2004–05 Buffalo Bulls men's basketball team
The 2004–05 Buffalo Bulls men's basketball team represented the University at Buffalo during the 2004–05 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Bulls, led by sixth-year head coach Reggie Witherspoon, played their home games at Alumni Arena in Amherst, New York as members of the Mid-American Conference (MAC). They finished the season 23–10, 11–7 in MAC play to finish in fifth place in the MAC East. It was the first 20-win season in the school's NCAA Division I history.[1]
2004–05 Buffalo Bulls men's basketball | |
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NIT, First Round | |
Conference | Mid-American Conference |
East | |
Record | 23–10 (11–7 MAC) |
Head coach |
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Assistant coaches |
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Home arena | Alumni Arena |
Conf | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Team | W | L | PCT | W | L | PCT | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
East | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Miami (OH) | 12 | – | 6 | .667 | 19 | – | 11 | .633 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Buffalo | 11 | – | 7 | .611 | 23 | – | 10 | .697 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Ohio † | 11 | – | 7 | .611 | 21 | – | 11 | .656 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Akron | 11 | – | 7 | .611 | 19 | – | 10 | .655 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Kent State | 11 | – | 7 | .611 | 20 | – | 13 | .606 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Marshall | 3 | – | 15 | .167 | 6 | – | 22 | .214 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
West | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Western Michigan | 11 | – | 7 | .611 | 20 | – | 13 | .606 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Toledo | 11 | – | 7 | .611 | 16 | – | 13 | .552 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Bowling Green | 10 | – | 8 | .556 | 18 | – | 11 | .621 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Ball State | 10 | – | 8 | .556 | 15 | – | 13 | .536 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Northern Illinois | 7 | – | 11 | .389 | 11 | – | 17 | .393 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Eastern Michigan | 5 | – | 13 | .278 | 12 | – | 18 | .400 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Central Michigan | 4 | – | 14 | .222 | 10 | – | 18 | .357 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
† 2005 MAC tournament winner Rankings from AP Poll |
They reached the finals of the MAC men's basketball tournament for the first time in school history and at one point held a 19-point lead but ultimately lost to Ohio after a last-second tip-in in overtime.[2][3] They were also invited to the National Invitation Tournament for the first time in program history and won their opening-round game against Drexel.
Writing for the Associated Press, Tom Withers described it as "Buffalo's dream season."[4]
Following the season, Buffalo guard Turner Battle became the first Bull in program history to be named an Academic All-American, an Honorable Mention All-American, the MAC Men's Basketball Player of the Year and to the All-MAC First Team. Battle and Yassin Idbihi became the first Bulls in program history to be named to the MAC All-Tournament Team. Mark Bortz became the first Bull in program history to be named the MAC Sixth Man of the Year.[5]
Previous season
The Bulls finished the 2003–04 season with an overall record of 17–12 and a record of 11–7 in conference play. It was their first winning season since having joined the MAC for the 1998–99 season.[1] In spite of that, they lost in the second round of the 2004 MAC tournament.[6] Eleven of the thirteen players from the 2003–04 season, including the eleven who appeared in the most games for the 2003–04 team, returned for the 2004–05 season.[7][8]
Departures
Name | Number | Pos. | Height | Weight | Year | Hometown | Notes |
B. J. Walker | 0 | F | 6'9" | 245 | Sophomore | Cincinnati, OH | Transferred to Garden City Community College[9] |
Marcus Henderson | 4 | G | 5'8" | 165 | Freshman | Niagara Falls, NY | Declared academically ineligible[10] |
Roster
2004–05 Buffalo Bulls men's basketball team | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Players | Coaches | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Schedule
Date time, TV |
Rank# | Opponent# | Result | Record | Site city, state | ||||||
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Regular season | |||||||||||
November 20, 2004* |
