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Buffalo Stunned By Central Michigan, 71-61

Calvin Cage

Buffalo (13-4, 3-3 MAC) made only five baskets in the first half and scored only 17 first-half points on a frigid 21.7 percent shooting from the floor.

The Bulls trailed by 10 points at the half and saw the Central Michigan lead balloon to 22 points with 17:28 remaining. The Bulls didn't give up and over the next nine minutes outscored the Chippewas, 25-9, capped by a Calvin Cage (Capitol Heights, MD/Bladensburg) three-pointer that cut the lead to 49-46 with 8:18 left in the contest.

But Central Michigan (3-12, 1-6 MAC) had an answer for every Buffalo threat as it hit big shot after big shot to hold off the charging Bulls.

Cage led UB with 25 points, including four three-pointers. Mario Jordan (Cleveland, OH/Benedictine) added 12 points and seven rebounds. The duo combined for 28 of the Bulls' 44 second-half points, but it wasn't enough to complete the comeback.

Yassin Idbihi (Tangier, Morocco/Schloss Hagerhof) also scored in double-figures for the Bulls, adding 11 points to go along with six rebounds.

Heading into the game, Buffalo led the Mid-American Conference in free throw percentage. However, you wouldn't know it Saturday as the Bulls shot only 15-for-26 from the free throw line.

The Chippewas were led by Giordan Watson who scored 25 points and added five rebounds and six assists. Sefton Barrett notched a double-double with 20 points and 14 rebounds. Central Michigan drained nine three-pointers, including six in the second half.

"Central Michigan completely outworked us," head coach Reggie Witherspoon said. "We got taken out of our game and to miss free throws the way we did, you have little margin for error when you're down 20 points."

Buffalo will next play at Bowling Green on Tuesday night. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 pm.