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High Post Hoops staff selects NCAA tournament players to watch

PHILADELPHIA, PA - MARCH 11: Bella Alarie #31 of the Princeton Tigers smiles after a basket drops for the Tigers during the first quarter at The Palestra on March 11, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Princeton defeated Penn 63-34. (Photo by Corey Perrine/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - MARCH 11: Bella Alarie #31 of the Princeton Tigers smiles after a basket drops for the Tigers during the first quarter at The Palestra on March 11, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Princeton defeated Penn 63-34. (Photo by Corey Perrine/Getty Images)
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CLEVELAND, OH – MARCH 16: Buffalo Bulls guard Cierra Dillard (24) cuts down the net following the MAC Women’s Basketball Tournament Championship game between the Ohio Bobcats and Buffalo Bulls on March 16, 2019, at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, OH. Dillard won the tournament MVP award as Buffalo defeated Ohio 77-61 to win the championship and an automatic birth to the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament. (Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
CLEVELAND, OH – MARCH 16: Buffalo Bulls guard Cierra Dillard (24) cuts down the net following the MAC Women’s Basketball Tournament Championship game between the Ohio Bobcats and Buffalo Bulls on March 16, 2019, at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, OH. Dillard won the tournament MVP award as Buffalo defeated Ohio 77-61 to win the championship and an automatic birth to the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament. (Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Cierra Dillard, Buffalo

A year ago, Cierra Dillard fueled Buffalo’s surprise run to the Sweet Sixteen, scoring 87 points in three NCAA tournament games. This season, Dillard is a key reason why another Sweet Sixteen appearance wouldn’t be very surprising. The 5’9” guard is averaging 25.3 points per game, which ranks second nationally (behind Iowa’s Megan Gustafson, who is also must-see TV), and her 5.7 assists and 2.8 steals per game both rank in the top 20. She is the clear leader for a 22-9 Buffalo team that ranks 35th in both the RPI and Her Hoop Stats rating, ahead of Power 5 teams like Tennessee, California, and Michigan State.

With Dillard leading the way on both ends of the floor, Buffalo plays an up-tempo style that is fun to watch. The Bulls rank 50th in the nation in pace of play and 31st in steals, and their offense has scored over 90 points four times this season. They also share the ball well, registering assists on over half of their baskets. Just ask Stanford, the Pac-12 champions, how tough it is to play Buffalo: the Cardinal only beat the Bulls by seven points in non-conference play. Or ask Central Michigan, the other team from the MAC to reach the Sweet Sixteen last year: Buffalo beat CMU in the MAC
championship game on Friday behind 30 points and seven assists from Dillard.

Buffalo is a team in a mid-major conference that puts up high-major numbers, and the same could be said about Dillard, who could have declared for the WNBA Draft after last season but opted to return for her senior year.

Don’t miss Dillard’s last days in a Buffalo uniform before she takes her many talents—and her signature “Dillard Shimmy” — to the WNBA. — Jenn Hatfield

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