at No. 8 Connecticut | L 68–90 | 0–1 |
Harry A. Gampel Pavilion Storrs, CT | |||||||
November 23, 2004* |
Fairleigh Dickinson | W 87–84 OT | 1–1 |
Alumni Arena Amherst, NY | |||||||
November 27, 2004* |
Indiana State | W 92–64 | 2–1 |
Alumni Arena Amherst, NY | |||||||
December 1, 2004* |
Colgate | W 74–62 | 3–1 |
Alumni Arena Amherst, NY | |||||||
December 4, 2004 |
Western Michigan | L 53–70 | 3–2 (0–1) |
Alumni Arena Amherst, NY | |||||||
December 7, 2004* |
at Elon | W 70–63 OT | 4–2 (0–1) |
Alumni Gym Elon, NC | |||||||
December 11, 2004* |
Niagara | W 95–92 2OT | 5–2 (0–1) |
Alumni Arena Amherst, NY | |||||||
December 18, 2004* |
at Canisius | W 69–65 | 6–2 (0–1) |
Koessler Athletic Center Buffalo, NY | |||||||
December 21, 2004* |
at Penn State | W 72–70 | 7–2 (0–1) |
Bryce Jordan Center University Park, PA | |||||||
January 2, 2005 |
at Bowling Green | L 88–95 | 7–3 (0–2) |
Anderson Arena Bowling Green, OH | |||||||
January 6, 2005 |
at Central Michigan | W 83–67 | 8–3 (1–2) |
Rose Arena Mount Pleasant, MI | |||||||
January 9, 2005 |
Toledo | W 56–54 | 9–3 (2–2) |
Alumni Arena Amherst, NY | |||||||
January 12, 2005 |
at Akron | L 59–75 | 9–4 (2–3) |
James A. Rhodes Arena Akron, OH | |||||||
January 15, 2005 |
Miami | W 67–56 | 10–4 (3–3) |
Alumni Arena Amherst, NY | |||||||
January 19, 2005 |
at Kent State | L 80–85 OT | 10–5 (3–4) |
MAC Center Kent, OH | |||||||
January 25, 2005 |
Northern Illinois | W 86–80 | 11–5 (4–4) |
Alumni Arena Amherst, NY | |||||||
January 27, 2005 |
Marshall | W 78–65 | 12–5 (5–4) |
Alumni Arena Amherst, NY | |||||||
January 29, 2005 |
at Eastern Michigan | W 80–68 | 13–5 (6–4) |
Convocation Center Ypsilanti, MI | |||||||
February 2, 2005 |
Ohio | L 90–92 | 13–6 (6–5) |
Alumni Arena Amherst, NY | |||||||
February 5, 2005 |
at Miami | L 74–77 OT | 13–7 (6–6) |
Millett Hall Oxford, OH | |||||||
February 8, 2005 |
at Western Michigan | W 85–79 | 14–7 (7–6) |
University Arena Kalamazoo, MI | |||||||
February 12, 2005 |
Ball State | W 67–58 | 15–7 (8–6) |
Alumni Arena Amherst, NY | |||||||
February 15, 2005 |
Kent State | W 77–66 | 16–7 (9–6) |
Alumni Arena Amherst, NY | |||||||
February 19, 2005* |
at Fresno State ESPN BracketBusters |
W 52–49 | 17–7 (9–6) |
Save Mart Center Fresno, CA | |||||||
February 23, 2005 |
at Marshall | W 68–55 | 18–7 (10–6) |
Cam Henderson Center Huntington, WV | |||||||
March 2, 2005 |
at Ohio | L 77–90 | 18–8 (10–7) |
Convocation Center Athens, OH | |||||||
March 5, 2005 |
Akron | W 72–56 | 19–8 (11–7) |
Alumni Arena Amherst, NY | |||||||
2005 MAC Men's Basketball Tournament | |||||||||||
March 7, 2005 |
Northern Illinois First Round |
W 73–66 | 20–8 |
Alumni Arena Amherst, NY | |||||||
March 10, 2005 |
vs. Toledo Quarterfinal |
W 85–72 | 21–8 |
Gund Arena Cleveland, OH | |||||||
March 11, 2005 |
vs. Western Michigan Semifinal |
W 75–68 | 22–8 |
Gund Arena Cleveland, OH | |||||||
March 12, 2005 |
vs. Ohio MAC Championship |
L 79–80 OT | 22–9 |
Gund Arena Cleveland, OH | |||||||
2005 National Invitation Tournament | |||||||||||
March 16, 2005 |
Drexel Opening Round |
W 81–76 OT | 23–9 |
Alumni Arena Amherst, NY | |||||||
March 19, 2005 |
at Saint Joseph's First Round |
L 50–55 | 23–10 |
Hagan Arena Philadelphia, PA | |||||||
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses. |
References
- "Buffalo Bulls Index". College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference. Retrieved March 19, 2022.
- Johnson, James (August 21, 2005). "Betts says UB is his choice". Democrat and Chronicle. p. 55. Retrieved March 21, 2022.
- McKissic, Rodney (March 2005). "OHIO STUNS UB IN OVERTIME LAST-SECOND TIP-IN LEAVES BULLS ON NCAA BUBBLE". Buffalo News. Retrieved March 20, 2022.
- Withers, Tom (November 18, 2005). "Ohio opens as class of MAC". Livingston County Daily Press & Argus. Associated Press. p. 23. Retrieved March 20, 2022.
- "2014 Mid-American Conference Record Book" (PDF). getsomemaction.com. Mid-American Conference. Retrieved March 20, 2022.
- "2003-04 Buffalo Bulls Schedule and Results". College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference. Retrieved March 20, 2022.
- "2003-04 Buffalo Bulls Roster and Stats". College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference. Retrieved March 20, 2022.
- "2004-05 Buffalo Bulls Roster and Stats". College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference. Retrieved March 20, 2022.
- "B.J. Walker - 2005-06 - Men's Basketball". University of Nebraska. Retrieved March 20, 2022.
- "Buffalo swingman Walcott dismissed from team". ESPN.com. ESPN. Associated Press. January 13, 2004. Retrieved March 20, 2022.