Buffalo Bulls Men’s Basketball Game Preview: Akron Zips

The Bulls are back tonight in Akron has they take on the Zips. Buffalo comes in to this game 2-0 in the MAC where as Akron is 0-2, with two tough road loses. This is the Zips first chance to play at home this season during MAC play, a place where they are undefeated on the season. They’re a young team this season after Keith Dambrot left and basically took all their 2016 team with him, but that doesn’t mean the Bulls shouldn’t worry about them.

Akron is arguably the best 3 point shooting team in the MAC this season, and are very guard heavy. This bodes well for the Bulls however, whose strength is also in their guard play. It will be tough for any team this year to beat the Bulls that doesn’t use a big man at the center of their offense, due to the athleticism that Buffalo has. If Wes Clark, CJ Massinburg, and Davonta Jordan can create the same chaos they did against Ball State, this game should be no issue. Let’s take a look at some more details in this game.

What To Watch For

Tempo

In Saturday’s game against Ball State, within 5 minutes of play, the Cardinals were already struggling to keep up with the Buffalo pace. No team plays nearly as fast as the Bulls, and when they dictate it, they are unbeatable. If Buffalo gets Akron tired due to transition early, you’ll see a decrease in their 3 point shooting, and their offense will stall.

Nick Perkins

Perkins has been a beast in MAC play this season, averaging a double double in the first two games. He has gotten away from the three point shot seeming to only take one or two a game now as opposed to five or six. If he continues to play physical inside and dominate, he will be the key to the Bulls continued success.

The First Ten Minutes

This is a rivalry game (even if the Akron fans try to pretend it isn’t). Because of that, establishing what you want to do early is crucial. If Buffalo puts them down early, I do not see a young Akron team being able to come back, even at home.

Final Thoughts

Personally, Akron is my least favorite team in all of college sports. From what I’ve heard, it seems like what used to be the Ohio rivalry for the older generation, has turned in to Akron more recently. Because of this, it excites me every time we play them. This is the first time since I was a senior in high school I know that Buffalo is the better team. If the Bulls play up to potential, they should run away with this game just like they did against Ball State. However, if they’re arrogant after the Ball State blowout, this game could be closer than we would like. It’s going to be a great game and I hope everyone enjoys it.