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Buffalo Men's Basketball Mid-Season Report Card

First year head coach Bobby Hurley has yet to lose a game at home but on the road they have struggled. Despite the problems on the road UB looks solid under Hurley and could compete for the conference.

By Tim Riordan
Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

RECORD SO FAR

11-6 (5-2 MAC)

BEST WIN

Buffalo flew down to Philadelphia to take on the Drexel Dragons. The Bulls fought back from a mostly McCrea-less first half to take a slight lead in the second and hold on in a close, low-scoring game.

IMPORTANT LOSS

If UB is playing on campus when the conference seeding starts to settle Buffalo can look at Ball State as the reason. The Bulls traveled to Munice and coughed up a hairball against the hapless cards.

BEST PLAYER(S)

The Kraken, Javon McCrea has been everything UB fans have expected. In the Mid American Conference McCrea is second in scoring, second in rebounding, second in field goal percentage, eighth in steals, and third in blocks. All of this despite being outside of the top ten in the conference for minutes per game.

Joshua Freelove, the senior hardship transfer, is turning in a very strong season for Coach Hurley and the Bulls. He is turning in 12.6 points a game and can be an incredibly potent three point shooter.

PLAYER(S) WHO NEED TO STEP UP

The Bench.... Buffalo's Bench players have turned in some great games but a big part of the reason UB lost to Ball State was because the Bench was non existent. The talent is there but the consistency is not where it needs to be.

GLASS HALF-FULL

First-year coach Bobby Hurley is only three games away from matching the win total that Reggie Witherspoon achieved last season. The additions he brought in like Joshua Freelove are playing key roles in UB's success and recruiting has been good.

GLASS HALF-EMPTY

Away from Alumni Arena Buffalo is just not the same team. UB has suffered embarrassing losses to Niagara, Canisius, and Ball State.

NEXT FOUR GAMES

February 2 - at Bowling Green
February 5 - vs Ball State
February 8 -at Central Michigan

February 12 -at Miami

PROJECTION

If the Bulls don't figure out how to play on the road this season will play out with UB possible having to host a "play in game" rather than enjoy a bye in Cleveland.

19-9 (13-5 MAC)

GRADE

B+

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