BOX SCORE
BUFFALO, NY -- David Kool set a career-high 35 points followed by Joe Reitz scoring a season-high 29 points in Western Michigan's defeat against Buffalo in double overtime, 100-90, Tuesday night at Alumni Arena in Buffalo, New York in front of 1,787. This is only the 10th double overtime in WMU history and first double overtime game since Jan. 29, 2006 with a Brown and Gold victory over rival Central Michigan, 75-71.
Western Michigan (11-9, 5-2 MAC) found themselves down as many as nine points to Buffalo (6-13, 0-7 MAC) in the second half until back-to-back offensive rebounds by Andre Ricks set up Derek Fracalossi and Kool three-pointers to bring the game within five, 70-65, with 3:42 remaining on the clock. Both teams battled until Reitz scored a layup which turned into an old fashioned there-pointer.
A steal from Kool brought him to the line shooting 2-for-2 and tied the game with 17 seconds left, but after a missed jumper from Buffalo's lead scorer, Rodney Pierce, the game was sent into overtime.
Entering overtime, the Bulls were first on the board scoring a three-pointer within the first 36 seconds sending both teams into a scoring drought until Kool made his own shot from behind the arc to tie the score with 2:21 left in overtime, 77-77.
Both teams traded baskets within 1:08, with the Bulls adding five points from the free-throw line (shooting 5-for-6) but Kool (the only Western Michigan player to score in the first overtime) added his own seven points to put the Broncos ahead by two with 59 seconds left, 84-82. Buffalo was able to tie the score with a layup from Andy Robinson to send the game into double overtime.
Ricks connected from behind the arc and Reitz added a layup to go up by five early in the second overtime, 89-84. After a jumper from Pierce followed by a jumper from Reitz, the Bulls would not get closer the remaining of the game, 91-86. The Broncos shot 7-for-7 from behind the line in the last 2:13 of play while the Bulls would only be brought to the line once more shooting 2-for-2.
The Brown and Gold went on a 9-3 run to start off the game until the Bulls fought back scoring eight straight points to take the lead with 11:53 left in the first half, 11-9. Both teams traded baskets for the rest of the half with the lead changing five times until a jumper from Shawntes Gary sent both teams into the locker room tied at 30 points each.
The Bulls were able to add seven points on second-chance points compared to the Broncos two along with the Bulls adding 10 points off turnovers while the Brown and Gold only capitalized on six points off Buffalo's turnovers. The Broncos held the Bulls to shooting only 25 percent (3-for-12) from behind the arc and 25.7 percent from the field (9-for-35) but it was the Broncos that were unable to get any shots off from behind the three-point range (0-for-0).
After halftime, both teams again traded baskets with four lead changes in the first 1:23 of play, 37-35 in favor of the Broncos. Martelle McLemore was the last to score for the Broncos before the Bulls went on a 6-0 run with 12:25 left in the game, 51-45. Pierce added five points in 14 seconds to gain the biggest lead over the Broncos with 10:24 remaining, 56-47.
Gary is the third Bronco to enter double-digits behind Kool and Reitz with 10 points and six rebounds. Reitz had nine rebounds followed by Kool with six rebounds.
Robinson also entered double-digits behind Pierce with 22 points and six rebounds, along with Greg Gamble with 17 points and five rebounds. Calvin Betts had a game-high 12 rebounds.
Along with a season-high 29 points, Reitz had a season-high from the free-throw line shooting 13-for-17.
Reitz moves into 5th all time at WMU in career rebounds totalling 836 and tied Jeff Tyson in career field goals with 513 after shooting 8-for-12.
Kool sets a career-high with 35 points but also made a career-high 14 free-throws, a perfect 100 percent on the night. Kool also ties career-high in field goals after shooting 9-for-19
First 100-point game since Feb. 6, 2002 after a Western Michigan victory over Eastern Michigan, 101-94.
