WOMEN’S BASKETBALL: Niagara drops opener in OT

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November 13, 2009

By Jeff Sowa The Tonawanda News Fri Nov 13, 2009, 11:13 PM EST

LEWISTON — The Niagara University women’s basketball team was looking to get halfway toward its regular-season win total of last year — when they went 2-27 — with a season-opening victory at the Gallagher Center Friday night, but Kourtney Brown and the University at Buffalo Lady Bulls would have none of it.

Brown, UB’s standout junior forward, tied a career-high with 31 points and set a school record with 22 rebounds in 42 minutes of court time in the Lady Bulls’ 87-79 overtime win — a victory that wasn’t easy to come by.

“Niagara gave us everything we could handle tonight,” UB coach Linda Hill-MacDonald said. “They played an exceptionally fine defensive game and found our weaknesses and they took advantage of them.”

Case in point: Niagara’s 34 points scored off turnovers, compared to just 19 for the Bulls.

“At times, we showed glimpses of how good we really could be,” third-year Niagara coach Kendra Faustin said. “Defensively, we’ve really made a big change.”

Perhaps the biggest proof of it came with just over two minutes left to play in regulation. With Niagara (0-1 overall) down 67-65 after Eagles freshman Kayla Stroman hit a 3-pointer, Stroman recorded her second steal of the game. Ali Morris followed with a 3-pointer that put the home team up 68-67 in what proved to be a back-and-forth final two minutes.

Both teams had one final possession in the last 10 seconds, but each failed to score and they headed into overtime tied at 71-71.

That’s where Brittany Hedderson scored eight points to help seal the win for UB (1-0), with much of the blame for Niagara’s lack of energy and production in the extra five minutes being blamed on fatigue and lack of size.

“We have a small rotation, we like to play seven players,” Faustin said. “In a 40-minute game that’s okay, but in a 45-minute game it really hurt us.”

Added Niagara’s Jennifer McNamee, “We didn’t have any size, and in the end that made an impact.”

McNamee finished with 22 points in the game, 15 of which came from behind the arc. Liz Flooks added 17 points and seven boards in the loss.

But for UB it was all about Brown.

“The coaches just kept telling me to make sure I stayed low so I didn’t get bumped off in the post,” she said.

“On rebounds, well, I didn’t know I had that many,” she added with a laugh after her record-setting night.

Hedderson finished with 19 points for UB. Stroman and senior Rachele Folino poured in 10 apiece for Niagara.

Up next for the Purple Eagles is a 2 p.m. home game Sunday against Duquesne.

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