Buffalo (1-0, 0-0 MAC) shook off some early jitters and a double-digit deficit to open their season with an 85-79 victory over the Southern Miss Golden Eagles (0-1, 0-0 SBC) in the Mid-American Conference (MAC)-Sun-Belt Conference (SBC) Challenge at Alumni Arena on Monday night.
The Golden Eagles controlled the first half and even led by as many as 15, entering halftime up 38-36. After halftime the Bulls settled down and tightened up their defense while relying on their veteran leadership to take control of the game down the strech.
Junior guard Ryan Sabol exploded for a career high 32 points, while also tying his career high in made threes with seven. He also added two rebounds and four assists, setting up the Bulls offense, which would continue to find rhythm throughout the course of the game. Senior guard Angelo Brizzi dropped 18 points to limit any chances of a Southern Miss comeback.
Senior forward Noah Batchelor gave the Bulls a massive presence on the boards. He had a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds. His work on the glass helped the Bulls outrebound the Golden Eagles 30-29.
This win helps Buffalo start the season off strong after ending last year with a losing record of 9-22. This win is an excellent start to reestablishing the Bulls in the college basketball landscape after an offseason of veteran leadership putting in the work.
The Bulls will next host the Green Bay Phoenix (0-1, 0-0 HLC) on Friday, Nov. 7th at 6:30 p.m. at Alumni Arena. The game will be available to watch on ESPN +.
The sports desk can be reached at sports@ubspectrum.com
