Eastern Michigan
Bulls Return To Road; Meet Eastern Michigan Tuesday Night
2/3/2020 12:43:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Buffalo (14-8, 5-4 MAC) at Eastern Michigan (11-10, 1-7 MAC)
February 4, 2020
Convocation Center (Ypsilanti, MI) - 7:00 pm
Radio
Buffalo - ESPN 1520
Rochester - Fox Sports 1280
Hornell - 1480 WLEA
Television
ESPN+
10 Things To Know About Today's Game
1. Buffalo begins February with four straight games against the MAC West, beginning on Tuesday night against Eastern Michigan. UB is 2-2 against the West so far this year with wins over Central Michigan and Eastern Michigan
2. UB has won five straight in the all-time series against Eastern Michigan with the last loss coming in Ypsilanti during the 2015-16 season.
3. While Buffalo has dropped four games in Mid-American Conference play, three of those losses have come by a combined six points, including one-point defeats by Northern Illinois and Bowling Green. This past week, UB played a pair of one possession games with a three-point win at Akron last week.
4. Coming off the bench for the first two times this year, sophomore Josh Mballa had his fifth and sixth double-doubles of the season with 13 points and 17 rebounds at Akron and 12 points and 15 rebounds against Bowling Green. The 17 rebounds were the most in a game for a Buffalo player since Justin Moss had 17 against Ohio on Mar. 3, 2015. The 17 rebounds were tied for the second most by a MAC player in league games this year.
5. Buffalo is currently third in the nation in rebounding at 42.27 per contest, behind only North Carolina and New Hampshire. They are second in the country in offensive boards at 14.95 behind only Portland St. On Friday night, Buffalo had 24 offensive boards against Bowling Green.
6. UB has played well on the road this season as they have dropped just two true road games. In road contest, Buffalo is averaging 77.3 points per game and is shooting just under 71% from the free throw line. Overall, Buffalo is shooting .422 from the field on the road.
7. Junior Jayvon Graves went over the 900-point mark for his career with his game-high 24 points on Friday night. Graves has scored in double figures in 20 of the 22 games this season and leads Buffalo is scoring at 16.8 points per game.
8. Per KenPom, Buffalo has the third shortest possession length in at 14.6 seconds, just behind Green Bay and Houston Baptist. It will be a contrast of styles as the Eastern Michigan defense is 326th in time of possession as their opponents hold the ball for an average 18.2 seconds per possession.
9. UB had a season-high 13 blocks in the win over Bowling Green, third most in school history for a game.
10. Buffalo strength and conditioning coach Sean Conaty worked at Eastern Michigan for three seasons, while athletic trainer Andy Bliz received his master's degree from Eastern Michigan in 2012.
Bulls Return To Road; Meet Eastern Michigan Tuesday Night
The Bulls return to the road where they have had success this season, winning their last three MAC games away from home. Tuesday night, the Bulls will meet the Eastern Michigan Eagles in Ypsilanti. Buffalo is coming off a tough 78-77 loss to Bowling Green on Friday night, while the Eagles had a seven-game losing streak snapped with a 61-57 win over Toledo.
The game will be a contrasting set of styles as the Bulls are second in the MAC in scoring at 79.4 points per game, while Eastern Michigan allows just 63.0 points per contest. Both teams rely on scoring from the top as they combine for nine players averaging in double figures as Buffalo has five players, while Eastern Michigan adds four more.
Tuesday's game is the first four straight against the MAC West as Buffalo will play the next two on national television against Central Michigan (ESPNU) and Toledo (CBS Sports Network).
You Get A Win, And You Get A Win
Since the start of the 2017-18 season, the University at Buffalo men's basketball team has won 73 games, 11th most nationally with Cincinnati and UNC Greensboro. Gonzaga leads the way nationally with 88 victories over that time. As for MAC programs, the second most wins over the last two plus seasons comes courtesy of Toledo, who has 59, which is tied for 72th.
Dance Dance Revolution
The Bulls have reached the NCAA Tournament four times in the last five years (2015, 2016, 2018, 2019). UB is one of just 28 teams that have played in four NCAA Tournaments over the last five seasons. Of those 28 teams, UB is one of just five to have earned their league's automatic bid each time joining Gonzaga (WCC), Kentucky (SEC), Iona (MAAC), and New Mexico State (WAC).
On The Rebound
The Bulls are third in the nation in rebounds per game at 42.23 and second in the country in offensive boards. Only once this season has Buffalo failed to hit double figures in offensive rebounding, which was at Vanderbilt. Sophomore Josh Mballa is tied for seventh in the nation in offensive boards, averaging 4.00 per game. Sophomore Jeenathan Williams had a career best seven offensive boards against Northern Illinois. UB had a season high 53 rebounds in the win over DePaul, its most in a game since last year's MAC Quarterfinal win over Akron when they finished with 55 rebounds. The Bulls had 50 rebounds against Central Michigan and 52 boards in back to back games against Akron and Bowling Green which now marks the fifth time UB has had at least 50 boards in a game.. In the win over Niagara, UB held the Purple Eagles to just 23 boards, the lowest by an opponent this year and the fewest by the opposition since Le Moyne had 22 on Dec, 5, 2018. UB has recorded more rebounds than its opponent 15 times this year, including in nine of the last 11 games. UB outrebounded Akron, 52-31 on Tuesday night, led by a career best 17 boards from Mballa and outrebounded the Falcons, 52-40.
