IN THE END, UB MEN'S HOOPS GOT IT DONE

The University at Buffalo men's basketball team locked in a ticket to Cleveland, meeting preseason expectations despite a circuitous route.

Image from ubbulls.com

We have not been shy in (politely) criticizing the University at Buffalo men’s basketball team this season. It comes from a place of love!

After a somewhat shocking victory over Colgate in the season opener—the Red Raiders coasted to the Patriot League regular season title with a 17-1 record, and won 25 games this season—the Bulls vacillated between very good and very bad for the rest of the campaign before wrapping up their schedule with three wins in four games to close with a 15-16 overall record and a 9-9 showing in Mid-American Conference play, including season-ending wins this past week at Northern Illinois and home against Miami (Ohio).

UB won its 15 games by an average of 12 point per game; they lost those 16 by an average 16.4 points.

In other words, it was very easy to overreact to every win and every loss, since they were either kicking someone’s ass, or getting their asses kicked, in roughly equal measure. In the end, Buffalo finished sixth in the MAC, earning a spot in the eight-team postseason tournament and meeting expectations set by the preseason coaches poll.

One Game That Summarizes An Entire Season

Image from ubbulls.com

The final game of the campaign—a 68-63 victory over Miami (12-19 overall, 6-12 in MAC play, eighth in the conference)—was essentially 2022-23 in miniature.

Falling behind by nine in the first half, thanks to 34 percent shooting and seven turnovers. Outscoring the RedHawks by 14 in the second by playing clean ball, locking the visitors up defensively, and shooting 50 percent from three.

That’s UB men’s basketball in the Year of Our Lord 2023.

From UBBulls.com:

Buffalo struggled to get the offense going in the first half as they were 11-for-32 (34.4%) from the floor. The RedHawks bullied their way to the basket as they shot over 55%. Miami controlled the pace of play as the Bulls could not finish at the basket. Devin Ceaser made a clutch second chance three-pointer to cut into Miami's lead with just over five minutes to go in the half. After the made basket, the RedHawks went on their largest run of the night. The 9-0 run extended the RedHawks' lead to 34-19 with 2:31 left to play in the half. Buffalo chipped away as they cut the lead down to nine at the half. Jonnivius Smith made an and-one layup in the last minute of action. Miami went into the half leading 38-29.
 
It was all Buffalo to start the second half. Buffalo went on a 6-0 run in the opening 90-seconds, forcing Miami to call a timeout. Powell caused the timeout after a steal and monster slam at the other end. The RedHawks' lead was down to three at 38-35. The 6-0 run led to the largest run of the game at 15-0. The Bulls regained a 42-38 lead with just under 15:30 left in regulation. Buffalo's lead would get as big as six a few different times, but Miami was always within striking distance. With 70-seconds left, the RedHawks took a 63-62 lead. Down the stretch the Bulls made six straight free throws to close out the game and secure the 68-63 win. Buffalo held Miami scoreless in the final 70-seconds.

Swingman Isaiah Adams (pictured above) scored a team-high 16 points, marking the third game in a row he’s scored at least 15 points. Adams has come along nicely in the second half of the season, becoming the Bulls’ premier defender and a more discriminating player on offense. He’s averaged 13.5 points per game on 44 percent shooting in his last 13 games, and has been one of the steadier hands as guard Curtis Jones has tried to straighten out his own game.

Jones is another avatar for this Bulls team—since league play began on Jan. 3, he’s had seven games where he’s shot over 45 percent from the floor, and seven games where he’s shot 35 percent or worse. Unsurprisingly, when Curtis is on the plus side, UB is 5-2; when he’s ice cold, Buffalo is 1-6. So goes Jones, so go the Bulls.

Jones doesn’t turn the ball over much;¹ he shoots 36 percent from three, but it’s buffeted between huge performances (67 percent, four-of-seven against NIU on Feb. 28, 46 percent, or five-of-11, against WMU—both wins), and shocking collapses (zero-for-seven showings against Toledo and Kent State—both losses).

Jones missed the Miami season-closer with a stomach illness, but will be have to get hot early and often for UB to survive in Cleveland.

Image from ubbulls.com

Forward LaQuill Hardnett scored 13 points and grabbed five boards in the win, a pretty standard hardhat showing for Q. Guard Zid Powell had 12 points and eight rebounds, but shot 20 percent on the game—another classic Buffalo hot-or-cold guy. Freshman center Isaac Jack had 11 rebounds.

Head coach Jim Whitesell used a 10-man rotation in this game, working in Ceasar, swingman Kanye Jones, and center Zaakir Williamson for two-minute stretches, along with regular reserves Kidtrell Blocker (16 minutes, eight points) and center Jonnivius Smith (14 minutes, six points).

Up Next: Akron, In Cleveland

Image from ubbulls.com

The Bulls will face three-seed Akron (21-10, 13-5) on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. from RocketMortgage Fieldhouse in Cleveland (see full schedule here). The game can be streamed onESPN+.

UB last beat the Zips on March 12, 2021 in the semifinal round of the conference tournament . Since that 81-74 victory, Buffalo has lost four in a row to Akron by an average of 13 points.

Does this mean the Bulls are destined to fail? Yes—unless they can find solutions for high-scoring Zips guard Xavier Castaneda (21.4 points per game, 11th in Division 1) and double-double machine Enrique Freeman (16.5 points and 11 boards per game—he’s fifth nationally in rebounds), both of whom have eaten UB alive this season.

If Whitesell can find a way for his team to slow those two down, and Buffalo—Curtis Jones, in particular—gets hot from three and manages not to turn the ball over (the Bulls are 260th in D1 in turnover percentage, coughing the ball up on nearly one of every five possessions), who’s to say?

There’s a school of thought that says UB is exactly the kind of team that can shake up a short tournament—already pretty good, if they get hot, look out.

That said, they’re not great at threes (279th in the country), defense (331st in scoring defense!), or holding onto the ball (311th in turnovers per game). Not really the recipe for an extended run.

(Giant shoulder shrug)

We’ll see, man. We’ll see. Horns up.

1. Jones’ turnover rate is 29th-lowest in Division 1, according to KenPom.com.