Final Score: Buffalo 78, St. Bonaventure 73

Location: Buffalo, NY – Alumni Arena

Records: St. Bonaventure 6-3 | Buffalo 4-2

Box Score (PDF) | Final Stats and Play-by-Play

The Short Story: In a closely contested game that included 13 ties and 10 lead changes, four three-pointers over the game's final 5:14 propelled Buffalo to a 78-73 win over St. Bonaventure. The Bonnies led 66-60 when UB started its run, sparked by a three-pointer by Josh Freelove. Jarryn Skeete's three-pointer with 2:09 remaining gave UB a lead it would not relinquish at 72-69.

St. Bonaventure was in position to grab the victory despite missing 14 free throws on the day, and playing the game without Jordan Gathers and most of the second half without leading scorer Matthew Wright, who suffered an ankle injury.

Video highlights coming soon.

St. Bonaventure Starters: #3 G Charlon Kloof, #23 G Andell Cumberbatch, #24 G Matthew Wright, #33 F Marquise Simmons, #35 C Youssou Ndoye

How It Happened:

• In a closely contested game that included 13 ties and 10 lead changes, four three-pointers over the game's final 5:14, plus strong free throw shooting, propelled Buffalo to the win.
• The Bonnies were without Jordan Gathers, who sat out his second straight game, and then lost leading scorer Matthew Wright early in the second half to an injury.
• It was a 59-58 Bonnies lead when Denzel Gregg and Charlon Kloof fueled a 7-2 run that gave the visitors a 64-58 lead with 7:48 remaining.
• The lead was 66-60 when Josh Freelove and Will Regan made back-to-back three-pointers to tie the game at 66-66 with 4:01 left.
• On the ensuing possession, Kloof drained a three from the left corner to put the Bonnies back in front, 69-66.
• Just 19 seconds after Kloof's bucket, backup point guard Shannon Evans hit a three from in front of his own bench.
• After a miss by Andell Cumberbatch, Jarryn Skeete's three-pointer with 2:09 remaining gave UB a lead it would not relinquish at 72-69.
• The Bulls went 6-for-6 at the free throw line over the final 39 seconds to seal the win.
• In the first half, UB scored on three straight possessions to open an 18-9 lead.
• St. Bonaventure rallied with an 11-4 run over the next four minutes that cut UB's lead to 22-20.
• Kloof then sparked a 10-4 run with a drive and then with a steal for a dunk that put the Bonnies ahead 30-26 at the 4:19 mark. Kloof scored 10 points in the first half.
• The Bulls got to the free throw line three times in the last 2:07 of the first half, making all six of their shots. After the Bonnies got a stop on the last possession of the half, it was a 39-38 St. Bonaventure lead at halftime.
• UB made all 14 of its free throws in the first half; the Bonnies went 15-20 at the line in the opening 20 minutes.
• For the game, St. Bonaventure was 24-38 at the free throw line while Buffalo went 28-32.
• The Bulls made six of their 11 three-point shots in the second half and 8-for-23 in the game.
• Andell Cumberbatch's 16 points were a season high and he recorded his second double-double in as many games with 10 rebounds, playing 36 minutes.
• Kloof was again outstanding on both ends of the floor, finishing with a team-best 17 points, five assists, three rebounds and two steals in 37 minutes.
• Marquise Simmons enjoyed another productive game with 16 points and seven rebounds.
• Freshman Denzel Gregg set season-highs in minutes (24) and points (7).
• Matthew Wright ended with nine points, all in the first half.

Beyond the Box Score:

• This was UB's first win in the four meeting between the schools since they renewed their series in 2010.
• The attendance was 4,652.

Up Next: St. Bonaventure is off next week for final exams and will not play again until next Saturday, Dec. 14, at Iona.