The Hofstra Pride women’s basketball team travels to the University at Buffalo to face off against the Bulls on Sunday. Last year, the Pride walloped the Bulls by a score of 79-36 in Hempstead. The win ended up being Hofstra’s biggest margin of victory all season, and also the squad’s best defensive performance of the year.
Buffalo — coached by former Hofstra head coach Felisha Legette-Jack — came into the contest against the Pride last year with an unblemished 6-0 record. The team went on to win the Mid-American Conference crown and punched a ticket to the NCAA tournament for the first time in the program’s history.

The Bulls will be hungry for revenge in this outing after the lopsided game last year. Buffalo comes into the game sporting the same 6-0 record as it had prior to last season’s challenge.

On offense, the Bulls are led by MAC preseason pick JoAnna Smith, who averages 12 points per contest. Alongside her in the attack is fellow preseason selection Stephanie Reid, who leads the squad with nearly six assists per game.

For Hofstra (4-2), Ashunae Durant is coming off a strong weekend in California that saw her post 37 points and 30 rebounds between the two games. Durant also tallied a double-double last time out against Buffalo.

Durant and company will face a stiff challenge against the Bulls’ defense — which is among the top 50 in the country — allowing less than 56 points per game. The fewest number of points the Pride has scored in a game this season is 62.

Whether Hofstra is able to handle a tough, physical defense on the road remains to be seen. The Pride will put that all to the test in Sunday’s game, which tips off at noon.