BUFFALO, NY Buffalo hit its first six shots against Eastern Michigan
Wednesday, and it was a sign of things to come as the Bulls went on to
shoot 66.7 percent from the field en route to an 84-67 win over Eastern
Michigan at Alumni Arena.
The Bulls' shooting percentage was the second best single-game performance in school history. Buffalo (13-9, 6-5 MAC) never trailed in the game to earn its second
straight victory.
Both teams came out of the gates blazing, shooting over 60 percent
from the field in the first half. The Bulls shot 60 percent and the Eagles
shot 64 percent in the first stanza. UB held a 42-39 lead at the break.
Rodney Pierce scored the Bulls' first 11 points of the second half to help
UB outscore Eastern Michigan, 15-2, to start the half. A lay-up by Calvin
Betts, with 10:35 left, extended the Bulls' lead to 18 points.
The Eagles cut the lead to 14 points with 5:00 remaining, but would get no closer as
the Bulls played inspired defense and shot a sizzling 74 percent from the field in the second half.
Pierce led all scorers with 27 points on 11-of-14 shooting. Mitchell Watt
added a career-high 14 points, including a pair of thunderous dunks, in one
of the best games of his young career.
Betts, Jawaan Alston and Titus Robinson each added eight points. Betts also
grabbed a game-high nine rebounds.
Eastern Michigan (12-12, 4-7 MAC) was led by Brandon Bowdry who finished
with 26 points and eight rebounds.
"Offensively, we needed to be more determined to get the shots that we were
comfortable with. The shots that we wanted to take. As we did that, we made
more," head coach Reggie Witherspoon said.
Buffalo will host Kent State on Saturday at noon. The game will be televised
nationally on ESPNU. Eastern Michigan hosts Western Michigan Sunday (2 p.m.).
Courtesy of UB Athletics
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