16-14, 9-8MAC
Miami (OH)
12-18, 6-11MAC
Cold Shooting Dooms Bulls Against Miami (OH)
3/1/2016 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
BUFFALO, NY – The University at Buffalo men's basketball team shot just 35.5% on Tuesday night, including just 32.3% from three-point range as the Bulls fell to the surging Miami RedHawks, 67-59. For Miami it was their third straight win as the RedHawks were coming off wins over Akron and Kent State. The loss drops the Bulls to 16-14 and 9-8 in MAC play with one regular season game remaining.
The Bulls started out strong on Senior Night as UB knocked down three triples to take an early 9-0 lead. UB led for the majority of the first half as they took a 14-6 advantage following a Blake Hamilton three-pointer. Miami began to chip away at the Buffalo lead and tied the game at 26-26 with 1:10 left, but a CJ Massinburg three would give the Bulls the 29-26 halftime lead.
Miami went up 30-29 early in the second half when UB went on a 12-4 run as a three-point from Hamilton extended the UB lead to 41-34 with 14:09 left. However, Miami scored the next six points to pull back within one. UB held on to a 45-42 lead when Miami went on a quick 7-0 run to take a 49-45 lead.
The Bulls would come back to tie the game up at 55-55 with 4:27 left, but the RedHawks answered with another 7-0 run to take a 62-55 lead and Miami would never relinquish the lead.
"It was a bad loss for us in the conference standings knowing that we need to win to assure us a bye in the tournament and that's not happening now," said head coach Nate Oats. "Miami is playing as good as any team in the league and give Coach Cooper credit because he really turned that thing around after their start."
Hamilton led the Bulls with his second straight 20-point game and his second straight double-double as he finished with 20 points and a career-high 13 rebounds. Senior Jarryn Skeete added 11 points, five rebounds and three assists, while junior Willie Conner had 10 points, four rebounds and three blocked shots.
Sophomore Lamonte Bearden added nine points and seven assists, while Ikenna Smart had five points off the bench and Massinburg added four points and six rebounds.
The Bulls shot a season-high 31 three-pointers, which was half of their shots on the night. UB also went just 5-of-12 from the free throw line. The Bulls did outrebound Miami, 42-40.
UB will hit the road for its final regular season game on Friday evening when the Bulls head to Bowling Green. The Bulls will enter the final game holding on to the sixth seed in the MAC standings. Tipoff is set for 7:00 pm.
