Armed with a relentless will and a jump shot that's as cool as the other side of the pillow, Calvin Cage has spent the last three years teaching Bulls fans that size doesn't always matter.
Seven games into the season, the 6-foot, 170-pound guard is leading the Bulls in scoring with over 17 points per outing, and after his recent 22-point effort at Niagara on Saturday, Cage is showing no signs of slowing down.
Cage, a senior, uses a skill set that includes a ferocious handle and a rainbow jumper to disprove critics that say he is simply not big enough to fill Turner Battle's shoes.
Cage is not just another jump-shooting guard, though. He describes himself as "fearless," and has shown a consistent resolve to drive the lane, no matter the sizeable obstacles in his path.
"I'm not scared of anyone on the court," Cage said. "When I'm on the court I feel I'm the toughest player, no matter my size."
The guard attributes his toughness to being the oldest sibling of four younger sisters, which forced him to emerge as the protector.
"It definitely made me tougher," said Cage about being the big brother to four girls. "I had to stand up for them. Girls do a lot of talking and it forced me to be a man at an early age."
Being the only son among five children also helped when the girls were the ones running the house, Cage said.
"It forced me to go outside and work on my game and grow up," he said.
Cage has certainly grown up this year as he was immediately thrust into a leadership position when last year's seniors, Battle, Mark Bortz, Jason Bird and Danny Gilbert, graduated.
"I had to step up knowing I had a lot of younger guys coming in," Cage said. "I knew I had to set a good example for them."
Cage has responded well to the call to action and increase in playing time. He is shooting a career-high .455 from the field, and is also averaging career highs in three-point field goals and free-throw percentage with .452 and .861, respectively.
Not only is Cage shooting the ball exceptionally, he is doing a great amount of distributing to his teammates. He registered a career high in assists with eight against Fresno State and is averaging more than 3.5 assists per game.
Basketball is as much a mental game as it is physical, and Cage has been able to make these leaps in the physical realm, thanks in large part to improvements in his understanding of the game.
"The mental aspect has really picked up for me," Cage said.
With everything seemingly fitting together for Cage and the Bulls, the next step is to resolve unfinished business by winning the Mid-American Conference championship, a trophy that eluded last year's team.
"I feel we got robbed of the MAC championship," Cage said. "We let it get away and it's been my goal to get back to that championship."
In order to get back to the championship game, the team has to make adjustments. With the graduation of last year's four seniors, UB became smaller on the perimeter. Last year's starters were 6-foot 6-inch Gilbert and 6-foot 3-inch Battle. Six-foot 4-inch freshman Greg Gamble Gilbert is two inches shorter than Gilbert, and Battle stands three inches taller than Cage.
Cage said the height shift has meant a change on the defensive end.
"We had to get a little grittier on the defensive end," Cage said. "Last year, we were a lot bigger on the perimeter. We have to get a lot tougher."
Besides his style of play, Cage also adds a vocal motivation to the team.
"We have a real laid-back team and I'm the guy that gets everyone pumped up," Cage said. "I come in the locker room and I know the team is feeding off of my energy. I try to be upbeat."
Cage, the Bulls' 2003-04 Most Improved Player, said his energy comes from UB's famed "Sea of Blue."
"I can't say enough about our fans," Cage said. "Our fans are great. They've made Alumni Arena one of the toughest places to play in the MAC, in the nation. It's really tough for opponents to come in here."
Part of that raucous crowd is the cult following that has developed for Cage. The "Cage Crazies" cheer him on every home game from their seats behind the basket.
"When I look to the back and see them throwing up the 'Cage Crazies' sign, I get pumped," Cage said. "I see those guys and I'm pumped up."
Cage's fans are looking forward to the guard's last season in blue and white and can catch him next on Saturday night in Alumni Arena against Rutgers. The game is scheduled to tip off at 7 p.m.
