Filling the void

This year’s men’s basketball team will look much different than last year’s squad that won the Mid-American Conference East regular season title.

The Bulls graduated three of their starters – including UB all-time leading scorer Javon McCrea – and more than half of this year’s players (7 of 12) were not on the roster last season.

“There’s a difference this year,” said head coach Bobby Hurley. “There are a lot of guys that have talent, but have yet to prove themselves in games. Right now, guys are battling to play and get on the floor.”

A year after winning the East, Buffalo is picked to finish just fourth in the East this season as it transitions to a new core of young players. Hurley, now in his second season, said the Bulls have the pieces in place to replace last year’s seniors who led the Bulls to a 19-win season.

“We knew we would have to have players that were ready to come in and fill a void and take the place of guys who were very important to us last year,” Hurley said.

One of those players is sophomore guard Shannon Evans. Evans will take over for former Bull Jarod Oldham as the team’s No. 1 point guard. Evans wants to recapture the success he had as a freshman, when he made the All-MAC Freshman team, and build on it.

“I’m going to try and pick up where I left off,” Evans said. “I’m going to bring more energy, play hard, try and get my teammates open and win games.”

Freshman guard Lamonte Bearden will likely take on the role Evans had a last season: a highly touted play-making freshman who will see significant time in his first season.

While Evans is the No. 1 point guard, Bearden also handled the ball and ran the offense in Buffalo’s 79-60 exhibition win over Wheeling Jesuit Nov. 6. Hurley said he expects Bearden to have a successful season and impact like Evans and junior guard Jarryn Skeete did as freshmen.

The biggest hole in Buffalo’s lineup, however, is the one left by McCrea. The Bulls have several ‘big men’ who will look to collectively make up for McCrea’s production, including forwards Will Regan, Justin Moss and Xavier Ford.

Moss, a junior forward, was McCrea’s primary back up last season and Hurley said Moss has been Buffalo’s best player in practice at times.

“I’m pleased with Moss’ development as a guy who would replace Javon,” Hurley said.

Regan and Ford are the only seniors on the team and will try to replace McCrea’s leadership as well as his production.

“I’ve been around the block a few times ... [I want to] empower some of the point guards to take over and be the vocal leaders they need to be,” Regan said.

That leadership might be key on a team with five freshmen. Hurley said Buffalo’s freshmen are prepared and add to the Bulls’ depth this season.

“I don’t have to play five freshman that aren’t there physically,” Hurley said. “We brought in guys that are physically ready to compete.”

The young Buffalo team will have to come together quickly as it faces a challenging opening weekend. The Bulls host South Dakota State – who won 19 games last season – Friday before traveling to face Kentucky, the No. 1 team in the country, on Sunday.

Hurley said Buffalo is focused on South Dakota State first but acknowledged the opportunity and challenge Kentucky presents.

“We’re focusing on one game at a time. But that game is sitting there on Sunday,” Hurley said. “They have a lot of NBA prospects on their team right now and I want our guys to be up for the challenge. It’s going to be a great experience playing in a place like that and playing a team like that.”

Hurley said he just wants his young team to improve throughout the season.

“I want just to keep developing,” Hurley said. “When you have a young team and have young guys playing important roles early, you want to see them improve.”

Buffalo’s season opener against South Dakota State is set for Friday at 7:30 p.m. in Alumni Arena.

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