There's a certain indefinable aura around campus. To avoid jinxing the team, students are silently whispering: "Could this be the year?"
The men's basketball team has fans believing and foes trembling, but the squad still isn't garnering respect from the media. In this preseason Mid-American Conference poll, the Bulls were picked to finish ninth out of 12 teams, and second-last in the East division.
Despite the negative national publicity, it's been a long time since this much hype surrounded a UB sports team in the preseason. Just look at the names: Javon McCrea. Zach Filzen. Mitchell Watt.
But those names are not the reason this squad is so heralded by Bulls fans. This team is expected to be so good because they're just that – a team.
Several years ago, stars like Rodney Pierce and Calvin Betts led the Bulls. They were incredible players, but they were the whole team. There was no depth or camaraderie. But this is a year and a team that are expected to be different – this year's team is comprised of players who have adopted a selfless attitude.
The squad's younger players, like up-and-coming point guard Jarod Oldham, said they have made it their mission to send the team's seniors out with a bang.
While many on campus are convinced this team is for real, head coach Reggie Witherspoon knows his squad has a long way to go until the Bulls are considered bona fide contenders. He hasn't yet bought into the championship chatter.
"There are 12 members in our conference that are pretty good, and we don't play each other until next year," Witherspoon said. "If we were in the court of law, someone would say ‘objection, irrelevant.' It's preseason, [championship talk] is not something we're going to be really able to engage ourselves in until January."
The Bulls lost their unquestioned leader in Byron Mulkey and also lost their number one "scrapper," the guy who was always chasing after loose balls, as forward Jawaan Alston also graduated. His void will most likely be filled by players like senior forward Dave Barnett and sophomore guard Corey Raley-Ross.
While it may be challenging for the team to replace Mulkey and Alston as athletes, the more daunting task is replacing them as leaders. That job now belongs to the team's seniors – Filzen, Watt, Barnett, and forward Titus Robinson.
Filzen was one of the nation's best three-point shooters last year. He's considered one of the most lethal deep threats in the nation, but he still wasn't satisfied with his play last year. He said he knows he has the potential to attain another level.
"We know people are really excited about what we're capable of," Filzen said. "We're excited, we know we have a lot of talent. We've worked hard and we have the ability to really do something out there. We just got to follow through and bring it every single game."
While those seniors lead the team, McCrea is undoubtedly the face of the team. The sophomore forward has received abundant national recognition over the summer and he was just named to the preseason all-MAC first team. He's expected to dominate.
Witherspoon has the utmost faith in his budding star, but – much like his belief in his team – he knows there's still a long way to go until McCrea reaches his ceiling.
The squad may have lost two of its leaders, but the team owns one major component it didn't last year: freshman forward Xavier Ford. Ford was a huge recruit out of high school and he's expected to make paramount contributions, even in his freshman year.
Ford, McCrea, and all of Buffalo's hardwood heroes are ready for their season to begin. Throughout the football team's tumultuous season, there has been just one date fans have consistently brought up: Nov. 11. That day means the fans get to cheer for a new team. It means the fans get to see the squad they've been waiting to see since March. It means the return of the men's basketball team.
The team went 20-14 last year, finishing with a 13-3 record at Alumni Arena. The Bulls were practically unbeatable on their home floor. The team had the campus abuzz throughout a six-game winning streak during late January. The Bulls even throttled Kent State – the eventual MAC champs and the team that ended Buffalo's season – 79-54 at Alumni Arena.
They look to replicate that success at home this year, and they'll get their first chance to wow Buffalo fans this weekend.
"Just getting out there and getting the energy of the crowd is going to feel great," Oldham said.
Friday night. 7 p.m. The quest begins.
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