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UB is trying to give me a heart attack..
One of these games, perhaps soon, UB's free throw shooting will cost them a win. Lately their shooting could be classified as a crime against nature. Against Central Michigan it was a run of seemingly meaningless tries at the end of the first half that ended up making the game too close.
Tonight it was a series of very meaningful late shots that kept the Bronco's in the game until the very end.
Fortunately for the Bulls their fans made Western Michigan's night at the line even more forgettable than UB's.
So after walking away with a win to which they had no right UB has, for the first time, swept the Western Division of the Mid American conference and sits at number two overall with just five conference games left. If the Bulls manage to pull off a win at Kent they will be two games up on the Flashes, and Bobcats, in the race for one of the MAC's "double bye's".
Point 1) It's time to make the players hands bleed
In the second half of the game UB shot just 41% from the line. Escaping with a win after that is not a matter of being lucky. Some cosmic alignment happened tonight that will never happen again, UB will not win another game with that kind of free throw shooting.
Western Michigan is good, just ask Kent and Akron who both barely beat them, but they choked away a game that the Zips or Flashes would have closed out.
Point 2) Don't be afraid of the paint
The shot selection was horrendous. Early on Matt Stainbrook got into a little foul trouble and had to play very meekly underneath the basket because of it. Instead of pressing home this advantage UB started to launch shots from further and further away.
At one point during the Bronco's devastating 12-0 run the Bulls were heaving up shots from several feet behind the three point arc. When Mitchell Watt hauls up four long shots and only seven from down low chances are you're not pushing low.
Point 3) Thank you True Blue for rallying the students!
I have no clue weather or not they broke whatever record they were after but when Matt Stainbrook walked up to the line for two last second free throws he was in trouble. He was staring down a comply packed student section that was on its feet screaming as he missed both shots, sealing away a win.