16-9, 7-6MAC
Eastern Michigan
16-10, 5-8MAC
Bulls Snap Losing Skid With 78-63 Win At Eastern Michigan
2/18/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
YPSILANTI, MI –The University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, men's basketball team snapped a three-game losing streak on Wednesday evening with a 78-63 win at Eastern Michigan. The Bulls held the Eagles to under 36% from the field as they improve to 16-9 on the season and 7-6 in MAC play.
The first half was tightly contested as both teams had to work around foul trouble that saw multiple players pick up two fouls in the opening 20 minutes. The host Eagles led 13-9 just seven minutes into the game when the Bulls went on a 12-0 run, which began with three free throws from senior Will Regan and was capped off on a put back dunk from senior Xavier Ford, giving the Bulls a 21-13 lead.
A fast-break dunk from junior Rodell Wigginton put UB up by 10, which tied for its largest lead of the first half. Eastern Michigan would pull within two with 1:19 left, but sophomore Shannon Evans answered with a three and then hit two late free throws to give the Bulls a 38-31 halftime lead.
EMU pulled within 40-37 early in the half, but the Bulls went on a 15-2 run, capped off on back-to-back three pointers from Jarryn Skeete, which gave the Bulls a 55-39 lead with 13:17 left. A pair of free throws by Justin Moss with 6:56 left gave UB a 66-46 lead, its largest lead of the game. Eastern Michigan was able to pull within 11, but the Bulls kept the lead thanks to some late foul shooting. The Bulls went to the free throw line 21 times over the final 10 minutes of the game and a season-high 44 trips overall.
"We got back to the basics on the defensive end of things and I thought for the most part we did a good job making things difficult for them," said head coach Bobby Hurley. "We got solid contributions from all of our guys tonight and that is what you need to win on the road in this league."
Moss led four players in double figures with 15 points and nine rebounds, as he went 7-of-10 from the free throw line. Evans added 14 points, six rebounds, three assists and four steals, while Regan had 13 points, going 8-of-11 from the line.
Ford added 12 points and six rebounds, while Skeete added nine points, all from behind-the-arc, and six rebounds. Wigginton added six points, while junior Raheem Johnson added five. Freshman Lamonte Bearden added four points, all from the free throw line.
Moss, Johnson, and redshirt freshman Christian Pino, who saw action in the final minute, were all playing close to home as they played at Romulus High School.
Eastern Michigan fell to 16-10 and 5-8 in the MAC. The Eagles were led by Karrington Ward, who had 21 points and 11 rebounds.
UB remains on the road Saturday afternoon when it heads to Bowling Green for a 2:00 pm match up with the Falcons.
