BUFFALO, N.Y. (Interstat) — The Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks overcame a sluggish start and a dominant individual performance from Buffalo’s Meg Lucas to defeat the Bulls 73-64 in a non-conference women’s basketball game Saturday at Alumni Arena.

The Warhawks (11-12) trailed by as many as eight points in the first quarter but used a decisive third-quarter surge to seize control, handing the struggling Bulls (2-21) their 10th consecutive loss before a crowd of 1,285.

Buffalo opened the game with clear intent, leveraging its size advantage in the paint. Lucas, a 6-foot-1 sophomore from Melbourne, Australia, was instrumental early, scoring 11 of her game-high 17 points in the first quarter. She finished with 17 points, eight rebounds and two assists. The Bulls’ interior focus yielded 44 points in the paint for the game and helped them build a 20-15 lead after the opening period.

Louisiana-Monroe struggled to find its offensive rhythm in the first half, shooting poorly from the free-throw line and committing untimely turnovers. However, the Warhawks’ defensive pressure began to tilt the game. They forced 22 Buffalo turnovers, converting them into 15 points, while committing only 11 of their own.

The most important shift came in the third quarter. After Buffalo extended its lead to 38-32 on a layup by Ella Corry with 7:44 remaining, Louisiana-Monroe unleashed a 17-2 run over the next four and a half minutes. The run was fueled by defensive stops and efficient offense. Jazmine Jackson, who led the Warhawks with 19 points, hit a critical 3-pointer during the stretch, and Nakiyah Mays-Prince orchestrated the attack, finishing with 13 points and six assists.

The Warhawks outscored the Bulls 25-19 in the third to take a 54-49 lead into the final period, an advantage they would not relinquish. Louisiana-Monroe’s offensive rating of 101.5 points per 100 possessions, compared to Buffalo’s 83.6, underscored their superior efficiency down the stretch.

Buffalo’s offensive woes were compounded by frigid shooting from beyond the arc. The Bulls made only 3 of 24 attempts from 3-point range, a debilitating 12.5%. Louisiana-Monroe was not much more accurate from the floor, shooting 43.1% overall, but their 6-for-15 performance from deep provided crucial spacing.

Alongside Jackson and Mays-Prince, Marcavia Shavers provided a strong interior presence for the Warhawks with 12 points and eight rebounds. J’Mani Ingram filled the stat sheet with 12 points, six rebounds, six assists and three steals.

For Buffalo, Aniya Rowe supported Lucas with 15 points, seven rebounds and three assists. Diann Jackson added 12 points and seven rebounds, and Corry contributed eight points, seven rebounds and two blocks. But the Bulls’ inability to sustain their early momentum or counter the Warhawks’ defensive intensity in the second half proved decisive.

Louisiana-Monroe, which had won two of its last three games entering the contest, will look to build on the road victory as it returns to Sun Belt Conference play. Buffalo, mired in a difficult season, continues to search for its first win since early January.