Fast Start Lifts Bulls Past Eastern Michigan, 58-49

Rodney Pierce paces the Bulls with 16 points

Rodney Pierce

YPSILANTI, MI - The University at Buffalo men’s basketball team jumped out to a 10-0 lead at Eastern Michigan and never looked back, extending their winning streak to nine games with a 58-49 win at the Convocation Center on Thursday night.

The win marked the third time in the last four games that the Bulls held an opponent to under 50 points. It is the first time, since the introduction of the shot clock, that a Buffalo team has held three opponents to less than 50 points in the same season.

Rodney Pierce led the Bulls with a game-high 16 points and added five rebounds and three assists.

Vadim Fedotov scored nine points and matched a career high with two blocked shots.

Andy Robinson also scored nine points and added three steals. His three pilfers increased his career total to 174 – moving him past Rasaun Young for third place in school history.

The Bulls dominated the glass, outrebounding the Eagles, 35-26. Buffalo limited Eastern Michigan to only six offensive rebounds and allowed the Eagles to only score seven second chance points. Greg Gamble matched a season high with eight rebounds to go along with eight points and three assists.

Vadim Fedotov

The Eagles threatened late in the game and cut the lead to 52-46 with 2:34 remaining. However, the Bulls got back-to-back jumpers from Pierce and Gamble and held Eastern Michigan to only three points in the final 2:34 to pull away for the victory.

“I think we were in control of the game, but we got a little anxious at times.” head coach Reggie Witherspoon said. “I think our guys were in too much of a hurry to make the 14-1 lead a 28-1 lead.”

The Bulls’ nine-game winning streak matches their longest since the 2005-06 season.

Buffalo (17-5, 9-1 MAC) will remain on the road and play at West Division leading Ball State on Sunday afternoon.