Editor’s Note: This is part of a series checking on MAC teams before they enter Conference play. All rankings are MAC, unless otherwise noted)
COACH: Nate Oats (1st season)
2014 RECORD: 23-10 overall (12-6 MAC, 1st place MAC East)
MAC TOURNEY:
Captured tournament championship with 89-84 win over Central Michigan.
OTHER POST-SEASON:
Lost to West Virginia, 68-62 in NCAA tournament.
LEFT THE BUILDING
► The Bulls lost three starters and five letter winners from last year. Among them was MAC Player of the Year Justin Moss. The 6-7, 240-pound forward averaged 17.5 points and 9.2 rebounds per game.
Guard Shannon Evans (15.4 ppg) and forward Xavier Ford (9.7 ppg, 6.2 rpg) are also among the departed. Evans was a Second Team All-MAC selection.
BACK FOR MORE:
► Senior guard Jarryn Skeet returns after averaging 9.1 ppg last season. The only four-year player on the Bulls, he was one of the MAC's top 3-point shooters last year, when he connected on 61 of 158 (38.6%) long distance attempts.
Sophomore guard Lamonte Beardon is also back after averaging 8.3 ppg, 2.8 rpg., and 4.4 apg in 2014-15. He reached double figures in four of the Bulls last five games before NCAA tournament play and registered 14 points in the MAC Championship win over CMU. Beardon earned All-MAC Freshman Team honors last year.
2015-16 RECORD: 7-6
► It’s been an up-and-down non-conference season, with . . .
COACH: Nate Oats (1st season)
2014 RECORD: 23-10 overall (12-6 MAC, 1st place MAC East)
MAC TOURNEY:
Captured tournament championship with 89-84 win over Central Michigan.
OTHER POST-SEASON:
Lost to West Virginia, 68-62 in NCAA tournament.
LEFT THE BUILDING
► The Bulls lost three starters and five letter winners from last year. Among them was MAC Player of the Year Justin Moss. The 6-7, 240-pound forward averaged 17.5 points and 9.2 rebounds per game.
Guard Shannon Evans (15.4 ppg) and forward Xavier Ford (9.7 ppg, 6.2 rpg) are also among the departed. Evans was a Second Team All-MAC selection.
BACK FOR MORE:
► Senior guard Jarryn Skeet returns after averaging 9.1 ppg last season. The only four-year player on the Bulls, he was one of the MAC's top 3-point shooters last year, when he connected on 61 of 158 (38.6%) long distance attempts.
Sophomore guard Lamonte Beardon is also back after averaging 8.3 ppg, 2.8 rpg., and 4.4 apg in 2014-15. He reached double figures in four of the Bulls last five games before NCAA tournament play and registered 14 points in the MAC Championship win over CMU. Beardon earned All-MAC Freshman Team honors last year.
2015-16 RECORD: 7-6
► It’s been an up-and-down non-conference season, with . . .
. . . UB ending up with a winning record after knocking off Delaware, 99-79, in its final 2015 outing.
Two of the losses came against top-10 teams: No. 7 Duke (82-59) and No. 4 Iowa State (84-63).
Buffalo’s most successful stretch was a November three-game win streak, culminated with a 98-96 overtime win at home over Canisius.
► Buffalo’s 7-6 mark is fifth among MAC East teams.
OTHER:
► The preseason media poll projected Buffalo to finish fourth in the MAC East behind Akron, Kent State and Ohio, respectively.
► Bearden was selected as a preseason MAC East Division All-MAC East member.
► Buffalo is averaging 77.2 ppg (6th) and allowing 75.5 ppg (12th). It is 11th in scoring margin (+1.6) .
► The Bulls are connecting on 41.9 percent (11th) from the field and 31.8 percent (10th) on 3-point attempts. UB has hit 71.3 percent of its free throws, but leads the conference in attempts (327) and is second in makes (233).
► Buffalo is 10th in rebounding margin, second in offensive rebounds (13.5 per game) and ninth in defensive rebounds (25.8 per game.
► Three players average double figures: Bearden (13.0 ppg), freshman guard C.J. Massinburg (10.9 ppg) and swingman Blake Hamilton (10.6 ppg).
Three others are just off double figures. Senior guard Rodell Wiggington is scoring at a 9.8 clip and has a team-high 6.7 rebounds per game average. Junior forward Willie Conner averages 9.7 ppg, while Skeet is at 9.4 ppg and leads the team in 3-point goals.
► Buffalo has recorded 100 steals thus far. Bearden and Conner lead the way with 17 apiece.
► The Bulls open MAC play Tuesday at home against MAC East favorite Akron. They return home Saturday to host Kent State. Both games are at 7 p.m. ET.
Two of the losses came against top-10 teams: No. 7 Duke (82-59) and No. 4 Iowa State (84-63).
Buffalo’s most successful stretch was a November three-game win streak, culminated with a 98-96 overtime win at home over Canisius.
► Buffalo’s 7-6 mark is fifth among MAC East teams.
OTHER:
► The preseason media poll projected Buffalo to finish fourth in the MAC East behind Akron, Kent State and Ohio, respectively.
► Bearden was selected as a preseason MAC East Division All-MAC East member.
► Buffalo is averaging 77.2 ppg (6th) and allowing 75.5 ppg (12th). It is 11th in scoring margin (+1.6) .
► The Bulls are connecting on 41.9 percent (11th) from the field and 31.8 percent (10th) on 3-point attempts. UB has hit 71.3 percent of its free throws, but leads the conference in attempts (327) and is second in makes (233).
► Buffalo is 10th in rebounding margin, second in offensive rebounds (13.5 per game) and ninth in defensive rebounds (25.8 per game.
► Three players average double figures: Bearden (13.0 ppg), freshman guard C.J. Massinburg (10.9 ppg) and swingman Blake Hamilton (10.6 ppg).
Three others are just off double figures. Senior guard Rodell Wiggington is scoring at a 9.8 clip and has a team-high 6.7 rebounds per game average. Junior forward Willie Conner averages 9.7 ppg, while Skeet is at 9.4 ppg and leads the team in 3-point goals.
► Buffalo has recorded 100 steals thus far. Bearden and Conner lead the way with 17 apiece.
► The Bulls open MAC play Tuesday at home against MAC East favorite Akron. They return home Saturday to host Kent State. Both games are at 7 p.m. ET.
RSS Feed