Whitesell Back In Charge
For the first time since the 2010-11 season, UB head coach Jim Whitesell is back in charge of a basketball program. Whitesell, who served the last four years as associate head coach for the Bulls, was named the 14th head coach in program history this past April.
Whitesell brings a long and accomplished resume into the season. His previous head coaching job was at Loyola (Chicago) where he was in charge of the Ramblers' program from 2004-11, finishing with a 109-107 record in seven seasons in charge. He is one of only five coaches in the history of Loyola Basketball with more than 100 wins. Prior to his time at Loyola, Whitesell also served as head coach at Elmhurst College and Lewis University, where he had his most success, going 214-126 in 12 seasons. Recently he was inducted into the Lewis Hall of Fame.
Following his time at Loyola, Whitesell made assistant coaching stops at Saint Louis and St. John's where he worked for a pair of legendary head coaches in the late Rick Majerus and Steve Lavin before joining Nate Oats in Buffalo. Whitesell picked up his first career UB win on Nov. 11 against Nazareth and he hit a professional milestone on Jan. 21 against Western Michigan when he secured his 400th career victory. Whitesell now has a career record of 401-309 in his tenure as a head coach. The 401 wins are 51st amongst all active head coaches.
Air Jordan
The Bulls look to the veteran presence of senior point guard Davonta Jordan who is in his fourth year with the program and has played in 126 career games.
Jordan has been named the MAC's all-defensive team each of the last two seasons as he has recorded 93 steals over the last two year. In each of his three seasons, Jordan as constantly increased his scoring, capped off by averaging 7.4 points per game last year. In the season opener, Jordan led the Bulls with 17 points, 13 of those coming over the final 12 minutes of the game. He tied his career high with four three-pointers, while adding six rebounds and four steals.
In the Charleston Classic, Jordan had a double-double with 10 points and tied his career high with 10 assists in the win over Towson. In the final game against Missouri St., Jordan set a then career high in scoring with 25 points, hitting 5-of-6 shots from three point range. Jordan had seven steals against William & Mary, fourth in school history in a single game and tied for the most by a player this year. In the victory over DePaul, Jordan became just the fifth player in school history to surpass the 400-assist mark for his career. He also finished just shy of a triple-double with 12 points, a career high nine rebounds, and eight assists. It was the first of two straight games where he flirted with a triple-double, adding 14 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists.
Jordan notched a new career high with 26 points in the win over Canisius, tying his career high with nine rebounds. He had eight assists in the win over Niagara as he was named the MAC East Player of the Week for the first time in his career. He recorded a new career high in rebounding in the win at Miami with 10 boards, notching his second double-double of the year. With six assists against Kent State, Jordan moved into third place on Buffalo's all-time assist list, surpassing Turner Battle (2001-05). His assist total is now first in Buffalo's modern era, which began in 1991-92, when UB returned to Division I athletics.
From Beyond The Graves
Junior Jayvon Graves was named to the preseason All-MAC East Division team as he is coming off a sophomore season where he started in 35 games and averaged 9.7 points per game. He added 4.2 rebounds per contest and 67 assists. He scored in double figures 17 times last season, including a career high 26 points against Ohio. He finished with 17 points in the MAC Championship win against Bowling Green and added 13 points in Buffalo's NCAA Tournament First Round victory over Arizona State.
Graves is a native of Malvern, OH where he played his high school at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School, the same school as Lebron James. He opened the 2019 season with 15 points against Dartmouth and added 17 more against Nazareth. Graves had 17 points in the win over Harvard, including a buzzer-beating three. He had his best night in Charleston against Towson where the junior finished with 25 points and eight rebounds. Graves added 24 points on a career-best 10 made field goals against William & Mary and added 21 points against DePaul. He added 22 points in the win over Niagara and set a career high with 28 points in the win over St. Bonaventure. Graves, who added 25 points in the win over Miami and 23 against Western Michigan, has scored in double figures in 20 of 22 games this season and he leads UB in scoring at 16.8 points per game.
No Sophomore Slump
The Bulls are relying on a pair of sophomores this season, who both saw action in all 36 games last year, but played limited minutes. Both Jeenathan Williams and Ronaldo Segu have already set career highs in all offensive categories.
