Tuesday, January 20
Buffalo, N.Y.
6:30 p.m.
University at Buffalo
vs
Akron
Photo by: Paul Hokanson/UB Athletics
Bulls Host Akron on Tuesday Evening
1/19/2026 2:28:00 PM | Men's Basketball
BUFFALO, N.Y. – The University at Buffalo men's basketball program (13-5, 3-3 MAC) are back home for a pair of games starting on Tuesday as they'll host the Akron Zips (14-4, 5-1 MAC). Tip-off from Alumni Arena is set for 6:30 p.m. on ESPN+ with Paul Peck and Tony Watson ('12) on the call. Josh Whetzel and Bob Gaughan will be on the radio call on Buffalo 1520/Rochester 1280 and on the Varsity Network App.
LAST TIME OUT
The Bulls are coming off a devastating 105-102 overtime loss to the Miami (OH) RedHawks on Saturday afternoon. With the loss, Buffalo dropped to 13-5 overall on the season and 3-3 in MAC play.
In the loss, the Bulls had five players score in double figures for the second time this season. Angelo Brizzi led the way with 24 points and a season-high four three-pointers. Daniel Freitag added 22 points and eight assists. Ryan Sabol scored 20 points nailing four triples as Derrick Talton Jr. and Tim Oboh each scored 11 points. Noah Batchelor snagged a game-high 12 rebounds.
Saturday marked the first time since Jan. 5, 2022, the Bulls recorded three 20-point scorers in a single game in Angelo Brizzi (24), Daniel Freitag (22) and Ryan Sabol (20). Jeenathan Williams (21), Ronaldo Segu (20) and David Skogman (20) did so against Bowling Green 130 games ago.
ABOUT THE ZIPS
• Akron Head Coach John Groce is in his ninth season with the Zips where he's led them to a 182-92 (.664) overall record. Prior to his time in Akron, he spent five seasons at Illinois (2012-17) and four seasons at Ohio (2008-12). In his career, he holds an overall record of 364-224 (.619). He is 8-8 against Buffalo in his career. He has guided the Zips to two MAC Tournament Championships over the last three seasons.
• The Zips were selected first in the 13-team league in the Mid-American Conference Preseason Poll with 143 points and 11 first place votes. They also received eight MAC Tournament Championship votes. Tavari Johnson, Evan Mahaffey and Shamah Scott were named to the Preseason All-MAC Team.
• The Zips are led by Tavari Johnson (20.4 ppg) and Amani Lyles (15.4 ppg & 7.1 rpg).
THE BULL-ETIN BOARD
• Tim Oboh has made quite the improvement in his sophomore season during conference play. In 2024-25, Oboh averaged 4.2 ppg, 2.4 rpg with 6 total blocks. This season he is averaging 11.2 ppg, 5.3 rpg with 9 blocks.
• Last week against Kent State and Miami (OH), Daniel Freitag averaged 27.5 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 7.5 apg, 2.0 spg and had a 15:2 assist to turnover ratio. Against the RedHawks, he was 14-of-15 from the free throw line. This was the fourth time this season he made 10 free throws in a single game.
• Dating back to 2004-05 on available records, this is the first time the Bulls have had six 30-point performances in a single season as Daniel Freitag has done so four times as Ryan Sabol has done it twice this season. The 2012-13 squad finished with five such performances. Over the last three previous seasons, Buffalo only had four 30-point performances.
• The Bulls have made 10+ three-pointers in six of their last seven games, averaging 11.1 per game. In that stretch, they're 78-of-182, good for a .429 three-point percentage. On the season, Buffalo has made at least eight three-pointers in 14 of their 18 games as they're averaging 9.7 per game.
• Ryan Sabol surpassed the 1,000-point mark on Saturday at Miami (OH) with his 20-point performance. Sabol did so in his 80-game career in the blue and white. He became the 27th Bull in program history to reach this milestone and the first since 2021 MAC Defensive Player of the Year Josh Mballa did so from 2019-22 as he tallied 1,045 points.
• Buffalo has made 329 free throws this season. Of their 1,461 points this season, 22.5% have come from the free throw line, that is a conference best as Kent State (21.7%), Northern Illinois (21.3%) and Bowling Green (21.1%) are the only other schools above 20%.
• UB has made 174 three-pointers so far this season. 35.7% of their points have come from three-point range, the third-best mark in the MAC behind Miami's 36.7% and Akron's 36.0%.
• The Bulls moved to No. 9 in the most recent College Insider Mid-Major Top-25 poll.
• Ryan Sabol is the only Bull to score 10+ points in every conference game this season. He's averaging 18.0 ppg, good for eighth in the MAC.
• UB has recorded 20 20-point performances this season. Last year they finished with just 16 such games.
• Daniel Freitag leads the MAC in free throw makes and attempts with 122 and 149, respectfully. He's top-15 in the country in both categories.
• Daniel Freitag (367) and Ryan Sabol (309) have accounted for 46.3% of Buffalo's 1,461 points on the season. They are the highest scoring duo in the MAC as UMass's Leonardo Bettiol (323) and Marcus Banks (307) make up 41.4% of the Minutemen's points.
