The Buffalo State women’s basketball team posted its second-straight season-opening win over the Medaille Mavericks on Tuesday night in a 61-59 nail-biter.

It was a sluggish start for the Lady Bengals. Buffalo State was outrebounded and outshot by their cross-town rivals. At the half, Buffalo State was down 25-21.

Buffalo State lost its lead of 6-5 midway through the first, and it took two quarters for them to get back ahead. After the third quarter, which ended with a 42-38 Buffalo State lead, the Bengals played with confidence and controlled the game.

In nearly every aspect of the game aside from rebounds and free throws, Buffalo State had the advantage. But it was the one-sided rebounds that put Medaille in striking distance.

Buffalo State was up by one with under 10 seconds in the game. Taylor Graham was at the line where she netted 1 of 2 free throws, missing the second. But Caleh McLean got the 13th offensive rebound for the Bengals, and probably the most important, after the miss. The Mavericks were forced to foul and McLean went a perfect 2 for 2 to go up by two possessions with little time.

Outsized leads to deficit

The Medaille Mavericks had 24 offensive rebounds on Tuesday. However, getting the ball under the net didn’t result in points. Buffalo State had the advantage in second-chance points, 11-10. With the extra rebounds came extra shots as the Mavericks shot 80 total shots compared to Buffalo’s 65.

Execution on chances

The Bengals scored on 38.5 percent of its shots, with 35.7 percent from the 3-point line. Buffalo State made up its failures in other areas by executing fundamentally. However, on the free throw line, Buffalo State made a mere 6 of 17.

Clutch performance

McLean (20), Grace Licata (13) and Pincella McCullough (12) made up 74 percent of the team’s points. The trio all shot well, which carried the team to a win. Licata’s five misses all came from beyond the 3-point line as she made all five shots within the parameter.

The Bengals will play in the Buffalo State Betty Abgott Invitational with Thiel, Nazareth and Cazenovia participating. Buffalo State will start against Cazenovia on Friday, Nov. 18 at 3 p.m. and will face the winner, if they win, or loser if they lose of the Thiel/Nazareth matchup.

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