BUFFALO, NY – The University at Buffalo women’s basketball team will open the 2026-27 season, the second in the Kristen Sharkey era, on Monday night as welcome Georgia State to Broadview Arena at 6pm in the first game of the MAC-SBC Challenge.
The game will be streamed on ESPN+ with Brian Koziol (play-by-play) and Kyra Wood (color) announcing and can be heard online through the Varsity Network with Vinnie Christiano III on the call.
This is the first-ever meeting between the two programs. UB is 2-4 overall in the MAC-SBC Challenge and is 7-7 all-time against Sun Belt Conference opponents.
The Bulls have had success in their regular season openers since joining Division I in 1991-92 as they own a 24-11 record in the first game of the season. Buffalo is 8-2 in their last 10 season openers.
Buffalo defeated D’Youville University 81-59 in an exhibition contest at Broadview Arena on Wednesday night. Four Bulls scored in double figures led by second year guard Asia Wilson who scored 21 points to go with six assists and five rebounds. Second year forward Diann Jackson narrowly missed out on a double-double with 15 points and nine rebounds and Ella Corry and Jadeah Marshall finished with 12 points each.
The Bulls bring back six players while adding nine newcomers to the roster. They return 62% of their scoring, 55% of their rebounding and 55% of their minutes from a season ago. With 13 underclassmen the Bulls are the youngest team in the MAC and one of the youngest teams in all of Division I women’s basketball.
Georgia State finished the 2025-26 season with a 10-21 overall record and 5-14 mark in Sun Belt play. The Panthers, who were picked to finish 14th in the Sun Belt Conference preseason poll, return just two players from last year’s squad. Grace Lanier appeared in all 31 games and earned 13 starts, averaging 6.4 points, 2.0 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.6 steals as a freshman and Frankee Payne looks to see her first action as a junior. GSU then added 11 newcomers, including two freshmen and nine transfers, six coming from Division I, one from Division I and two from the JUCO level. Marcilina Grayer is in her first season at the helm of the Panthers after serving as the head coach at Salt Lake Community College for six seasons where she helped lead the Bruins to a trio of league titles and an NJCAA Final Four appearance.
Up next, Buffalo will travel to Ohio for a clash with the Youngstown State Penguins on Saturday, November 7 at 6:30pm.
For all the latest on UB Women’s Basketball, follow the team on Twitter/X and Instagram at @UBuffaloWBB and like the UB Women’s Basketball Facebook page.
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