For as far back as the MSHSAA website currently indicates, which is the 2005-06 season, the Ladycats had never beaten Buffalo, but that changed last Tuesday night when Warsaw earned a big, and much needed win over the visiting Lady Bison, 58-49, improving their record to 8-12 as they near the final stretch of their regular season.
Buffalo came in with a short bench but a clear size advantage, but the relentlessness of the Ladycats could not be denied on Senior Night as they fought and clawed their way to the win.
Warsaw led 13-11 at the end of the first quarter, but the Lady Bison took the lead into the locker room at the break, 30-24, much thanks to the hot hand of Kenzie Wilson who netted 13 of her team high 27 points in the period.
The defense of the Ladycats turned up the heat in the second half and sophomore guard Tanna Howe caught fire, knocking down bucket after bucket for her game high 28 points.
Warsaw used a 34-19 margin in the second half to nail down the 58-49 victory.
Howe's 28 points set a new career high while Rachel Henderson and Keira Mostaffa dropped 12 and 10 points on the Lady Bison.
WARSAW (58): A. Konopasek, 0; K. Mostaffa, 10; H. Ferguson, 2; J. Bilderback, 0; R. Henderson, 12; M. Reimund, 0; T. Howe, 28; S. Miller, 3; M. Slavens, 0; G. Drake, 3; A. Smith, 0; H. Newell, 0; J. Gerken, 0; J. Dove, 0.
BUFFALO (49): M. Johnson, 0; L. White, 13; A. Armstrong, 7; K. Wilson, 27; N. Hardy, 2; B. Rodriguez, 0.
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In the nightcap, the Wilcats had no answer for Buffalo's Blair Abraham, who tallied 26 points to lead the Bison to a 65-30 win.
Buffalo led 17-5 after the first and then used a 12-5 margin in the second for a 29-10 halftime lead.
A 17-14 third quarter margin in favor of the Bison kept things in check at 46-24 before the visitor's rattled off a a 19-6 advantage in the fourth and cruised to the 65-30 win.
The Wildcats failed to put a single player in double digits while Buffalo had 3.
"We've struggled scoring this season and tonight was no exception," Warsaw coach Matt Brownsberger said. "I thought our kids attacked the basket well, but we didn't get to the free throw line. Buffalo had size that could really change the game at the rim."
WARSAW (30): S. Poyser, 6; G. Ferguson, 7; L. Henderson, 6; B Slavens, 2; B. Henderson, 0; L. Bilderback, 0; C. Davis, 0; L. Gemes, 0; L. Gemes, 5; R. Reser, 0; N. Siebert, 2; A. Burdick, 0; J. Newell, 2; J.C. Minks, 0.
BUFFALO (65): L. Mota, 11; T. Aven, 4; B. McGregor, 15; B. McGregor, 0; I. Young, 0; B. Abraham, 26; M. Skinner, 0; C. Shepperly, 0; D. Bennett, 9; J. Rooff, 0; O. Phillips, 0; L. Jones, 0; D. Hodge, 0.
