Tuesday, February 20
Buffalo, N.Y.
7 p.m.
4-22,2-11MAC
78
vs
69
Eastern Michigan
10-16,3-10MAC
1
2
F
Eastern Mich.
31
38
69
Buffalo
33
45
78
Photo by: Paul Hokanson/UBBulls.com
Double-Doubles by Chatman and Williamson Propel Bulls to 78-69 Victory Over Eastern Michigan
2/20/2024 11:07:00 PM | Men's Basketball
BUFFALO, N.Y. – The University at Buffalo men's basketball team (4-22, 2-11 MAC) secured a home court victory on Tuesday evening against the Eastern Michigan Eagles (10-16, 3-10 MAC), 78-69. The Bulls extend their home win streak against the Eagles to 12 games.
It was a career night for the redshirt sophomore Zaakir Williamson. He finished with his first career double-double with career high marks including 13 points, 10 rebounds and three assists. Sy Chatman added his sixth double-double of the season as he brought home 23 points, 13 rebounds, four steals and four blocks. LaQuill Hardnett and Isaac Jack were the last Bulls to record double-doubles in the same game against a Division I foe at Western Michigan on Feb. 4, 2023.
Isaiah Adams scored 13 points with Ryan Sabol chipping in nine. Bryson Wilson had a career-high seven points in the victory as Shawn Fulcher finished with a career-high eight assists.
Buffalo scored quick to start the game as Adams drove to the basket to put the Bulls up 2-0 10-seconds in. After forcing an Eastern Michigan shot clock violation, Sabol laid one in to give the Bulls a 6-2 lead. The Eagles went on a 5-0 run to take a 7-6 lead, but a Chatman three-pointer gave Buffalo a 9-7 lead prior to the under-16 media timeout.
The Bulls sustained the lead and added to it as Williamson cleaned up a three-pointer miss and put it back in the basket to put Buffalo up 15-10 with 11:24 left in the first. The Eagles stayed within five points until they tied the game at 21 and took a 23-21 lead with just under four minutes left in the opening half. It was a ping-pong battle down the stretch of the half, but the Bulls went to the locker room leading 33-31.
Tied at 37, the Bulls went on their largest run of the night. An 11-0 run gave Buffalo a 48-37 lead as Bryson Wilson buried one of Buffalo's four threes of the night. Eastern Michigan's Tyson Acuff stopped the run with a jumper to make it a 48-39 ballgame with 13:38 remaining. The Eagles were only able to get within seven points for the rest of the game with stellar defense to offensive transition from the Bulls. In the last minute of play, Buffalo went 6-for-7 from the free throw line to ice the game and take the 78-69 victory.
"I'm really proud of our team's effort," stated Head Coach George Halcovage III. "We've been getting better. I sat here after the last game with Sy [Chatman] and we knew we were really close against a great team in Akron. I thought today was a big growth day for us. We executed at the end and were able to withstand some of the runs and then extend a lead. We got stops when we needed to, and we played tough. That's something we've been challenging these guys on both ends and that's how you get it done in these games. Honestly, it started with these two guys [Sy Chatman & Zaakir Williamson] on the glass, not just scoring but really on the glass, setting the tone, defensive rebounding, without fouling when they were trying to really be aggressive against us. I'm just really proud of these two guys and the whole team's collective effort. When you have a game with 19 assists and nine turnovers, you're going to hopefully be in a good spot in the end. Credit to Eastern Michigan, they kept coming. Tyson Acuff is a heck of a player man and a tough guard. I'm really proud of our guys for sticking to the game plan to get done the end."
The Bulls bullied their way in the paint as they outscored the Eagles, 48-24. The +24 points in the paint margin was Buffalo's largest difference this season. The Bulls' bench scored 24 points while limiting the Eagles to just 12 points.
The Bulls are back in action on Saturday at Western Michigan. Tip will be at 2:30 p.m. with coverage on ESPN+.
It was a career night for the redshirt sophomore Zaakir Williamson. He finished with his first career double-double with career high marks including 13 points, 10 rebounds and three assists. Sy Chatman added his sixth double-double of the season as he brought home 23 points, 13 rebounds, four steals and four blocks. LaQuill Hardnett and Isaac Jack were the last Bulls to record double-doubles in the same game against a Division I foe at Western Michigan on Feb. 4, 2023.
Isaiah Adams scored 13 points with Ryan Sabol chipping in nine. Bryson Wilson had a career-high seven points in the victory as Shawn Fulcher finished with a career-high eight assists.
Buffalo scored quick to start the game as Adams drove to the basket to put the Bulls up 2-0 10-seconds in. After forcing an Eastern Michigan shot clock violation, Sabol laid one in to give the Bulls a 6-2 lead. The Eagles went on a 5-0 run to take a 7-6 lead, but a Chatman three-pointer gave Buffalo a 9-7 lead prior to the under-16 media timeout.
The Bulls sustained the lead and added to it as Williamson cleaned up a three-pointer miss and put it back in the basket to put Buffalo up 15-10 with 11:24 left in the first. The Eagles stayed within five points until they tied the game at 21 and took a 23-21 lead with just under four minutes left in the opening half. It was a ping-pong battle down the stretch of the half, but the Bulls went to the locker room leading 33-31.
Tied at 37, the Bulls went on their largest run of the night. An 11-0 run gave Buffalo a 48-37 lead as Bryson Wilson buried one of Buffalo's four threes of the night. Eastern Michigan's Tyson Acuff stopped the run with a jumper to make it a 48-39 ballgame with 13:38 remaining. The Eagles were only able to get within seven points for the rest of the game with stellar defense to offensive transition from the Bulls. In the last minute of play, Buffalo went 6-for-7 from the free throw line to ice the game and take the 78-69 victory.
"I'm really proud of our team's effort," stated Head Coach George Halcovage III. "We've been getting better. I sat here after the last game with Sy [Chatman] and we knew we were really close against a great team in Akron. I thought today was a big growth day for us. We executed at the end and were able to withstand some of the runs and then extend a lead. We got stops when we needed to, and we played tough. That's something we've been challenging these guys on both ends and that's how you get it done in these games. Honestly, it started with these two guys [Sy Chatman & Zaakir Williamson] on the glass, not just scoring but really on the glass, setting the tone, defensive rebounding, without fouling when they were trying to really be aggressive against us. I'm just really proud of these two guys and the whole team's collective effort. When you have a game with 19 assists and nine turnovers, you're going to hopefully be in a good spot in the end. Credit to Eastern Michigan, they kept coming. Tyson Acuff is a heck of a player man and a tough guard. I'm really proud of our guys for sticking to the game plan to get done the end."
The Bulls bullied their way in the paint as they outscored the Eagles, 48-24. The +24 points in the paint margin was Buffalo's largest difference this season. The Bulls' bench scored 24 points while limiting the Eagles to just 12 points.
The Bulls are back in action on Saturday at Western Michigan. Tip will be at 2:30 p.m. with coverage on ESPN+.
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Team Stats
EMU
UB
FG%
.403
.475
3FG%
.316
.211
FT%
.900
.727
RB
39
40
TO
11
9
STL
5
7
Game Leaders
Pts
23
FGM
8
3FGM
1
FTM
6
Pts
13
FGM
6
3FGM
0
FTM
1
Pts
12
FGM
5
3FGM
0
FTM
2
Pts
9
FGM
3
3FGM
1
FTM
2
Players Mentioned
Forward
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Guard
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Center
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