Buffalo State will host a SUNYAC Quarterfinal contest on Tuesday when eighth-seeded Fredonia visits the Sports Arena for a 7 p.m. tipoff. It will be the first home playoff game for the No. 1-seeded Bengals since 2003, which marks the program's most recent postseason win, defeating No. 7 Oswego as a the No. 2 seed, 63-48.
Buffalo State recorded a new school record for regular season wins with 23, compared to just two losses, which included a 16-2 mark in conference play to clinch the top seed. Fredonia grabbed the final playoff spot with a 6-12 record in league play and finished 10-14 overall.
The Bengals are 57-15 all-time against Fredonia and swept the regular season series this year. Buffalo State won at home, 80-63, on Jan. 9, and claimed a 67-51 win in Fredonia on Feb. 14. This marks just the third time these two programs have met in the playoffs. Buffalo State won the first matchup, 83-63, in 1992, and Fredonia earned a 61-48 win in 2001.
Buffalo State has won a league-best nine SUNYAC Championships, but has not captured a title since 2002, the longest drought in school history.
Sophomore transfer
Bianca Smiley (Amherst/Sweet Home) has led the Bengals this season, averaging 13.9 points and 8.7 rebounds-per-game. A pair of 1,000-point scorers bolster Buffalo State's attack. Senior point guard
Barb Kiliszek (Depew/Lancaster) has averaged 10.4 points and 5.6 rebounds, and also has 97 assists and a league-best 100 steals. Junior
Staci McElroy (Saratoga Springs/Saratoga Springs) is averaging 12.2 points and 5.6 rebounds-per-game, and leads the team with 36 3-pointers.
If Buffalo State wins on Tuesday, it will host the SUNYAC “Final Four” on Friday and Saturday. The first semifinal will be on Friday at 6 p.m. and the Bengals would play at 8 p.m. The championship will be Saturday at 4 p.m. The winner of the tournament will receive an automatic berth in the NCAA playoffs.
Tickets will be available at the door for $5 for the public and $2 for students. The first 200 Buffalo State students with valid ID will be admitted free.