For all the latest on UB men's basketball, follow @UBuffaloMBB on Twitter/X, @ubuffalo_mbb on Instagram and like the UB Men's Basketball Facebook page.
Click here for ticket information.
Click here for information on the Bulls Championship Fund and how you can help UB Athletics.
LAST TIME OUT
The Bulls are coming off a devastating 105-102 overtime loss to the Miami (OH) RedHawks on Saturday afternoon. With the loss, Buffalo dropped to 13-5 overall on the season and 3-3 in MAC play.
In the loss, the Bulls had five players score in double figures for the second time this season. Angelo Brizzi led the way with 24 points and a season-high four three-pointers. Daniel Freitag added 22 points and eight assists. Ryan Sabol scored 20 points nailing four triples as Derrick Talton Jr. and Tim Oboh each scored 11 points. Noah Batchelor snagged a game-high 12 rebounds.
Saturday marked the first time since Jan. 5, 2022, the Bulls recorded three 20-point scorers in a single game in Angelo Brizzi (24), Daniel Freitag (22) and Ryan Sabol (20). Jeenathan Williams (21), Ronaldo Segu (20) and David Skogman (20) did so against Bowling Green 130 games ago.
ABOUT THE ZIPS
• Akron Head Coach John Groce is in his ninth season with the Zips where he's led them to a 182-92 (.664) overall record. Prior to his time in Akron, he spent five seasons at Illinois (2012-17) and four seasons at Ohio (2008-12). In his career, he holds an overall record of 364-224 (.619). He is 8-8 against Buffalo in his career. He has guided the Zips to two MAC Tournament Championships over the last three seasons.
• The Zips were selected first in the 13-team league in the Mid-American Conference Preseason Poll with 143 points and 11 first place votes. They also received eight MAC Tournament Championship votes. Tavari Johnson, Evan Mahaffey and Shamah Scott were named to the Preseason All-MAC Team.
• The Zips are led by Tavari Johnson (20.4 ppg) and Amani Lyles (15.4 ppg & 7.1 rpg).
THE BULL-ETIN BOARD
• Tim Oboh has made quite the improvement in his sophomore season during conference play. In 2024-25, Oboh averaged 4.2 ppg, 2.4 rpg with 6 total blocks. This season he is averaging 11.2 ppg, 5.3 rpg with 9 blocks.
• Last week against Kent State and Miami (OH), Daniel Freitag averaged 27.5 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 7.5 apg, 2.0 spg and had a 15:2 assist to turnover ratio. Against the RedHawks, he was 14-of-15 from the free throw line. This was the fourth time this season he made 10 free throws in a single game.
• Dating back to 2004-05 on available records, this is the first time the Bulls have had six 30-point performances in a single season as Daniel Freitag has done so four times as Ryan Sabol has done it twice this season. The 2012-13 squad finished with five such performances. Over the last three previous seasons, Buffalo only had four 30-point performances.
• The Bulls have made 10+ three-pointers in six of their last seven games, averaging 11.1 per game. In that stretch, they're 78-of-182, good for a .429 three-point percentage. On the season, Buffalo has made at least eight three-pointers in 14 of their 18 games as they're averaging 9.7 per game.
• Ryan Sabol surpassed the 1,000-point mark on Saturday at Miami (OH) with his 20-point performance. Sabol did so in his 80-game career in the blue and white. He became the 27th Bull in program history to reach this milestone and the first since 2021 MAC Defensive Player of the Year Josh Mballa did so from 2019-22 as he tallied 1,045 points.
• Buffalo has made 329 free throws this season. Of their 1,461 points this season, 22.5% have come from the free throw line, that is a conference best as Kent State (21.7%), Northern Illinois (21.3%) and Bowling Green (21.1%) are the only other schools above 20%.
• UB has made 174 three-pointers so far this season. 35.7% of their points have come from three-point range, the third-best mark in the MAC behind Miami's 36.7% and Akron's 36.0%.
• The Bulls moved to No. 9 in the most recent College Insider Mid-Major Top-25 poll.
• Ryan Sabol is the only Bull to score 10+ points in every conference game this season. He's averaging 18.0 ppg, good for eighth in the MAC.
• UB has recorded 20 20-point performances this season. Last year they finished with just 16 such games.
• Daniel Freitag leads the MAC in free throw makes and attempts with 122 and 149, respectfully. He's top-15 in the country in both categories.
• Daniel Freitag (367) and Ryan Sabol (309) have accounted for 46.3% of Buffalo's 1,461 points on the season. They are the highest scoring duo in the MAC as UMass's Leonardo Bettiol (323) and Marcus Banks (307) make up 41.4% of the Minutemen's points.
For all the latest on UB men's basketball, follow @UBuffaloMBB on Twitter/X, @ubuffalo_mbb on Instagram and like the UB Men's Basketball Facebook page.
Click here for ticket information.
Click here for information on the Bulls Championship Fund and how you can help UB Athletics.
Players Mentioned
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