Bulls Complete Sweep Of Central Michigan With 65-60 Victory

Friday, February 7

Buffalo, NY

9 pm

15-9,6-5MAC

Central Michigan

13-9,6-3MAC

Central Mich.

Buffalo

Bulls Complete Sweep Of Central Michigan With 65-60 Victory

2/8/2020 12:20:00 AM | Men's Basketball

Box Score Post Game Press Conference Photo Gallery

BUFFALO, NY – For the second time in just under three weeks, the University at Buffalo men's basketball team handed Central Michigan a loss as the Bulls defeated the Chippewas, 65-60, on Friday night at Alumni Arena. CMU now has three losses over eight games played in the last month, with two of those coming to the Bulls.

Buffalo held a high-scoring Central Michigan team to just 60 points on the night, including only 19 points scored in the first half, which was a season low for a Buffalo opponent. The Chippewas shot 35.7% from the floor but went just 6-of-31 from behind the arc.

The Bulls rode the momentum of an energetic student crowd as UB scored the first eight points of the night and opened the game on a 14-2 run over the first six minutes of action. A fast-break opportunity for sophomore Jeenathan Williams extended Buffalo's first half lead to 16 at 25-9 and the Bulls would go on to lead by as many as 18 in the opening half at 35-17 before taking a 16-point lead into the break.

However, the Chippewas would fight their way back in the second half. With UB leading by 12 at 49-37, the Chippewas went on a 15-2 run as a three from David DiLeo gave Central Michigan its first lead of the night at 52-51 with 6:46 left. UB would respond though as senior Antwain Johnson rattled off five straight points, including a three-pointer in the corner, extending the UB lead back to four.

The Chippewas again cut it to one with 4:13 remaining, but Buffalo answered again scoring the next four, caped off on a thunderous dunk from Williams. CMU again cut it to three with 2:48 left, but that is as close as they would get. Back-to-back buckets from the Bulls extended the lead back up to seven and Central would get no closer than four.

"We really needed a win and you know for these guys over the last five minutes to lose the lead and then come back really showed a lot of toughness," said head coach Jim Whitesell. "I thought in the first half we were really sharp defensively, but those turnovers were killing us on the offensive end. In the second half, Central just kept chipping away, and that's a really good basketball team, but our guys made plays in the clutch when we needed them to."

Williams led all scorers with 20 points as he went 9-of-14 from the floor, including 8-of-10 from inside the arc. Williams also added eight boards, a pair of assists, a steal and a block.

Johnson added 15 points, nine coming after the half. Junior Jayvon Graves tied his career high with 12 rebounds as the Malvern, OH native finished with his first double-double of the season, adding 11 points.

Senior Gabe Grant chipped in 10 points off the bench and sophomore Ronaldo Segu added six.

Redshirt freshman LaQuill Hardnett picked up his first career start and finished with two points, seven rebounds, and two steals.

Senior Davonta Jordan struggled shooting the ball on Friday night as he didn't score, but dished out seven assists and had four steals, including two in the final 3:30 of action. Sophomore Josh Mballa had six rebounds off the bench.

The Bulls again outrebounded their opponent, 48-37. UB also held advantages in points in the paint, second chance points, fast break points, and bench points.

Buffalo will now have its bye week and will not see action again until next Friday night, another national television opportunity. The Bulls will travel to Toledo and play on CBS Sports Network at 6:30 pm.