12-4, 3-1MAC
Miami (OH)
6-11, 1-3MAC
Moss Hits Career High As Bulls Defeat Miami (OH), 77-68
1/17/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
BUFFALO, NY – Junior Justin Moss continued to show why he is leading the Mid-American Conference in scoring and rebounding on Saturday afternoon as he set new career highs with 31 points and 15 rebounds, leading the University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, to a 77-68 win over Miami (OH). The victory was UB's second over the RedHawks in less than two weeks and the Bulls are now 12-4 on the year and 3-1 in conference play.
The Bulls struggled from the floor as they snapped a streak of 247 straight games with at least one three pointer made, but UB had the advantage in the paint and at the free throw line and that turned out to be the difference in the game. In fact, 73 of UB's 77 points came from inside the paint or at the free throw line.
Miami (OH) outscored the Bulls in the first half, 32-29, just the fourth time this year that the Bulls trailed at the half. The RedHawks hit six of their eight three pointers in the first half, but they were never able to take more than a five point lead against UB. A tip in from senior Xavier Ford with 1:30 left pulled the Bulls within three and that is how the teams went to the intermission.
In the second half, UB turned up its defensive pressure and began to find the scoring column as they outscored Miami 48-36 over the final 20 minutes of play. The RedHawks scored the first two points of the second half, but then the Bulls held Miami without a field goal for over eight minutes, hitting just two free throws. In that period, UB was able to go on a 16-2 run, which was capped off on a fast break dunk from sophomore Shannon Evans, giving UB a 45-36 lead.
The RedHawks pulled within three at 47-44, but the Bulls went on a quick 8-0 run, which included a steal and a fast break dunk from Ford as well as a thunderous baseline reverse dunk from Moss. The Bulls took their largest lead of the game at 62-50 with 3:08 left as Moss put back a UB miss, but Miami made one last run and got as close as three. However, UB answered each Miami run when it needed to thanks to Moss and Evans who combined to score the final 19 points of the game for the Bulls.
"Miami was feisty tonight and I knew they would be coming off their last game. I knew they would play extremely hard and they did," said head coach Bobby Hurley. "I liked that we had to grind out a win and play a close game and find a way to come out on top. We didn't shoot it great today, but we found a way to get some offense going in the second half and Justin was a big part of that."
Moss set career highs with 31 points and 15 rebounds today and he became the first player in the nation to have over 30 points and 15 rebounds against a Division I opponent according to ESPN Stats Info. Moss went 10-of-15 from the field and 11-of-15 from the free throw line. He had 15 boards, 12 of those coming on the defensive end. The double-double from Moss was his league-leading ninth of the year.
Evans finished with 17 points, including 9-of-10 from the free throw line, as he added three assists a block and a steal. Ford had 13 points and eight rebounds in 22 minutes off the bench. Junior Rodell Wigginton finished with nine points and five rebounds, while freshman Lamonte Bearden had just two points, but added seven assists and five rebounds. In all seven different UB players found the scoring column.
The Bulls went to the free throw line a season-best 38 times, tying their season-high with 27 makes. UB has now attempted at least 28 free throws in six straight games. The Bulls tied a season-low with just 14 personal fouls. UB also had an advantage on the glass, 42-38, and a huge advantage in the paint, 46-28. Miami (OH) fell to 6-11 on the year and 1-3 in MAC play. Eric Washington led the RedHawks with 17 points and nine rebounds, while Geovonie McKnight added 15 points.
The Bulls will now head back to the road for their next two games beginning on Wednesday night at Central Michigan. The game will begin at 7:00 pm and it will air on ESPN3.
