The University of Massachusetts Men’s Basketball team is gearing up for an exciting matchup against the Buffalo Bulls this Friday, January 23, at 7:00 p.m. in Buffalo, New York. This showdown marks their second-ever meeting, with the Minutemen previously triumphing 96-67 against the Bulls in February 1993, a victory that fueled their run to the second round of the NCAA Tournament under then-head coach John Calipari.
The Minutemen come into this game following a hard-fought 84-82 win over Toledo on Tuesday at the Mullins Center, improving their record to 3-5 in the Mid-American Conference (MAC). Graduate student Leonardo Bettiol proved to be a key player in that game, scoring 20 points and securing nine rebounds. Meanwhile, teammates Jayden Ndjigue and Daniel Hankins-Sanford both contributed double-doubles, each scoring 12 points with Ndjigue pulling down 10 boards and Hankins-Sanford grabbing 11. Marcus Banks Jr. added 15 points, along with three rebounds and a steal.
On the other hand, the Buffalo Bulls are looking to bounce back from a recent 82-63 loss to Akron at Alumni Arena. Under the guidance of head coach George Halcovage III, Buffalo holds a 13-6 overall record and a 3-4 standing in the MAC. Key players for the Bulls include Daniel Freitag, who is leading the team with an impressive average of 20.4 points per game, and Ryan Sabol, who contributes 17.2 points per game. Both Freitag and Noah Batchelor also share the lead in rebounds, averaging 4.8 per game.
Entering his fourth season as head coach, Frank Martin has led the Minutemen to significant success, including their best season since 2014, finishing 20-11 overall in 2023-24 and earning a top-four seed in the Atlantic 10 Championship. Martin’s coaching record stands at 344-255, reflecting his substantial experience, with notable milestones achieved during his tenure at South Carolina and Kansas State.
As the Minutemen prepare to face the Bulls, they notably hold impressive stats that bolster their confidence. They rank first in the MAC in limiting opponents to a 29.0 shooting percentage from deep and maintain a second-best rebounding margin, averaging 38.10 rebounds per game. The team also excels in assists, averaging 17.8 per game, ranking third in the MAC and 27th nationally.
Looking ahead, UMass will continue their road campaign with a matchup against the 25th-ranked Miami (OH) next Tuesday, January 27, in Oxford, Ohio. Fans can tune into the action via streaming on CBS Sports Network, with live updates available at umassathletics.com and on social media platforms. With a solid performance against Buffalo, the Minutemen are poised to build momentum as they move deeper into the season.