2017–18 Buffalo Bulls men's basketball team
The 2017–18 Buffalo Bulls men's basketball team represented the State University of New York at Buffalo during the 2017–18 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Bulls, led by third-year head coach Nate Oats, played their home games at Alumni Arena in Amherst, New York as members of the East Division of the Mid-American Conference. They finished the season 27–9, 15–3 in MAC play to win the MAC East Division and regular season championships. they defeated Central Michigan, Kent State, and Toledo to win the MAC tournament championship. As a result, they received the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. As the No. 13 seed in the South region, they upset Arizona in the First Round before losing to Kentucky in the Second Round.[1][2]
2017–18 Buffalo Bulls men's basketball | |
---|---|
NCAA tournament, Second Round | |
Conference | Mid-American Conference |
East Division | |
Record | 27–9 (15–3 MAC) |
Head coach |
|
Assistant coaches |
|
Home arena | Alumni Arena |
Conf | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Team | W | L | PCT | W | L | PCT | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
East | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Buffalo † | 15 | – | 3 | .833 | 27 | – | 9 | .750 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Kent State | 9 | – | 9 | .500 | 17 | – | 17 | .500 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Miami (OH) | 8 | – | 10 | .444 | 16 | – | 18 | .471 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Bowling Green | 7 | – | 11 | .389 | 16 | – | 16 | .500 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Ohio | 7 | – | 11 | .389 | 14 | – | 17 | .452 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Akron | 6 | – | 12 | .333 | 14 | – | 18 | .438 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
West | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Toledo | 13 | – | 5 | .722 | 23 | – | 11 | .676 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Eastern Michigan | 11 | – | 7 | .611 | 22 | – | 13 | .629 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Ball State | 10 | – | 8 | .556 | 19 | – | 13 | .594 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Western Michigan | 9 | – | 9 | .500 | 17 | – | 15 | .531 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Central Michigan | 7 | – | 11 | .389 | 21 | – | 15 | .583 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Northern Illinois | 6 | – | 12 | .333 | 13 | – | 19 | .406 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
† 2018 MAC tournament winner |
Previous season
The Bulls finished the 2016–17 season 17–14, 11–7 in MAC play to finish in a tie for second place in the East Division. As the No. 3 seed in the MAC tournament, they lost in the quarterfinals to Kent State.[3]
Offseason
2017 recruiting class
Name | Hometown | High school / college | Height | Weight | Commit date | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
James Reese SG |
Columbia, SC | A. C. Flora High School | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | 185 lb (84 kg) | Oct 1, 2016 | |
Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A Rivals: N/A 247Sports: N/A ESPN grade: NR | ||||||
Overall recruiting rankings: | ||||||
Sources:
|
Roster
2017–18 Buffalo Bulls men's basketball team | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Players | Coaches | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
Schedule and results
The Bulls participated in the Cayman Islands Classic held in the Cayman Islands and faced Cincinnati in their first game.[4][5] The three-game tournament took place between November 20 and 22.[6]
