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Takeaways from Rutgers-Buffalo

By Howard Megdal

STORRS, CT - MARCH 22: Buffalo Bulls Guard Cierra Dillard (24) shoots during the game as the Buffalo Bulls take on the Rutgers Scarlet Knights on March 22, 2019 at the Gampel Pavilion in Storrs, Connecticut. (Photo by Williams Paul/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
STORRS, CT - MARCH 22: Buffalo Bulls Guard Cierra Dillard (24) shoots during the game as the Buffalo Bulls take on the Rutgers Scarlet Knights on March 22, 2019 at the Gampel Pavilion in Storrs, Connecticut. (Photo by Williams Paul/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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A physical battle in the early game at Storrs.

STORRS, CT — A battle of wills and contrasting styles ended with Buffalo moving onto the second round, 82-71.

The game promised drama regardless of the outcome. Program-changing guard Cierra Dillard is fighting for her collegiate career’s life with every game, while the ledger for Rutgers C. Vivian Stringer, missing while Tim Eatman fills in on an interim basis, remains open for now as well, the team declaring their intentions to play on Stringer’s behalf.

All that meant something significant would come to an end on Friday.

So what did we learn? Takeaways!

Cierra Dillard is the beating heart of Buffalo

The leading scorer for the Bulls doesn’t so much play in a game as she takes the game in her hands, feels for its opportunities, squeezes it and takes it for her own. So it was on Friday, her bullying through the lane between and into defenders, the quick decisions, the shot before a defender can get a hand up.

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Rutgers managed to slow her down a bit in the third quarter after Dillard put up 13 first-half points, but even when Hanna Hall took over primary ball handling duties for a time — likely to keep Dillard fresh for the fourth quarter — Dillard was central to everything Buffalo did, constantly bringing her teammates into mini-huddles, leading the team in every way possible.

Out of a timeout, late fourth, Buffalo up 72-69, Dillard stole the ball, navigated around a Rutgers defender at the sideline 60 feet from the basket, drove the lane, and found Summer Hemphill, who finished with a game-high 23 points, on a perfect bounce pass for a layup. With less than two minutes to go, Rutgers on a fast break, it was Dillard who stepped into a passing lane and turned them over.

Dillard is the proverbial playmaker, in every way, and most when it matters. Hall grabbed a rebound in the final seconds, drew the foul, looked to Dillard, who cheered her. “Let’s go! Let’s go!”, she yelled at her teammate in joy. When it was over, Dillard grabbed the ball and embraced it.

Rutgers Defense is no joke

It’s the 55. You may have heard of it. Tim Eatman utilizes it all the time now, in honor of Stringer, sure, but also because the Scarlet Knights have length, quickness and numbers to throw at opponents. And you can see it up close, the Bulls breathing hard by the second quarter, facing something that is normal for Rutgers and new for virtually any opponent they’ll get in the NCAA Tournament.

It is an equalizer, and let’s just say C. Vivian Stringer didn’t win over 1,000 games by accident. Not only was Rutgers difficult to contain with the press, Zippy Broughton worked extremely hard to slow down and bother Dillard, and it was clear her length gave Dillard problems at times. Broughton, along with incoming freshman Maori Davenport, provide a significant base of young talent for the program going forward.

STORRS, CT – MARCH 22: Buffalo Bulls Guard Theresa Onwuka (11) and Buffalo Bulls Guard Cierra Dillard (24) discusses a play during the game as the Buffalo Bulls take on the Rutgers Scarlet Knights on March 22, 2019 at the Gampel Pavilion in Storrs, Connecticut. (Photo by Williams Paul/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
STORRS, CT – MARCH 22: Buffalo Bulls Guard Theresa Onwuka (11) and Buffalo Bulls Guard Cierra Dillard (24) discusses a play during the game as the Buffalo Bulls take on the Rutgers Scarlet Knights on March 22, 2019 at the Gampel Pavilion in Storrs, Connecticut. (Photo by Williams Paul/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

Buffalo’s toughness

Rutgers looked like it had found a way to wear down the Buffalo offense, forcing its 16th turnover midway through the third ahead of taking a 52-43 lead. But Dillard responded, weaving around and through the defense for a scooped layup to end Buffalo’s drought, and her teammates followed suit, a pair of threes by Hanna Hall — the latter a lovely stepover to find a seam in the Rutgers halfcourt defense — to put the Bulls ahead, 56-54.

Rutgers throws waves of players at its opponents. But Buffalo found a way to get up when plenty of Rutgers opponents have checked out for good. This run, which led into a fourth quarter featuring big plays at both ends out of halfcourt sets, became a punch/counterpunch game precisely because Buffalo didn’t let it turn into a double-digit game in the third, and put Buffalo in position to make plays and win it late.

With the win, Buffalo takes on the winner of UConn-Towson, coming up shortly here in Storrs.

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