The Ultimate Challenge

Even though the Buffalo Bulls have achieved some success this season, the definitive moment is yet to come for the scrappy squad.

Buffalo has won four of the last five games, but that fact is rendered moot because of two, huge, make-or-break games that loom on UB's schedule.

One of them is in two weeks at home against a Kent State team that squeaked out of Alumni Arena last year with a one point win.

The other comes tonight against that same Golden Flash team in Kent, Ohio, where KSU rocked Buffalo last year, 98-55. It was UB's worst loss since 1999.

The Bulls (9-10, 5-6 Mid-American Conference) are coming off a huge home win against Marshall, but will run into Mid-American Conference powerhouse KSU (16-3, 10-1 MAC) tonight at 7 p.m. in a game that is sure to test the limits of the Buffalo Bulls.

The Flashes have only lost to Miami of Ohio in conference play, and while only two years removed from their appearance in the NCAA Tournament's Elite Eight, look like the team to beat in the MAC once again.

Not only does KSU have momentum on their side, they have history backing them up too because the Bulls are looking to do something they have done only once: walk away from Kent State with a win.

In their thumping of the Thundering Herd, UB dominated the second half, leading the game by double digits for a majority of the time. They eventually finished off Marshall 77-58.

Kent State is also coming off a big second half win against Central Michigan. The Flashes came back from behind to outscore their opponents 42-26 in the second half and pulled out the win beating the winless in conference Chippewas 76-61.

With both John Edwards and Eric Haut combining to score an average of 25.5 points a game, this will certainly not be an easy task for Buffalo.

KSU certainly gives a total team effort each game, with everyone touching the ball and contributing. As a result guard DeAndre Hayes is the MAC leader in assists and the Flashes as a team lead the MAC in the same category.

"We need to take this game one possession at a time, and focus on the little things," Bulls head coach Reggie Witherspoon said. "They pass the ball very well, and that leads to them shooting the ball very well. We need to do a good job playing defensively and being quick in our rotations."

While Buffalo big men Yassin Idbihi and Mark Bortz have had their way with most of the MAC competition, they may have their hands full with Edwards, who is averaging 13 points per game, as well as the rest of the Flashes.

Kent State has the second best defense in the MAC, allowing just 62.3 points a game. Edwards' inside presence is a large part of KSU's success as the seven footer leads the MAC with 50 blocked shots, good for an 2.63 block per game average. That's almost one block more per game than the next player in the category.

In the past two years Kent State has won three out of four meetings with UB, two of which were won by more than 35 points. However, the other two games were both decided by only one point. This has created an intense rivalry between the Bulls and Flashes.

"We are in the thick of a conference fight, and a win would certainly do a lot for that," said Witherspoon.

Kent State is currently leading the Eastern Division of the MAC, and has not lost a conference game at home yet this year.

"One thing we have to do is be the team with the most energy," said Witherspoon. "(Kent State) plays with a lot of energy, and it goes up ten fold when they are at home."

Tip off is at 7 p.m. tonight in Kent, Ohio.