BUFFALO, NY—Top-seeded Buffalo State (25-2) limited No. 5 Cortland (16-11) to its lowest point total in school history in a lopsided 76-31 victory in a SUNYAC semifinal contest tonight at the Sports Arena to advance to the conference title game for the 15th time in school history, and first since 2002.
Barb Kiliszek (Depew/Lancaster) and Bianca Smiley (Amherst/Sweet Home) led Buffalo State with 18 points each. Kiliszek also had seven assists and three steals. Staci McElroy (Saratoga Springs/Saratoga Springs) added 10 points, 13 rebounds and four assists, and freshman Olivia Luciani (Syracuse/E. Syracuse Minoa) netted a career-high 14 points off the bench.
Molly Byrne (Syracuse/Bishop Ludden) led Cortland with six points and eight rebounds.
Buffalo State exploded out of the gates, jumping out to an 8-0 lead and pushed the advantage to 45-18 by the intermission. The Bengals hit 7 of 14 from 3-point range in the opening 20 minutes, including four from the hot hand of Kiliszek. The Bengals continued to pull away in the second half for the convincing win.
The Bengals dominated the Red Dragons in all facets of the game. Buffalo State outscored Cortland in the paint, 34-10, and held a 54-37 rebounding advantage. The Bengals also forced 18 turnovers, while committing just nine. Buffalo State fished the game hitting 31 of 73 (43-percent) from the field, including 10 of 23 (44-percent) from 3-point range. Cortland shot just 21-percent from the floor, and hit just 5 of 31 (16-percent) from long range.
Buffalo State and No. 3 Oneonta will meet in tomorrow's championship game at 4 p.m. The Bengals will look to add to their conference-best nine SUNYAC titles and pick up their first crown since 2002.
Oneonta defeated second-seeded New Paltz, 66-63, in overtime in this evening's opening game, despite squandering a 14-point lead at the half. Kristin Pappalardo had a double-double to lead Oneonta, netting 15 points and grabbing a game-high 10 rebounds.