BUFFALO, N.Y. — Junior
Koko Akridge finished with a game-high 21 points while senior
Elizabeth Abiara nearly collected a double-double with 11 points and a team-high eight rebounds, but a 12-1 run by host University at Buffalo spanning the third and fourth quarters erased an eight-point deficit and helped lift the Bulls to a come-from-behind 67-60 victory on Thursday night at Broadview Arena.
The Hornets' unbeaten start to the 2026-27 season came to an end with the result as they fell to 3-1 overall on the season while playing the first-ever game in the state of New York.
Led by 20 points and nine rebounds from Meg Lucas, Buffalo improved to 2-1 on the year, shooting nearly 49 percent from the field overall in the victory and a 56 percent clip in the second half alone.
Akridge finished in double figures for the fourth consecutive contest and posted her second 20-point performance as a Hornet, making six baskets and draining 8-of-12 from the line. She added three rebounds, six assists, and two steals to her final stat line.
Senior
Natalie Picton added 15 points, including a trio of three-pointers, for her third double-digit performance of the year, while Abiara hit 5-of-10 from the field and grabbed four of her season-high eight boards on the offensive end.
Sacramento State turned a back-and-forth first half into an eight-point advantage midway through the third quarter. After trading baskets to start the period, consecutive three-pointers by Picton,
Jelena Savic, and Akridge put the Hornets up 41-33 with 5:50 to play in the third.
That's as far out as the Hornets could push the lead, however, as the Bulls mounted their comeback. A 10-1 burst over a four-minute span quickly closed the gap and regained the lead for Buffalo, which added another basket inside to make it a three-point game seconds later.
The Bulls took a four-point lead into the fourth quarter after Sacramento State had closed to within a basket and the Hornets continued to apply the pressure. Abiara scored inside to start the final quarter and Akridge later added a three-point play to tie the game at 48 apiece just 42 seconds into the fourth.
Akridge forced a steal and scored on the fast break to regain the lead for the Hornets on Buffalo's next possession, but that would be the final lead of the night for the visitors as the Bulls found their rhythm.
Lucas scored inside on her team's next possession that sparked an 8-0 spurt, giving her team a six-point advantage and, after Sacramento State had closed to within a single possession once again with 3:39 on play on a lay-up by
Jenessa Cotton, Lucas added another basket and the Bulls drained 6-of-7 from the line down the stretch to hold off the Hornets.
Sacramento State closes out its trip to New York on Saturday (Nov. 14) at 10 a.m. PT, taking on Niagara University. The game will be streamed live on the ESPN+ platform.
