While classes may not have been in session, the young UB Bulls men's basketball team learned a lot over the Thanksgiving break: They learned how to function together as a unit.
They learned how to win on the road, something they last accomplished on Nov. 23, 1999, a losing streak that spanned two years and 27 games.
Most importantly, they figured out a way to pull out one of those down-to-the-wire, last-second nail biters that are decided by the last shot of the contest, a game that they would have found a way to lose last season.
Here is a breakdown of the Bulls first three games of the season, starting with a narrow one-point loss to the Niagara Purple Eagles at the Gallagher Center and ending with a Clement Smith dunk with one second left on the clock that shocked the Canisius Golden Griffins at Alumni Arena. Sandwiched in between was the Bulls' first win of the 2001 season, a 100-92 decision at Mid-Continent Conference foe Chicago State.
With less than 10 seconds left on the clock and the Bulls trailing local rival Niagara in a tight ballgame, Bulls freshman guard Turner Battle beats his man, drives the lane, and throws up a running jump shot. It bounces hard off the rim, and Darcel Williams fights for the rebound and puts up a lay-up. Again, it bounces off the rim, but Williams is right there for his own rebound, and goes up strong for another lay-up - good, with one second left on the clock! There's only one problem: The Bulls were still trailing by one point.
Inexplicably, with the Purple Eagles up 63-60, Buffalo went for two points instead of the three needed to tie the game. Apparently, that wasn't the way the play was drawn up.
"We had planned to go for the three. They gave us a hole to the lane, we took it. We should have called a timeout. It was a mistake," said Bulls head coach Reggie Witherspoon.
Niagara quickly inbounded the ball and escaped with the 63-62 victory. If the Bulls had avoided foul trouble, it might never have come down to those final seconds.
Already without the services of career 1,000-point scorer Louis Campbell, who is still recovering from a high ankle sprain, the Bulls played most of the game without forward Robert Brown. Last year's leading scorer picked up his third foul less than five minutes into the game. He was quickly joined by Williams, who was also plagued by foul trouble. The two post players played only 18 and 19 minutes, respectively.
That meant a lot of on-the-job training for freshmen Mark Bortz, Battle and Jason Bird. Bortz led the team in scoring with 13, and Battle showed some of the poise and on-court leadership that he brings to the program.
It was clear that Witherspoon would not have thrown them into the fire unless he had to.
"We had hoped to not put so much pressure on our freshmen so early," said Witherspoon. "It really happened quick when we got in foul trouble. We had to play them and play them a lot; we had no choice."
Battle sparked the Bulls with a steal and a lay-up to begin a 14-2 run that opened the second half, staking the Bulls to the biggest lead either team had all game, at 49-41. But UB was forced to dig deep into their bench due to foul trouble and fatigue.
The Purple Eagles took advantage with the help of their own super freshmen. Guard Alvin Cruz was electric at the defensive end, causing several turnovers that led to fast break points. His jump shot at the 4:16 mark gave the Eagles their first lead since the beginning of the second half, at 57-56. The two teams battled back and forth until freshman David Brooks hit two foul shots with 17 seconds left to put the Eagles up 63-60 and set the stage for the last-second drama.
While munching on drumsticks and turkey breasts, the Bulls must have been quietly saying thanks to UB Director of Athletics Bob Arkeilpane for putting Chicago State on their schedule. Not only did the Bulls get the 27-road-game losing streak off their backs, the 100 points they scored were the most since they got 110 on Feb. 24,1998 against - you guessed it - Chicago State.
They did it unconventionally, accomplishing the rare feat of shooting a better percentage from the field than from the foul line. While the Bulls shot a blistering 54.2 percent from the floor on 32 of 59 shooting, they were an ice cold 50 percent from the line, going 25 for 50. Their inability to cash in from the charity stripe allowed Chicago to hang around. Danny Osby's four-point play pulled the Cougars to within three with 5:33 remaining, but the Bulls' offense went basket for basket with Chicago State and Davis Lawrence hit some clutch free throws down the stretch to seal the victory.
Darcel Williams was one of five Bulls to hit double figures. He led the way with 24 points and 6 rebounds, followed by Robert Brown, who scored 17.
When Witherspoon drew up the final play of the game with five seconds left and the score tied at 56, he was hoping to get a good shot at the basket. But even he didn't expect an uncontested dunk.
Freshman guard Turner Battle drove the lane, lost his balance, and somehow was able to get the ball underneath the basket to a wide-open Clement Smith. His defenders had deserted him to converge on Battle, who had seemingly lost control of the ball.
Smith went up for a monster two-handed dunk, bringing the 4,309 in attendance to their feet. Canisius called a timeout with one second left, but their desperation pass went awry, and the Bulls raised their record to 2-1 with a thrilling, improbable victory over their local rival.
"Coach told me I had to penetrate into the middle and someone would be open," said Battle. "I was going to the basket, I started to slip and I saw that Clem had him sealed so I handed it off to Clem and he dunked it."
Golden Griffins coach Mike MacDonald had a different account of the events.
"He lost control and it was a loose ball that went directly to Smith. In games like this, it often comes down to a loose ball either way," said MacDonald.
Canisius junior guard Brian Dux went to the line with 15 seconds left and the score tied at 56. A career 82 percent free throw shooter, Dux incredibly missed both shots, leaving the score even and setting the stage for Smith's game winner.
From the tip, it appeared that the Bulls had a severe case of turkey hangover. In fact, from their horrific 3-for-29 effort to open the game, it looked as if it were wild turkey that they had ingested in large quantities over the holiday.
With two minutes left in the first half, the Bulls had only managed 11 points. But, great team defense kept them in the game and they trailed only 22-11. Freshman Daniel Gilbert came off the bench and gave the Bulls the spark they needed. Gilbert hit a three-pointer, a lay-up and a foul shot, all in the last two minutes of the half to cap a 7-0 run and pull the Bulls to only a two-point deficit at 23-21 at the half.
The Bulls are next in action Wednesday night against Atlantic 10 opponent Rhode Island. Their next home game is a Saturday matinee against New Hampshire, scheduled for a 1:00 p.m. tip off on Dec. 1.
