AMHERST, N.Y. - The Daemen College women's basketball team dropped an exhibition game to host University at Buffalo, 79-56, at Alumni Arena this afternoon to open their 2015-16 season.

The Bulls, a member of NCAA Division I and coming off the program's first-ever trip to the Women's National Invitational Tournament (WNIT), were sparked by a 22-4 edge in second-chance points, as well as a 39-5 boon in bench scoring to run past the Division II Wildcats of Daemen.

Joanna Smith led a balanced UB effort, notching 15 points on 6-of-11 shooting, including 3-of-7 from three-point range.  Gabi Bade came off the bench to score 10 points, while adding a game-high five steals for the Bulls who got all 13 players on the scoresheet today.

For Daemen, sophomore guard Sarah Saba (Lancaster, N.Y./Lancaster) pumped in a game-high 24 points, while chipping in five rebounds and three steals.  Saba, who was a six-time East Coast Conference Rookie of the Week selection in her freshman campaign last year, connected on 7-of-11 shots from the floor, including 2-for-2 from three-point range, as well as 8-of-12 attempts from the charity stripe.

The Wildcats also got double-figure scoring from junior guard Leah McDonell (North Tonawanda, N.Y./Cardinal O'Hara) and senior guard Raeann Stilwell (Cheektowagam N.Y./St. Mary's of Lancaster).  McDonell was a perfect 6-for-6 from the free throw line as part of her 13-point effort, and she also grabbed a team-high seven rebounds, while Stilwell contributed 10 points and four thefts in the ballgame.

UB jumped out to a 13-4 lead in the opening minutes of the first quarter, putting the visiting Wildcats on their heels right from the get-go.  But, Daemen battled back, cutting the UB lead to just three (15-12) following a Saba three-pointer at the 2:49 mark of the opening period.

From there, UB closed the first quarter on a 9-2 spurt, opening up their first double-figure lead of the game.  The Bulls did their damage at the charity stripe with three different players converting all six of their attempts in the run.

Daemen would edge closer once again, opening the second quarter on a 9-3 run to trail by just four.  A steal and layup by Saba started the scoring, and two freebies from McDonell  at the 5:40 mark made the score 27-23 in favor of the hosts.  A Smith three-pointer would stem the tide for UB, sparking a 12-4 run to end the half.  The Bulls took a 39-27 lead into intermission.

The Bulls quickly extended its lead to 17 in the third quarter, embarking on a 10-5 spurt over the first five minutes of the period to lead 49-32 following a three-pointer by Courtney Wilkens.  UB would outscore Daemen 24-8 in the period, opening up an insurmountable 63-35 lead after three quarters.

There was fight left in the Wildcats, however, as Daemen went on to win the fourth quarter, 21-16.  Saba netted seven points in the period.

UB shot just 35-percent from the field (27-for-78), but thanks in part to 26 offensive rebounds and the 22 turnovers they forced defensively, the Bulls attempted 22 more field goals than Daemen which shot 18-for-56 (32-percent) from the field.  UB's effort on the offensive glass helped them to a commanding 60-40 edge on the backboard.

The game today marked the first meeting of the two teams, which are separated by less than four miles, since an exhibition matchup on November 8, 2010.  UB walked away 88-48 winners in that one.  It also marked Daemen's first game of any kind against a Division I opponent since a 75-55 regular-season loss at Cornell University on January 13, 2013.

Daemen tips it up for real next weekend at the ECC-CACC Challenge hosted by Roberts Wesleyan College in Rochester, N.Y.  The four-team event pits teams from the East Coast Conference against teams from the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference, and the Wildcats will open against Post University on Friday, November 13 (6 p.m.) before facing Nyack College the following day in a Saturday matinee (2 p.m.).