Date time, TV |
Rank# | Opponent# | Result | Record | High points | High rebounds | High assists | Site (attendance) city, state | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Exhibition | |||||||||||
Oct 28, 2017* 1:00 pm |
at Rhode Island Charity Exhibition for Disaster Relief |
L 72–80 OT | – |
21 – Harris | 11 – McRae | 3 – Tied | Ryan Center (1,363) Kingston, RI | ||||
Nov 3, 2017* 8:00 pm, ESPN3 |
Daemen | W 77–55 | – |
20 – Perkins | 11 – Harris | 6 – Caruthers | Alumni Arena Amherst, NY | ||||
Non-conference regular season | |||||||||||
Nov 11, 2017* 1:00 pm, ESPN3 |
Canisius | W 80–75 | 1–0 |
26 – Perkins | 8 – Jordan | 3 – Caruthers | Alumni Arena (3,279) Amherst, NY | ||||
Nov 15, 2017* 7:00 pm, ESPN3 |
Jacksonville State | W 81–76 | 2–0 |
25 – Massinburg | 7 – Massinburg | 5 – Massinburg | Alumni Arena (2,319) Amherst, NY | ||||
Nov 20, 2017* 7:30 pm, FloHoops.com |
vs. No. 12 Cincinnati Cayman Islands Classic first round |
L 67–73 | 2–1 |
29 – Massinburg | 10 – Massinburg | 4 – Jordan | John Gray Gymnasium (1,200) Cayman Islands | ||||
Nov 21, 2017* 5:00 pm, FloHoops.com |
vs. UAB Cayman Islands Classic consolation round |
W 96–91 OT | 3–1 |
23 – Caruthers | 7 – Caruthers | 6 – Jordan | John Gray Gymnasium (404) Cayman Islands | ||||
Nov 22, 2017* 2:30 pm, FloHoops.com |
vs. South Dakota State Cayman Islands Classic 5th place game |
L 80–94 | 3–2 |
17 – Perkins | 4 – Tied | 5 – Tied | John Gray Gymnasium (450) Cayman Islands | ||||
Nov 29, 2017* 7:00 pm |
at Niagara | W 106–87 | 4–2 |
25 – Massinburg | 8 – Massinburg | 7 – Jordan | Gallagher Center (1,664) Lewiston, NY | ||||
Dec 2, 2017* 2:00 pm |
St. Bonaventure | L 62–73 | 4–3 |
21 – Tied | 8 – Tied | 4 – Jordan | Alumni Arena (6,212) Amherst, NY | ||||
Dec 6, 2017* 7:00 pm, CBSSN |
at Delaware | W 75–72 | 5–3 |
30 – Massinburg | 14 – Massinburg | 4 – Jordan | Bob Carpenter Center (2,326) Newark, DE | ||||
Dec 9, 2017* 2:00 pm, ESPN3 |
Central Penn | W 88–54 | 6–3 |
18 – Reese | 11 – Massinburg | 6 – Tied | Alumni Arena (2,225) Amherst, NY | ||||
Dec 16, 2017* 2:00 pm |
Robert Morris | W 86–70 | 7–3 |
23 – Massinburg | 10 – Massinburg | 7 – Jordan | Alumni Arena (2,158) Amherst, NY | ||||
Dec 19, 2017* 7:00 pm, ACCN Extra |
at Syracuse | L 74–81 | 7–4 |
18 – Perkins | 8 – Massinburg | 6 – Clark | Carrier Dome (17,335) Syracuse, NY | ||||
Dec 21, 2017* 9:00 pm, SECN |
at No. 8 Texas A&M | L 73–89 | 7–5 |
20 – Massinburg | 8 – Massinburg | 8 – Clark | Reed Arena (6,554) College Station, TX | ||||
Dec 28, 2017* 7:00 pm |
NJIT | W 86–81 OT | 8–5 |
27 – Clark | 10 – Massinburg | 6 – Clark | Alumni Arena Amherst, NY | ||||
MAC regular season | |||||||||||
Jan 2, 2018 7:00 pm, CBSSN |
Toledo | W 104–94 | 9–5 (1–0) |
27 – Massinburg | 10 – Perkins | 5 – Tied | Alumni Arena (1,100) Amherst, NY | ||||
Jan 6, 2018 2:00 pm, ESPN3 |
at Ball State | W 83–63 | 10–5 (2–0) |
16 – Tied | 11 – Perkins | 5 – Massinburg | Worthen Arena (3,622) Muncie, IN | ||||
Jan 9, 2018 7:00 pm, ESPN3 |
at Akron | W 87–65 | 11–5 (3–0) |
17 – Tied | 12 – Massinburg | 5 – Clark | James A. Rhodes Arena (2,924) Akron, OH | ||||
Jan 13, 2018 2:00 pm |
Miami (OH) | W 82-66 | 12–5 (4–0) |
23 – Harris | 11 – Massinburg | 7 – Clark | Alumni Arena (3,139) Amherst, NY | ||||
Jan 16, 2018 7:00 pm |
Northern Illinois | W 95–67 | 13–5 (5–0) |
26 – Perkins | 7 – Smart | 8 – Jordan | Alumni Arena (2,098) Amherst, NY | ||||
Jan 19, 2018 7:00 pm, ESPNU |
at Western Michigan | W 84–74 | 14–5 (6–0) |
20 – Tied | 8 – Massinburg | 9 – Clark | University Arena (2,548) Kalamazoo, MI | ||||
Jan 23, 2018 7:00 pm, ESPN3 |
Eastern Michigan | W 83–69 | 15–5 (7–0) |
22 – Harris | 14 – Harris | 4 – Tied | Alumni Arena Amherst, NY | ||||
