Parity has made the Mid-American Conference more competitive than ever before, and the men's basketball team is learning that lesson this season.
From the outside looking in, it may seem that the team is faltering down the stretch of a long and grueling MAC schedule, but according to head coach Reggie Witherspoon, the team is starting to receive the message he's been delivering all season long.
The Bulls (16-11, 7-7 MAC) have dropped their last two games and have extended their conference-losing streak to four games after Saturday night's 69-60 loss to Akron (19-10, 9-5). With only two games remaining and a home game in the opening round of the MAC Tournament up for grabs, Buffalo is going to have to be perfect the rest of the way.
Miami (Ohio) (15-14, 10-4 MAC) will visit Alumni Arena on Wednesday night. It's Buffalo's senior night, and the Arena should be rocking as the Bulls make their final push at the elusive MAC Tournament title.
Witherspoon said after Tuesday's practice that he thinks the Bulls have been playing better despite the losses in their past two games.
"I think the team is coming around, and it could lead to [understanding how to win]," Witherspoon said. "A lot of it is mental for players. Teams know what you're going to do and you know what they're going to do. It comes down to personnel."
One of the keys for the Bulls is converting on the open shots they've been getting. Witherspoon couldn't remember a time when he's seen a team get so many open looks consistently. When Buffalo is knocking down its shots, the team is almost unbeatable.
One of the many keys to the game for the Bulls will be the play of freshman sensation Javon McCrea. His minutes have steadily increased in recent games, partly due to the lingering leg injury that junior forward Jawaan Alston suffered at the beginning of February.
In the Bulls' last four conference games he has averaged 17.5 points per game and continues to do things that even surprise his head coach.
"Some of the stuff [McCrea] does is just [unbelievable]," Witherspoon said. "We'll be in the film session and the whole team starts laughing. I've never had that, especially for a freshman because they don't want to give that up to a freshman. They'll be like, ‘Did you see that?' And everybody laughs. He's got some unique skills. When his temperament is aggressive, he's a load. He's hard to play against. I've seen some expressions from other coaches that I haven't seen before."
McCrea continues to come off the bench but has flourished in the role. He is able to avoid picking up early fouls in most games, and his offensive firepower is a nice asset to have off the bench for the Bulls. The defensive end, however, is where McCrea will need to be outstanding.
In one of the more exciting matchups of the season, McCrea will go up against MAC powerhouse Julian Mavunga and will be asked, when he is in the game, to slow down one of the best players in the conference.
Mavunga is averaging 14.8 points and 7.6 rebounds per game this season and has stepped up his game in MAC play thus far. His 16.3 scoring average in the MAC is good for fifth best, and he currently leads the league in rebounds per game with 9.2 in the conference.
He will be coming full force at the Bulls on Wednesday night, and Witherspoon warns not to expect anything less.
"He's a guy that just isn't worried," Witherspoon said. "Sometimes we know what the play is supposed to be and he doesn't even have to run it. He just says, ‘I'm going to take it and score.' He's been the alpha male that's been in charge [of that team] and he's said all else be damned."
The Bulls have struggled in the second half in recent games. Against the Zips, Buffalo led by one at halftime but allowed Akron to go on a 13-2 run after the break, which the team was never able to recover from.
Buffalo led by 10 points at Kent State (19-10, 10-4 MAC) before allowing a 9-0 run after intermission that led to a 72-69 comeback win for the Golden Flashes. The Bulls hope to feed off what should be a raucous crowd on senior night.
Most people already know about senior point guard Byron Mulkey, but Alston will also be honored. He has turned into a very dependable player for Witherspoon, and he has counted on his reliability all season long.
"He's been a really good leader," Witherspoon said. "He's been reliable in terms of where he is. I've looked up [at the end of the game] and he's had zero rebounds and I say ‘Oh my god.' But you look at the film and he is on top of those block outs every time. He's our most physical post player by far. He's just been solid. He doesn't miss practice and he is really dependable."
Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday night, and the first 500 fans to arrive will receive a Byron Mulkey bobblehead toy.
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