ST. BONAVENTURE, N.Y. – Laycee Drake's 21-point, 14-rebound double-double led the St. Bonaventure University women's basketball team to a thrilling 64-57 win over rival Buffalo Wednesday evening at the Reilly Center.
The win moves the Bonnies to 5-0 for the first time since the 2009-10 season.
Drake finished the game 7-for-15 from the field and 6-for-7 from the free throw line to pace the Bonnies. Aaliyah Parker also finished in double figures for the Brown and White with 16 points, seven rebounds and three assists.
The Bonnies were able to push their lead to as many as 17 in the third quarter of Wednesday's matchup following a Parker make in the paint.
The Bulls (1-4), however, closed the third on a 10-0 spurt to end the period, cutting the Bonnies lead to 42-36 heading into the fourth.
Bona's was able to push its lead back to double digits, 53-43, with 5:57 remaining in the game after Drake fast break score.
Buffalo did not go away quietly.
The Bulls fought back to tie the game, 55-55, with 1:54 showing on the clock.
On the next possession, Drake drove the length of the court and converted on a jump shot from the baseline, putting the Bonnies back on top 57-55.
The Bonnies would not trail again.
A quick 5-0 spurt pushed the lead to five, forcing the Bulls to foul with Parker and Drake stepping up to ice the game.
The Bonnies trailed the Bulls, 10-9 early on before using a 10-0 run to end the first to take a 19-10 lead.
Buffalo was able to cut into the deficit with five unanswered points, but Drake's trio of free throws gave the Bonnies a 31-19 lead at the break.
GAME NOTES
- The Bonnies snapped an eight-game losing streak against the Bulls with Wednesday's win. Bona's had not beaten Buffalo since the 2015-16 season.
- Bona's finished the game shooting 23-for-52 (44.2 percent) from the floor and held Buffalo to 22-for-61 (36.1 percent) shooting from the field.
- The Brown and White dominated the battle on the glass, outrebounding the Bulls, 39-29.
- The Bonnies registered 14 second chance points on 11 offensive rebounds.
- Gabby Robinson was big on the defensive end of the floor Wednesday, rejecting a career-high three shots.
QUOTES FROM HEAD COACH JIM CROWLEY
"Proud of our resiliency. We allowed Buffalo to get back into the game and credit to them. They made a lot of plays to get back in the game. They changed the tempo of the game with their pressure defense. We got tentative instead of being aggressive against it."
"We got things to tighten up, but it's always better to tighten some of those things up after being able to get the victory."
UP NEXT
The Bonnies remain at home to host UAlbany Saturday, Nov. 22. Tipoff is slated for 1:00 p.m. at the Reilly Center.
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