Bulls Fall at East Carolina

Sunday, December 14

Greenville, N.C.

1 p.m.

University at Buffalo

9-2,0-0MAC

East Carolina

4-7,0-0American

Buffalo

East Carolina

Photo by: Dani Fey | UB Athletics

12/14/2025 7:15:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

By: Zach Monell

GREENVILLE, N.C. – The University at Buffalo men's basketball team (9-2, 0-0 MAC) fell on the road to the East Carolina Pirates (4-7, 0-0 American) on Sunday afternoon, 73-70. Daniel Freitag led the Bulls with a 31-point, 11-rebound double-double. Both marks were career highs.

Mikhail Pocknett returned to his home state and followed it up with seven points and a season-high 13 rebounds. Ryan Sabol scored 19 points including making a trio of three-pointers for the 30^th time in the blue and white.

After a slow start in the first half the Bulls trailed the Pirates, 11-5. Buffalo took their first lead of the game at 12-11, but it would soon expand. The Bulls went on a 20-2 run to take a 28-13 lead. In the run, Buffalo's defense clamped down and held the Pirates to 1-of-12 from the floor. Freitag had a hot start to the game. He was 7-of-9 from the floor including 5-of-6 from three-point range and 10-of-13 from the charity stripe. He tallied 29 points as the Bulls headed into the locker room leading, 47-28. Buffalo's defense held the Pirates to just 25.7% from the floor. East Carolina was just 1-for-12 from three-point range in the opening half.

The defensive intensity shifted in the second half as Freitag was held to just two points in the half. The Pirates forced 12 turnovers which led to 12 points. After shooting over 56% from the field in the first half, the Bulls were held to just eight made field goals, resulting in a 25% field goal percentage. Empty possessions by the Bulls resulted in the Pirates to chip away at the lead. Buffalo's struggles from three-point range in the half allowed East Carolina to mount a comeback. The Bulls were just 1-for-11 from deep as Sabol hit the only three of the half at the 10:38 mark. With pressure from the Pirates, the Bulls only scored four points in the final five minutes of action. Following a pair of Pocknett made free throws, the Bulls led, 68-57, with 4:55 remaining. East Carolina ended the game on a 16-2 run as they forced the Bulls to finish the game 1-for-6 from the floor with four turnovers.

BUFFALO LEADERS
Daniel Freitag: 31 pts, 11 reb, 8-19 FG, 5-10 3PTFG
Ryan Sabol: 19 pts., 8-15 FG
Mikhail Pocknett: 7 pts., 13 reb.
Derrick Talton Jr.: 2 pts., 4 asst., 3 stl.

TEAM STATS
East Carolina Pirates: 36.5 FG% (23-of-63), 20.0 3PTFG% (4-of-20), 76.7 FT% (23-of-30), 40 Reb., 9 Asst., 7 TO, 12 Stl., 4 Blk.
Buffalo Bulls: 39.0 FG% (23-of-59), 30.8 3PTFG% (8-of-26), 76.2 FT% (16-of-21), 40 Reb., 8 Asst., 13 TO, 5 Stl., 1 Blk.

The Bulls are back in action on Saturday at 1 p.m. when they open conference play at Western Michigan.

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