16-13 (9-7MAC)
Ohio
19-9 (10-6MAC)
Bulls Drop Overtime Affair At Ohio, 103-96
2/27/2016 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
ATHENS, OH – The University at Buffalo men's basketball team had to navigate through foul trouble and a huge discrepancy at the charity stripe, but the Bulls ultimately fell in overtime at Ohio, 103-96. The Bulls were whistled for a season-high 36 fouls as they sent the Bobcats to the line 49 times, the most by a UB opponent this season. The loss drops UB to 16-13 on the season and 9-7 in conference play.
UB opened the game strong as it built a double figure lead just six and a half minutes into the contest as a Rodell Wigginton layup gave the Bulls a 17-7 advantage. A three-pointer from Willie Conner put Buffalo ahead 29-23 with 7:05 left and the Bulls continued to lead by five with 4:23 left when Ohio ended the half on an 18-7 run, which sent the Bulls into the break trailing 48-42.
Ohio built a 51-43 lead early in the second half when the Bulls answered with a 14-0 run, which was capped off on a three-point play by sophomore Lamonte Bearden. Buffalo built its double-digit lead back up with 11:54 left as a layup from Bearden gave the Bulls a 68-58 lead.
Ohio began to cut into the UB advantage and a three-pointer by Treg Setty tied the game up at 76-76 with just under five minutes left. The Bulls went on to take an 85-80 lead with 2:49 left, but the Bulls would not score again in regulation. A three from Jordan Dartis tied it up with just over a minute to play, but the Bulls would get the last shot in regulation. A Bearden jumper fell just short sending the contest into overtime.
The two teams traded the lead back and forth and the game remained tied at 93-93 with 1:52 left when Dartis hit another three, which put the Bobcats up for good. The Bulls cut it to one, but Ohio scored the last seven points of the game from the line.
"I thought we played hard for most of the game, but we hurt ourselves with foul trouble and sent them to the line too many times," said head coach Nate Oats. "It was a high-level game and that is what you expect in this conference every night. We still have the goal of a top four seed alive and we will regroup and come back on Tuesday."
Conner finished with a career-high 28 points as he went 11-of-17 from the field. Junior Blake Hamilton added 22 points and 11 rebounds for his second career double-double, while also finishing with three assists, three blocks and a steal.
Bearden had 14 points and four assists, while Wigginton added nine points and six boards. Freshman CJ Massinburg added eight points, going 6-of-6 from the floor.
The Bulls had four players foul out in the contest and two other players finish with four fouls. The Bobcats took advantage as they went 35-of-49 from the free throw line. The 35 makes were three more than the free throws attempted for UB, who went 23-of-32.
The Bulls outrebounded Ohio 44-39 and they took 73 shot attempts, their second highest total of the season.
UB will return home on Tuesday night for #Operation6000 when the Bulls host Miami (OH) at 7:00 pm. It is Buffalo's last regular season home game and the Bulls will honor their two seniors prior to the game.
