BUFFALO, NY – Behind career high performances from junior Willie Conner and senior Jarryn Skeete, the University at Buffalo, The State University of New York men's basketball team ended non-conference play with a 99-79 win over Delaware, Tuesday night at Alumni Arena. The win pulled the Bulls over .500 as they concluded non-conference play with a 7-6 record.
Delaware led UB 16-15 midway through the opening half of play when . . .
Delaware led UB 16-15 midway through the opening half of play when . . .
. . . the Bulls went on a 12-0 run and never looked back. Conner had a pair of three-point plays during the run, while Skeete knocked down one of his five triples to give UB a 27-16 lead. UB extended its lead to as many as 18 in the opening half following a tip-in by sophomore Lamonte Bearden, which put UB up 42-24. The Bulls took a 45-29 lead into the break.
In the second half, both teams played well offensively as the squads combined to score 104 points over the final 20 minutes of play. Delaware pulled within 55-41, but the Bulls answered with a quick 8-2 run following a pair of Conner free throws, which extended the UB lead to 63-43 with 13:40 left.
The Blue Hens climbed back within 14 at 66-52, but a three-pointer from Nick Perkins put UB back up 18. The Bulls took their largest lead of the game with 6:52 left as a pair of free throws from Skeete put them up 82-61.
Delaware pulled back within 13 with 4:37 left, but freshman Nikola Rakicevic responded with a big three pointer as he scored seven of the team's final 14 points.
"We talked a lot about taking care of the ball, moving the ball, and assist-to-turnover ratio after the game against VCU," said head coach Nate Oats. "Tonight we did a lot of those things well and limited our turnovers. I thought we moved the ball the best we have all year and we shot over 50 percent because of it."
Conner led the Bulls with a career-best 23 points as he went 7-of-11 from the floor and 7-of-7 from the free throw line, while also adding a career-best six assists. Skeete hit 20 points for the first time in his four-year career as he went 5-of-10 from deep. It was the first time since the season-opener that UB had two 20-point scorers in the same game.
Rakicevic had a career-best 14 points, while adding five rebounds in 20 minutes. Freshman CJ Massinburg added 13 points and five assists.
In all, seven players scored at least nine points for the Bulls on the evening. Perkins had nine points, a career-best seven rebounds, two assists, two blocks and a steal. Bearden added nine points and five assists, while junior David Kadiri finished with nine points and seven rebounds in 14 minutes off the bench.
For the second straight game, the Bulls shot at least 50% from the floor as UB went 33-of-66 from the field tonight and 22-of-28 from the free throw line. The Bulls out-rebounded Delaware, 39-35, and finished with a season-best 21 assists. The 99 points scored by the Bulls were the most they have scored this season against a Division I opponent and it was the third time they went over 90 points in a game this year.
The Bulls will be off now until next Tuesday, Jan. 5 when they begin Mid-American Conference play at home against Akron. Tipoff is set for 7:00 pm.
(Courtesy of UB Athletics)
In the second half, both teams played well offensively as the squads combined to score 104 points over the final 20 minutes of play. Delaware pulled within 55-41, but the Bulls answered with a quick 8-2 run following a pair of Conner free throws, which extended the UB lead to 63-43 with 13:40 left.
The Blue Hens climbed back within 14 at 66-52, but a three-pointer from Nick Perkins put UB back up 18. The Bulls took their largest lead of the game with 6:52 left as a pair of free throws from Skeete put them up 82-61.
Delaware pulled back within 13 with 4:37 left, but freshman Nikola Rakicevic responded with a big three pointer as he scored seven of the team's final 14 points.
"We talked a lot about taking care of the ball, moving the ball, and assist-to-turnover ratio after the game against VCU," said head coach Nate Oats. "Tonight we did a lot of those things well and limited our turnovers. I thought we moved the ball the best we have all year and we shot over 50 percent because of it."
Conner led the Bulls with a career-best 23 points as he went 7-of-11 from the floor and 7-of-7 from the free throw line, while also adding a career-best six assists. Skeete hit 20 points for the first time in his four-year career as he went 5-of-10 from deep. It was the first time since the season-opener that UB had two 20-point scorers in the same game.
Rakicevic had a career-best 14 points, while adding five rebounds in 20 minutes. Freshman CJ Massinburg added 13 points and five assists.
In all, seven players scored at least nine points for the Bulls on the evening. Perkins had nine points, a career-best seven rebounds, two assists, two blocks and a steal. Bearden added nine points and five assists, while junior David Kadiri finished with nine points and seven rebounds in 14 minutes off the bench.
For the second straight game, the Bulls shot at least 50% from the floor as UB went 33-of-66 from the field tonight and 22-of-28 from the free throw line. The Bulls out-rebounded Delaware, 39-35, and finished with a season-best 21 assists. The 99 points scored by the Bulls were the most they have scored this season against a Division I opponent and it was the third time they went over 90 points in a game this year.
The Bulls will be off now until next Tuesday, Jan. 5 when they begin Mid-American Conference play at home against Akron. Tipoff is set for 7:00 pm.
(Courtesy of UB Athletics)
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