Playing the sixth man roll, Segu had 17 points against Nazareth and a career high 21 against Harvard. He has shot just under 87% from the floor in those two games as well. He had 12 assists and just two turnovers in those games. Segu had 14 points in the win over DePaul, including draining a pair of threes right before the half. He added 14 more points in the win over Canisius. Segu gave the Bulls a spark in the win over Miami as he had 16 points and six assists in a reserve role.
Williams has started in every game so far for the Bulls. He finished with 10 points and eight rebounds in Buffalo's win over Harvard. Williams was named to the preseason All-Big 4 second team prior to the year. Williams scored a career best 17 points in the victory over Missouri State as he went 6-of-12 from the floor, including a pair of three pointers. On the defensive end he chipped in two blocks and three steals. Williams had 13 points against Army West Point, including three offensive rebounds. He drained a huge three-pointer late in the win over Canisius and finished with 12 points against the Griffs. He notched his first career double-double with 19 points and a career high 10 rebounds against Niagara. Williams scored a new career high with 26 points in the win over Ohio, 24 of those coming in the second half. He was named MAC East Player of the Week on Jan. 20 after he added a game-high 18 points in the win over Central Michigan. He had a stretch of nine straight games in double figures snapped against WMU, but has scored in double figures in 12 of the last 13 games.
Newish Faces Emerge
Two players that were a huge part of the team's success, but were unable to see action were senior transfers Antwain Johnson and Gabe Grant. Both players sat out the 2018-19 campaign due to NCAA Transfer rules, but served as valuable members of the scout team.
Now with their transfer year in the review mirror, both players are ready to give it their all for one final season.
Johnson, a transfer from Middle Tennessee State, started in Buffalo's exhibition win over Daemen and had 12 points on 4-of-8 shooting. Johnson lit it up from three against Harvard as he finished with 19 points, including going 5-of-7 from three point range. In two seasons at Middle Tennessee State, Johnson averaged 7.3 points per game, including 10.3 points per contest in 2017-18. His career high in scoring came on Feb. 3, 2018 at Charlotte when he scored 23 points. Johnson hit a pair of game-winning free throws in the victory over Missouri St., while also claiming the Blue Collar hard hat against the Bears. Johnson scored 18 points in the win over Ohio. He scored a new Buffalo career high with 21 points in the win against Western Michigan.
Grant, who came to the Bulls from Houston, was impressive off the bench in the exhibition opener, leading the Bulls in scoring with 19 points and six rebounds. Grant played in 24 games in his lone season at Houston, scoring a career best 12 points against East Carolina on Feb. 25, 2018. Grant hit the biggest shot of his career as he broke a 74-74 tie with just six seconds left at Akron, draining a three.
It's Still Brock And Roll To Me
Junior Brock Bertram readies for his third season of action this upcoming year. Bertram, who redshirted his first season, has continued to improve each year. Last season, the Apple Vally, MN native played in 20 games, averaging 1.1 points per contest. More impressive was the performance of Bertram on the scout team over the last three years, a big reason for the success of three-time MAC Sixth Man of the Year, Nick Perkins.
Bertram made his season debut in the MAC opener against Northern Illinois after missing the first 13 games due to a foot injury. He had three rebounds in limited action. In his second game against Ball State, Bertram had a career high three blocked shots, while also recording his first points of the season. He picked up his first start of the season on Tuesday at Akron and had a career high seven rebounds on Friday against Bowling Green.
We've Got Experience Too!
In all, this year's men's basketball team has five players who have been a part of another Division I institution during their careers.
- Antwain Johnson - Middle Tennessee St.
- Gabe Grant - Houston
- Josh Mballa - Texas Tech
- LaQuill Hardnett - Cincinnati
- David Nickelberry - Memphis
Mballa was a member of the Texas Tech squad in 2018-19 that finished as national runners up. Mballa and the Red Raiders met up with the Bulls in the NCAA Round of 32 in Tulsa. He played in 17 games at Texas Tech with his career high in scoring coming against the Kansas Jayhawks on Feb. 2, 2019. Mballa had 15 points against UConn and followed that up with his first double-double of the year, scoring 13 points and adding 11 rebounds against Towson. Mballa had scored in double figures in five straight games prior to Ball State and eight of the last 10 following a career best 18 against Western Michigan. He had 14 rebounds at DePaul and a career-best 15 against St. Bonaventure. He had 17 rebounds against Akron and 15 more against Bowling Green and leads UB in rebounding at 9.5 per game.
Hardnett redshirted his freshman season at Cincinnati and he registered career highs with nine point and 11 rebounds against Canisius. He played solid minutes at Central Michigan, recording six points and five boards. and had eight points and six rebounds against Western Michigan. Hardnett is shooting just over 80% from the floor this season going 30-of-37 from the field.
History On The Horizon
The Bulls are looking to accomplish something this season that has never been done in Mid-American Conference history as no MAC school has ever won five conference tournament titles in a six-year period. Last season, the Bulls became the first MAC team to win four conference titles in a five year period. The MAC Tournament dates back to the 1979-80 season.
