By Price Brothers
OXFORD, Ohio – The University at Buffalo men’s basketball team (5-7, 0-0 MAC) will travel to Oxford, Ohio to start their Mid-American Conference slate against the Miami (OH) RedHawks (8-4, 0-0 MAC) on Saturday afternoon. Tip-off will be at 1 p.m. on ESPN+. Josh Whetzel on the radio call on the Varsity Network or on the radio on Buffalo 1400/Rochester 1280.
LAST TIME OUT
In their last game, the Bulls fell to the Temple Owls, 91-71. In back-to-back games, every Bull that entered the game ended up with a basket. Anquan Boldin Jr. and Tyson Dunn led the team with 11 points apiece. Noah Batchelor had a team-high 6 rebounds and 3 three-pointers. Boldin had a solid defensive performance as he had a block and 3 steals.
ABOUT THE SERIES
Buffalo is 27-29 (.482) against Miami (OH) all-time. In MAC play, the series is even with each team taking 25 games. Last season, the RedHawks pulled off an 86-65 road win on Jan. 9, 2022. Buffalo Head Coach George Halcovage III is 0-1 against the RedHawks as Miami Head Coach Travis Steele is 2-1 against the Bulls.
The Bulls are 223-231 (.491) all-time in MAC games. Since joining the MAC in the 1998-99 season, Buffalo is 11-15 (.423) in MAC openers. When they open on the road, the Bulls are 4-8 (.333).
THE BULL-ETIN BOARD
The Bulls are 5-7 (.417) in games played on Jan. 4th in the program’s history. Buffalo’s last game on this date came against the Northern Illinois Huskies in 2020. The Huskies won, 73-72. Buffalo’s last win was against Eastern Michigan in 2019 on the road, 74-58.
In Monday afternoon’s AP Poll, the Bulls had three opponents receive points with Georgia leading the way with 48. Penn State received 5 points as St. Bonaventure received 2.
The Bulls are the only Mid-American Conference team this season to play three Power Four programs: Notre Dame, Penn State, Georgia. Kent State, Central Michigan and Toledo have played two Power Four programs this year.
Buffalo has made a three in 319 straight games. They have made at least 5 three-pointers in 10 of their 12 games this season.
This season, Sabol has made at least 3 three-pointers in 10 of the 12 games. He had made a three in 17 straight games dating back to last season, but the streak was snapped at Temple when he went 0-for-8 from deep. The last time he failed to make a three was against Akron on Feb. 17, 2024, when he went 0-for-5.
Sabol has made 38 three-pointers on the season that ranks him second in the MAC and 72nd in the country. His 3.17 three-pointers per game is second in the MAC and 38th in the nation. He is shooting 42.2% from deep on the season, good for 58th in college basketball and third in the MAC.
Sabol has scored a team-high 191 points on the season, good for one of the best scorers in the conference. His 15.9 points per game is fifth in the MAC.
Dunn’s 66 total assists is 62nd in the country and second in the MAC. His 5.5 assists per game is 38th in all of college basketball and the second-best mark in the MAC behind Ohio’s Jackson Paveletzke’s 5.9 assists per game.
The Bulls are 5-0 on the season when they score at least 80 points.
In Buffalo’s four-game road stretch, they’ll play in four different states: New York, Georgia, Pennsylvania and Ohio.
The Bulls are top-2 in the MAC as they average 13.75 fastbreak points per game and 27.25 defensive rebounds per game. Those stats 65th and 72nd in the country.
Buffalo has shown their depth this season as they average 27.25 bench point per game. This ranks second in the MAC and 66th in the country.
Buffalo makes an average of 15.4 free throws per game, good for second in the MAC and 71st in the nation.
UP NEXT
The Bulls will be back at Alumni Arena on Tuesday, Jan. 7 as they host the Ohio Bobcats at 7 p.m.
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.
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