Tuesday, February 17
Buffalo, N.Y.
6:30 p.m.
University at Buffalo
vs
Northern Illinois
Photo by: Paul Hokanson/UB Athletics
Bulls Welcome Northern Illinois to Alumni Arena One Final Time
2/16/2026 3:15:00 PM | Men's Basketball
BUFFALO, N.Y. – The University at Buffalo men's basketball program (15-10, 5-7 MAC) will host the Northern Illinois Huskies (8-16, 3-7 MAC) for the final time in conference play. Tip-off is set for 6:30 p.m. The action can be seen on ESPN+ with Paul Peck and Tony Watson 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.
The Bulls beat the Huskies in the first meeting of the season on Dec. 31st, 81-67.
LAST TIME OUT
The Bulls are coming off a 63-53 road win against the Ball State Cardinals last Wednesday evening. In the win, Tim Oboh led the Bulls in scoring with 20 points as he was 8-of-10 from the field. This marked the sophomore's second career 20-point game as he also finished with eight rebounds a career-high four blocks. The last Bull that finished with four blocks in a game was Jonnivius Smith against Toledo on March 2, 2024. Angelo Brizzi added 17 points for the Bulls.
In last Wednesday's road win at Ball State, this marked the third time this season the Bulls held an opponent to 53 points. They also did so against DePaul (Nov. 11) and Canisius (Nov. 29), all of which coming on the road.
ABOUT THE HUSKIES
• Northern Illinois Head Coach Rashon Burno has spent his entire head coaching career with the Huskies. He is in his fifth season with Northern Illinois and holds a 47-101 (.318) overall record.
• The Huskies were selected 13th in the 13-team league in the Mid-American Conference Preseason Poll. Last season, Northern Illinois went 6-25 overall and 2-16 in conference play.
• The Huskies are led by Makhai Valentine who is averaging 14.0 ppg. Taj Walters leads Northern Illinois with 5.4 rpg with 8.2 ppg.
THE BULL-ETIN BOARD
• Sitting with 86 made three-pointers this season, Ryan Sabol needs three threes to tie Mike Martinho (1996-97), Calvin Cage (2005-06) and CJ Massinburg (2017-18) for the sixth-most made threes in a single season with 89. With 90 made threes, he'd be the fifth different Bull to do so; Mike Martinho (1995-96, 94), Zach Filzen (2010-11, 110 & 2011-12, 97), Jeremy Harris (2017-18, 92) and CJ Massinburg (2018-19, 93).
• Ryan Sabol is tied for eighth in program history with 220 three-point attempts this season. His 226 attempts from last season is tied for sixth in program history in a single season.
• Ryan Sabol is the first Bull to record back-to-back 400-point seasons since Jeenathan Williams did so from 2020-22.
• Angelo Brizzi is three steals away from recording Buffalo's first 50-steal season since 2022-23 when Zid Powell finished with 53.
• The Bulls have been one of the best three-point shooting teams this season. On the season, Buffalo has 18 games with a three-point percentage of at least .370, the second-most in Division I hoops. Belmont leads the way with 19 as the Bulls are tied with Incarnate Word and Sacred Heart. The last time Buffalo had 18 such games was in 2017-18. With one more game, they'd match their 2010-11 total of 19 games shooting 37.0% or better from three.
• 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.
• Daniel Freitag is 39 points away from tying Mike Martinho (1995-96) for third-most points in a sophomore season with 479.
• UB has made 242 three-pointers so far this season. 36.9% of their points have come from three-point range, the top mark in the MAC ahead of Akron's 36.3%.
• UB has recorded 29 20-point performances this season. Last year they finished with just 16 such games.
• The Bulls have recorded three games allowing opponents to score just 53 points. They did so at DePaul (Nov. 11), at Canisius (Nov. 29) and at Ball State (Feb. 11). This marked the seventh season in their Division I era holding a team to 55 points or less three times. They've also done so in 2016-17 (3), 2013-14 (5), 2010-11 (8), 2009-10 (5), 2008-09 (9) and 2005-06 (3).
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.
The Bulls beat the Huskies in the first meeting of the season on Dec. 31st, 81-67.
LAST TIME OUT
The Bulls are coming off a 63-53 road win against the Ball State Cardinals last Wednesday evening. In the win, Tim Oboh led the Bulls in scoring with 20 points as he was 8-of-10 from the field. This marked the sophomore's second career 20-point game as he also finished with eight rebounds a career-high four blocks. The last Bull that finished with four blocks in a game was Jonnivius Smith against Toledo on March 2, 2024. Angelo Brizzi added 17 points for the Bulls.
In last Wednesday's road win at Ball State, this marked the third time this season the Bulls held an opponent to 53 points. They also did so against DePaul (Nov. 11) and Canisius (Nov. 29), all of which coming on the road.
ABOUT THE HUSKIES
• Northern Illinois Head Coach Rashon Burno has spent his entire head coaching career with the Huskies. He is in his fifth season with Northern Illinois and holds a 47-101 (.318) overall record.
• The Huskies were selected 13th in the 13-team league in the Mid-American Conference Preseason Poll. Last season, Northern Illinois went 6-25 overall and 2-16 in conference play.
• The Huskies are led by Makhai Valentine who is averaging 14.0 ppg. Taj Walters leads Northern Illinois with 5.4 rpg with 8.2 ppg.
THE BULL-ETIN BOARD
• Sitting with 86 made three-pointers this season, Ryan Sabol needs three threes to tie Mike Martinho (1996-97), Calvin Cage (2005-06) and CJ Massinburg (2017-18) for the sixth-most made threes in a single season with 89. With 90 made threes, he'd be the fifth different Bull to do so; Mike Martinho (1995-96, 94), Zach Filzen (2010-11, 110 & 2011-12, 97), Jeremy Harris (2017-18, 92) and CJ Massinburg (2018-19, 93).
• Ryan Sabol is tied for eighth in program history with 220 three-point attempts this season. His 226 attempts from last season is tied for sixth in program history in a single season.
• Ryan Sabol is the first Bull to record back-to-back 400-point seasons since Jeenathan Williams did so from 2020-22.
• Angelo Brizzi is three steals away from recording Buffalo's first 50-steal season since 2022-23 when Zid Powell finished with 53.
• The Bulls have been one of the best three-point shooting teams this season. On the season, Buffalo has 18 games with a three-point percentage of at least .370, the second-most in Division I hoops. Belmont leads the way with 19 as the Bulls are tied with Incarnate Word and Sacred Heart. The last time Buffalo had 18 such games was in 2017-18. With one more game, they'd match their 2010-11 total of 19 games shooting 37.0% or better from three.
• 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.
• Daniel Freitag is 39 points away from tying Mike Martinho (1995-96) for third-most points in a sophomore season with 479.
• UB has made 242 three-pointers so far this season. 36.9% of their points have come from three-point range, the top mark in the MAC ahead of Akron's 36.3%.
• UB has recorded 29 20-point performances this season. Last year they finished with just 16 such games.
• The Bulls have recorded three games allowing opponents to score just 53 points. They did so at DePaul (Nov. 11), at Canisius (Nov. 29) and at Ball State (Feb. 11). This marked the seventh season in their Division I era holding a team to 55 points or less three times. They've also done so in 2016-17 (3), 2013-14 (5), 2010-11 (8), 2009-10 (5), 2008-09 (9) and 2005-06 (3).
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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