With 7.6 seconds left in a game tied at 66, University at Buffalo (3-10,0-4 MAC) guard Turner Battle charged down the floor, and dropped a beauty through the net to give Buffalo a two point lead over Kent State (10-2, 3-1 MAC) with only 2.3 seconds remaining.
With an insane crowd of 2,254 at Alumni Arena, fashioning blue Mighty Taco T-shirts, it could only be described as mayhem.
Play resumed on a full-court pass down to Kent State's star forward Antonio Gates that was tipped and fell into the waiting hands of Bryan Bedford for a last second, last chance three-pointer that hit nothing but net and silenced the rabid crowd.
"When I saw that shot go up I had a feeling it was going in," Battle said. "For some reason it always happens to us. That last-second shot always goes in."
Wednesday night's game was a return to Alumni Arena for a Kent State team that advanced to the "Elite Eight" in the 2002 season but suffered a humiliating loss to UB last January, 66-65 on a last-second shot by Buffalo's Louis Campbell. The Golden Flashes squeezed out a victory 69-68 but looked unprepared and were forced to play UB's style of ball, meaning a hard fought, low scoring match-up.
"College basketball is a funny game, sometimes you win some games you should lose and lose some games you should win," said Kent State Head Coach Jim Christian.
In the first half, UB trailed 9-4 early, before going on a 16-0 run led by Battle (nine points and three assists in the first half) and the night's breakout player, B.J. Walker (11 points and five rebounds at the half).
During the run Buffalo utilized all of their opportunities and gave a glimpse of the skill the young team possesses. The Bulls shot a spectacular 51.6% from the field (16-31) in perhaps the best half of basketball the team played all year. Kent State, who came in as the nation's top team in field goal percentage, shot a poor 37.9% (11-29) and could not combat a UB lead of up to ten points.
At halftime the Bulls had an eight-point advantage with the score 38-30, and the key figure was Buffalo's ability to hold all but two of Kent State's players, Gates and Eric Haut (11 and 12 points at the half) to three points or less.
In the second half UB's lead gradually dwindled behind poor shot selection, they shot a paltry 8-30 (26.7%). Haut, who had 23 points on the night, consistently killed Buffalo from the field downing three important 3-pointers (six total) to close the gap. With 4:57 left in the game, Gates tied it up 58-58 with a lay up.
"In the last 10 minutes of the game we started defending the way we were capable of," said Christian.
But Buffalo would not be denied as they quickly regained a four-point lead on crucial free throws by Battle and a crowd-erupting dunk by Mark Bortz. The momentum had shifted.
Buffalo was able to stay in it because of poor foul shooting by Kent St. (10-22), specifically the MAC's third leading scorer Gates (24 points, eleven rebounds) who made just five of eleven free throws in the second half.
The last five minutes of play were some of the most exciting basketball you will see anywhere. It could have been anyone's game and on this night the Golden Flashes walked away with a victory.
"This is a tough one to swallow ... we played better in this game than some games we won," said Buffalo Head Coach Reggie Witherspoon.
UB had great performances from freshman Walker, who in the absence of an injured Clement Smith delivered 21 points and ten rebounds.
"Every game I come out and play hard, tonight my teammates found me," said Walker.
Battle also had a great night of basketball, exhibiting leadership on the court and being the go to guy when the team needed him most, finishing with 18 points, seven rebounds, and five assists.
Saturday the Bulls travel to Central Michigan to take on the Chippewas in an afternoon game. Tip-off is 2 p.m. and the game can be heard on WWKB-AM 1520.
Photo: Breadchastick / Wikimedia Commons
