BUFFALO, N.Y.— The Buffalo State women's basketball team clinched a spot in the upcoming SUNYAC playoffs on Senior Day, as the Bengals defeated rival Fredonia in a 72-62 decision Saturday afternoon.

GAME BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Buffalo State – 72, Fredonia – 62
LOCATION:  Buffalo State Sports Arena – Buffalo, N.Y.
RECORDS:  Buffalo State (13-8, 10-5 SUNYAC), Fredonia (10-12, 5-10 SUNYAC)
 
INSIDE THE BENGAL BOX SCORE

• The Bengals honored seniors Katie Villarini (Hamburg, NY/Hamburg), Heaven Rollek (Springville, NY/Springville-Griffith), and Aliyah Braxton (Bay Shore, NY/Bay Shore) before the contest.  
• Villarini caught fire, finishing with a game-high 33 points on 13-of-19 shooting from the field, adding five rebounds and five steals.
• Tashawni Cornfield (Gowanda, NY/Putham) dominated the box score with a 24-point, 13-rebound double-double, adding six steals.
• Rollek was impressive on the defensive end as well with five steals.
• The Bengals shot 42.4 percent (28-of-66) from the field and scored 27 fast break points and 19 steals, both season-bests.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Fredonia gave Buffalo State all it could handle in the first half, leading by as many as 10 points in the opening half.
• The Blue Devils shot 44.4 percent in the opening quarter and utilized an 8-0 run midway through to lead 19-12 after one.
• Down eight (30-22) at the 4:37 mark, Brianna Smith (Oakfield, NY/Oakfield) hit a jumper to spark a 9-0 Bengal run.
• Off a rebound later in the run, Cornfield went coast-to-coast, grabbing a rebound and finishing with a euro step in the paint as the Bengals trailed 30-29.
• Seconds later, Villarini forced a steal, and converted on a jumper on the other end as the Bengals took the lead.
• The Bengals kept Fredonia off the board in the final 4:37 of the half as the hosts led 31-30 at halftime.
• The lead seesawed for the early stages of the third quarter, before Renee Park scored eight straight points to give Fredonia a 43-36 lead.
• Taylor James (Buffalo, NY/Frederik Law Olmstead) broke the run with a layup off a nifty pass by Riley Domin (Getzville, NY/Williamsville South), and the Bengals responded with a 9-0 run to take a 45-43 lead.
• Down one (48-47) at the two-minute mark, the Bengals scored five consecutive points, including a Cornfield steal and layup in the backcourt, giving the Bengals a 52-48 lead after three.
• Stifling defense kept the Bengals ahead, as the hosts earned six steals in the final quarter.
• After a made basket by Cornfield, Rollek immediately picked the pocket of Lauren Mickley, and Villarini finished with a floater seconds later to cap a 6-0 run, leading 66-56.
• The Bengals pushed their lead to 12 (72-60) after Villarini dove for a steal, flipping it back to Cornfield for the easy layup with 1:11 to go.

 
FOR THE FOES

• Park led Fredonia with 22 points, four rebounds, and three blocked shots.
• Isabella Wier added 12 points and five rebounds.
• Mickley added 11 points and Mary Culeton brought down 13 rebounds.

 
NOTABLES

• Villarini, playing in her 100th career game, surpassed 1,400 career points, becoming the third Bengal in program history to do so. She exits the weekend with 1,423 points, passing Staci McElroy '14 for third place in the all-time scoring list.

 
UP NEXT
The Bengals host league-leading Cortland in their final home contest of the regular season, this Tuesday beginning at 5:30 p.m.