While teams like Manhattan, Northern Iowa and Gonzaga have already earned their berth into NCAA Tournament by winning their respective conferences; the University at Buffalo is just starting to catch that March madness fever that those teams already have.
The fever is spreading, fast nonetheless.
A record attendance of 8,971 witnessed the Bulls (17-11, 11-7 Mid-American Conference) rewrite history in their first MAC playoff victory and Buffalo will need all the support they can get in Cleveland, Ohio, home of the 2004 First Energy MAC Tournament.
Toledo (19-9, 12-6 MAC) is just under two hours from Cleveland, making their Quarterfinal game against the Bulls seem like a home game for the Rockets according to a few MAC coaches. This morning via MAC teleconference, UB head coach Reggie Witherspoon entertained questions from the other coaches in the MAC that are still alive in the tourney.
Witherspoon was quick to point out a challenge; a challenge to the students and community of UB.
"They all seemed to be like, 'Coach what are you going to do, Toledo is going to have more people there than you and its going to be like a road game?" said Witherspoon. "I didn't say much to them, but I'll say this to our people; that is not necessarily true. That's putting the challenge onto our city and our campus that they think Toledo is going to get more people there than us."
There will be other factors besides the crowd when UB squares off against the Toledo Rockets Thursday evening at 9 p.m. in Gund Arena.
One of those challenges is senior guard Keith Triplett. The senior guard is second in the MAC in scoring at 19.1 points per game and Witherspoon noted the importance of Triplett to this Toledo squad.
"With Toledo, Keith Triplett comes to mind," said Witherspoon. "You got to try to get him stopped, contain him and you got to try to make it as difficult on him as you can because he is as good as anyone we've played this year."
As good as Triplett is, Witherspoon also noted that Triplett makes his teammates around him better as well.
"They have perimeter people around him that can really shoot it well," said Witherspoon. "You cannot totally regard Triplett and leave those two other guys any space because they'll make threes."
Buffalo, who likes to play an up in your face style of defense will rely on junior Daniel Gilbert to contain the offensively minded Triplett.
"I think Danny understands that he has a big challenge, we're going to rely on him to play a lot against Triplett," said Witherspoon.
Witherspoon was also quick to point out that Daniel is also more than just there for defense.
"Danny is a kind of person that sneaks up on you in other areas too; he can get you eight or nine rebounds, he can score and we're going to need him to be himself," said Witherspoon.
In the only meeting of the year between the two squads, the Rockets came from behind to defeat the Bulls 88-83 in a game that was formulated by runs. Buffalo was winning 71-62 with 8:10 remaining but the Rockets would chip away at the UB lead and finally took the lead 74-73 with about five minutes remaining. Triplett and UB's Mario Jordan led all scorers with 22 points apiece.
That game was a high scoring event, and Buffalo junior forward Mark Bortz expects more of the same from these two clubs.
"We are two of the highest scoring teams in the conference but then again it's the playoffs," said Bortz. "Everything gets a little tougher in the playoffs. I expect a high scoring affair but it is not going to come easy."
It was noted that Witherspoon said one of the reasons why Buffalo lost to Toledo was the inconsistency of holding a lead. He pointed out that his squad at that time was not mature enough to maintain that high level of good play. However, with that game two months in the past, the tables have turned with Buffalo being able to put teams away early in the ball game and also by being able to maintain the lead through out the game.
Witherspoon also mentioned that his team would like to be in that situation, a sign that this team is maturing.
"I think we're growing, I think that'll be a big challenge for us," said Witherspoon. "We'd like to be in that situation again and I think we understand that situation a little bit better," said Witherspoon.
Earlier in the season, Buffalo was a team that could not put away a team or maintain a lead. The Bulls seemed dependant on one person, junior point guard Turner Battle. However, freshman center Yassin Idbihi is quick to point out that Toledo will have to focus not just on Battle, but the whole Buffalo team.
"We have seven or eight players who can be a threat, everybody can step up," said Idbihi. "Toledo cannot focus on me or T.B. because if they focus on one player - Calvin Cage, Jason Bird, Daniel Gilbert or Mario Jordan will step up. We have too many good players."
Bortz also notes the aspect that this Buffalo squad can keep up and win with their leader, Battle, on the bench.
"What makes us a real good team this late in the season is that even when (Turner) Battle sits down we've grown as a team to the point where we got guys coming off the bench; we can survive without him, we can stay poised and really turn up our defense and create offense that way," said Bortz.
That defense is the buzz around Alumni Arena as of late and will be the focal point if Buffalo hopes to defeat Toledo and move onto the semifinals of the MAC Tournament.
"Simply play our game, play defense, move the ball, believe in ourselves, and if we do all the stuff we've been doing the last eight games, we're going to win against Toledo," said Idbihi.
Cage seemed to agree.
"We just want to come in and play good solid team defense, get stops, rebounds and push the ball through transition," said Cage.
A key to the game for the UB Bulls will be the inside presence of Bortz and Idbihi. Their presence needs to be established against the Rockets according to Witherspoon.
"They're [Bortz and Idbihi] going to need to be good against Toledo, we're going to try and gain an advantage against their post players," said Witherspoon.
Tip off is scheduled for 9 p.m. this Thursday evening at the home of the NBA Cleveland Cavaliers, Gund Arena.
Tickets for the game are currently available at the UB Ticket Office in Alumni Arena. UB Fan Section tickets are going for $28, while a UB Fan Pack is also available for $35. The Fan Pack includes a pregame reception and pep rally to go along with the game ticket.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
