15-8, 6-5MAC
Toledo
16-8, 8-3MAC
Bulls Drop Offensive Slugfest, 92-88
2/10/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
BUFFALO, NY – The University at Buffalo, the State University of New York, men's basketball team had its 11-game home winning streak snapped dating back to last season as the Bulls fell on Tuesday night to MAC West leading Toledo, 92-88. The loss drops the Bulls to 15-8 on the season and 6-5 in MAC play.
UB ran into a hot-shooting Toledo team that went 33-of-52 (63.5%) from the field and hit 12-of-14 from three point range. The Bulls were able to keep it close despite the shooting effort due to only seven turnovers, as well as a 17-for-20 performance from the free throw line and a career-high 33 points from junior Justin Moss.
Toledo led by as many as 13 points in the first half of the game, using a 10-0 run midway through the first to go up 28-15 with just over 8:00 minutes remaining. The Rockets remained ahead by 13 at 37-24 when a 7-2 run by the Bulls pulled them within eight. The two teams traded baskets in the final 10 seconds as Toledo took a 41-33 lead into the half.
The Bulls came out with a different intensity in the second half as they went on a 16-3 run over the first 5:15 of the half, taking their largest lead of the game at 49-44. In that run came a thunderous dunk from Moss of a behind-the-back pass from freshman Lamonte Bearden.
A tip-in from Moss with 8:59 left had the Bulls still ahead at 59-55, but Toledo went on an 18-8 run, which included four three pointers as the Rockets took a 73-67 advantage. However, UB was able to answer again as it went on a 7-0 run, capped off on a layup from Moss to go back ahead, 74-73, but back-to-back three pointers from Jonathan Williams gave Toledo the lead back at 79-74.
A fast-break layup from Bearden put the Bulls back within one, but Toledo then scored five straight from senior Julius Brown, to retake an 84-78 lead. Sophomore Shannon Evans hit a three-pointer to pull the Bulls within one possession with 32 seconds remaining, but Toledo hit its final six free throws to seal the game. Including free throws, Toledo hit 20 of its final 21 shots of the game.
"We had two teams that really went toe-to-toe tonight and they [Toledo] have a team that brought back four starters from a team that won 27 games last year and they are hitting their stride right now," said head coach Bobby Hurley. "They made all the plays they needed to make down the stretch and I thought they just made a few more plays than we did tonight."
Moss scored a game-high and a career-best 33 points as he went 14-of-23 from the floor, while completing the double-double with 10 rebounds. He also added a block and three steals. For Moss, it was his 11 double-double of the season as well as the 11th time that he has scored at least 20 points in a game.
Evans added 17 points, four assists and four steals, while junior Jarryn Skeete had 13 points and four rebounds as he hit on three shots from behind the arc. Junior Rodell Wigginton added 10 points and three steals of the bench.
Bearden added seven points and five assists, while seniors Xavier Ford and Will Regan each had four points. Regan added four rebounds in 21 minutes off the bench.
Toledo improved to 16-8 and 8-3 in conference play as all five starters finished in double figures led by 25 points from Brown and 17 points and 10 rebounds from J.D. Weatherspoon.
The Bulls will remain home on Saturday afternoon when they host Central Michigan at 2:00 pm.