Jan 26, 2018 6:30 pm, CBSSN |
at Ohio | W 73–66 | 16–5 (8–0) |
20 – Perkins | 14 – Smart | 3 – Tied | Convocation Center (6,470) Athens, OH | ||||
Jan 30, 2018 7:00 pm, ESPN3 |
at Kent State | L 79–82 | 16–6 (8–1) |
20 – Harris | 4 – Harris | 5 – Jordan | Memorial Athletic and Convocation Center (2,877) Kent, OH | ||||
Feb 2, 2018 7:00 pm, CBSSN |
Western Michigan | W 92–86 | 17–6 (9–1) |
26 – Massinburg | 6 – Tied | 9 – Clark | Alumni Arena (6,670) Amherst, NY | ||||
Feb 6, 2018 7:00 pm, ESPN3 |
at Central Michigan | W 88–82 | 18–6 (10–1) |
22 – Harris | 7 – Tied | 6 – Clark | McGuirk Arena (1,979) Mount Pleasant, MI | ||||
Feb 10, 2018 4:30 pm, ESPN3 |
at Northern Illinois | L 88–90 OT | 18–7 (10–2) |
22 – Perkins | 9 – Perkins | 5 – Jordan | Convocation Center (1,565) DeKalb, IL | ||||
Feb 13, 2018 7:00 pm, ESPN3 |
Kent State | W 84–72 | 19–7 (11–2) |
24 – Harris | 10 – Perkins | 7 – Massinburg | Alumni Arena (3,707) Amherst, NY | ||||
Feb 16, 2018 7:00 pm, ESPNU |
Bowling Green | W 95–82 | 20–7 (12–2) |
24 – Massinburg | 12 – Massinburg | 8 – Jordan | Alumni Arena (5,707) Amherst, NY | ||||
Feb 20, 2018 7:00 pm, ESPN3 |
at Miami (OH) | L 81–84 | 20–8 (12–3) |
23 – Harris | 8 – Harris | 3 – Tied | Millett Hall (1,870) Oxford, OH | ||||
Feb 24, 2018 3:30 pm, ESPN3 |
Ohio | W 108–82 | 21–8 (13–3) |
21 – Perkins | 10 – Harris | 11 – Clark | Alumni Arena (6,198) Amherst, NY | ||||
Feb 27, 2018 7:00 pm, ESPN3 |
Akron | W 80–68 | 22–8 (14–3) |
26 – Massinburg | 10 – Massinburg | 5 – Clark | Alumni Arena (3,659) Amherst, NY | ||||
Mar 2, 2018 6:00 pm, ESPNU |
at Bowling Green | W 100–70 | 23–8 (15–3) |
19 – Tied | 9 – Perkins | 6 – Jordan | Stroh Center Bowling Green, OH | ||||
MAC Tournament | |||||||||||
Mar 8, 2018 12:00 pm, ESPN3 |
(1) | vs. (8) Central Michigan Quarterfinals |
W 89–74 | 24–8 |
27 – Harris | 10 – Harris | 8 – Caruthers | Quicken Loans Arena (2,023) Cleveland, OH | |||
March 9, 2018 6:30 pm, CBSSN |
(1) | vs. (5) Kent State Semifinals |
W 78–61 | 25–8 |
22 – Harris | 7 – Tied | 4 – Clark | Quicken Loans Arena (4,625) Cleveland, OH | |||
March 10, 2018 7:00 pm, ESPN2 |
(1) | vs. (2) Toledo Championship |
W 76–66 | 26–8 |
26 – Clark | 8 – Harris | 4 – Jordan | Quicken Loans Arena (5,633) Cleveland, OH | |||
NCAA tournament | |||||||||||
March 15, 2018* 9:40 pm, CBS |
(13 S) | vs. (4 S) No. 12 Arizona First Round |
W 89–68 | 27–8 |
25 – Clark | 6 – Massinburg | 7 – Clark | Taco Bell Arena (11,673) Boise, ID | |||
March 17, 2018* 5:15 pm, CBS |
(13 S) | vs. (5 S) No. 18 Kentucky Second Round |
L 75–95 | 27–9 |
26 – Clark | 8 – Massinburg | 6 – Clark | Taco Bell Arena (11,686) Boise, ID | |||
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses. S=South. All times are in Eastern Time. |
Rankings
Week | ||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Poll | Pre | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | Final |
AP | RV | RV | Not released | |||||||||||||||||
Coaches | RV |
*AP does not release post-NCAA tournament rankings
References
- "No Bull: Buffalo pulls off big upset, knocks off Arizona". ESPN.com. Retrieved May 22, 2022.
- "Not happening here: Kentucky stops Buffalo cold, 95-75". ESPN.com. Retrieved May 22, 2022.
- "MAC Tournament 2017: Kent State outlasts Buffalo in 68–65 foul fest". Hustle Belt. Retrieved April 27, 2017.
- "Bulls to Face Cincinnati in Opening Round of Cayman Islands Classic". ubbulls.com. Retrieved June 17, 2017.
- "UC to face Buffalo in its Cayman Island Classic opener". Cincinnati.com. Retrieved August 16, 2017.
- "C.I. Basketball Classic bracket revealed – Cayman Sports Buzz". www.caymansportsbuzz.com. Retrieved August 16, 2017.