Bulls Fall Short At Preseason MAC Favorite

Sunday, December 6

Bowling Green, OH

6:00 pm

1-2,0-1MAC

Bowling Green

4-1,1-0MAC

Buffalo

Bowling Green

Photo by: Johnnie Izquierdo / Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame

Bulls Fall Short At Preseason MAC Favorite

12/6/2020 9:34:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

BOWLING GREEN, OH – The University at Buffalo men's basketball team went toe-to-toe with the preseason MAC favorite, but the Bulls fell to Bowling Green, 86-78, in the league opener for both teams. It was the earliest that the Bulls have played a Mid-American Conference game since the 2004-05 season.

The two heavyweights played in a game that saw 14 lead changes and seven tie scores. Neither team led by more than nine, which came in the waning moments of the second half. Like last week, the Bulls held a late lead in the ball game, this time a two-point advantage with three minutes left. But from there, Bowling Green went on an 11-0 run, nine of those coming from preseason All-MAC selection, Justin Turner, who actually scored 13 of the last 14 points for the Falcons.

Buffalo got out to the early lead on Sunday night as UB raced out to a 17-10 advantage with 9:27 left in the opening half. A three from Trey Diggs gave BG the lead back with 6:27 remaining and the Falcons went on to build a 34-28 lead with 90 seconds left. Four points from Ronaldo Segu later and the Bulls would head into the break trailing by just two.

Trailing by four early in the second half, the Bulls went on a 10-4 run capped off on a three from Jayvon Graves, putting UB ahead 44-42. The Falcons regained a 56-52 lead, but another three in the corner from Graves put the final touches on a 9-1 run as UB led 61-57 with 8:50 left.

UB continued to hold on to the lead with three minutes left, but that is when Turner and the Falcons took over, closing the game out on a 16-6 run.

"I thought we outplayed them for long stretches tonight, but we again came up short in crunch time and we have to figure out how to close out games," said head coach Jim Whitesell. "This was a different experience for us playing a league game so early in the season and we knew it would be a battle with Bowling Green as every game has been since I've been here."

Graves led the way with 23 points, 14 of those coming in the second half. Segu had a new career-best with 22 points, while adding five boards. He was 8-of-13 from the floor. Junior Jeenathan Williams had 19 points and six rebounds as those three combined for 64 of the team's 78 points.

Tra'von Fagan finished with four points and a career high eight rebounds, while Brock Bertram chipped in three points, six boards, and three blocked shots. Sophomore LaQuill Hardnett added five points and David Nickelberry had two points and four rebounds.

Freshman Chanse Robinson made his Buffalo debut after missing the first two games of the season.

Buffalo held a big advantage on the glass at 43-33, but struggled from the free throw line, going 18-of-29. The Falcons made 40 trips to the free throw line, converting on 31 of those, including Turner, who went 15-of-15.

The Bulls are next scheduled to play at Miami (OH) nine days from now, continuing a stretch that will see them play their first eight games away from home.