a pair of free throws with 19 seconds remaining, and a stifling perimeter defense did not allow the Bulls a quality look at a 3-pointer on their final possession.
Miami finished with only one turnover in the second half and reached double-digit steals for the sixth straight game. The victory also upped Miami's record on Valentine's Day to 7-3 and gave Miami its first regular-season series sweep of a MAC opponent since the 2003-04 season.
Looking for a season-sweep of the Ohio Bobcats, Miami travels to Athens Sunday for a 2 p.m. tipoff at the Convocation Center.
