Feature photo courtesy of UBBulls.com

It didn’t look good with about nine minutes left. North Texas had just taken an 11-point lead, it’s largest of the game, and Buffalo looked lost. From that moment on, the Bulls didn’t miss a single shot, overcame the 11-point deficit and walked out of the Super Pit 69-66 winners.

Tuesday’s win wasn’t pretty. The Bulls were outplayed for nearly the entire game. There is a lot to work on. But they came out with a gutsy road win against a quality opponent, which says a whole lot more about the heart and fight of the team than anything else.

The Bulls did not miss a field goal over the final 8:51 as Buffalo hit its final nine shots to overcome an 11-point deficit#UBhornsUP

— Brian Wolff (@BWolffie98) November 16, 2021

After hanging with, and giving the sixth-ranked team in the country Michigan last Wednesday, the Bulls were still 1.5-point underdogs on Monday against the defending Conference USA Champions. 

Senior Josh Mballa finished with 17 points and 10 rebounds, while senior newcomer Maceo Jack scored a game-high 18, which included four made triples. Ronaldo Segu scored 17 and Jeenathan Williams had 14. The Bulls had just 45 points with eight minutes to go until Williams kicked off the hot stretch with a triple. Mballa and Jack followed that with threes of their own on back-to-back possessions. Mballa, Jack, Segu and Williams combined to score the final 24 points for UB.

Initial Reactions

• It’s easy to panic. UB did not have it’s best stuff on Monday. That fact is undeniable. But for a team to not have its best stuff, be on the road, and still find a way to win, should be celebrated rather than critiqued.
• UB does have plenty to work on. College teams spend the first two months of its season trying to figure out a rotation. Whitesell will have his hands full trying to sort one out that works. The Bulls get nearly all of their offense from four players, three of which play on the wing. Outside of Mballa, the Bulls got nothing from their front line. That is an issue.
• After last week I pointed out how UB’s forwards were nonexistent against Michigan. But that’s a tough game to judge off. Monday, they hung Mballa out to dry. The combination of Brock Bertram (8 minutes), David Skogman (18 minutes), LaQuill Hardnett (17 minutes), and Tra’Von Fagan (0+ minutes) combined for three points, nine rebounds, nine fouls, and went 1-5 from the floor. 
• The Bulls dribble-drive offense needs improvement. Too many times, Segu was on an island and was forced to take on a North Texas defender one-on-one with no movement from the other four players. He made some terrific passes down the stretch but UB needs to get easier baskets and off-ball movement will help with that.
• Maceo Jack will be a nice floor spacer for the UB. He reminds me of Willie Conner. 
• UB WILL BE FINE. Do not panic Bulls fans. This team is still very good. They just need time to find a groove. Once everyone finds, and settles into their roles, they’ll look a whole lot like the MAC favorites again.

UP NEXT: The Bulls host Rider on Saturday at 2 p.m. in the first game of the Cancun Challenge. Their next two games will be played in Cancun against Stephen F. Austin (Nov. 23, 6 pm) and St. Louis/Illinois St. (Nov. 24, time TBD).