The men's basketball team was the Cinderella story of the Mid-American Conference last season. They have been picked as the overwhelming favorite of the MAC's East Division this season.
As the clock struck midnight on Saturday morning, the Buffalo basketball faithful were reminded that this horse-drawn carriage wasn't turning back into a pumpkin anytime soon.
Students gathered at Alumni Arena Friday night for Midnight Mania festivities, which returned to UB this weekend following a five-year hiatus. With a crowd of approximately 1,500 energetic fans in attendance, the new basketball season was officially ushered in at Alumni Arena.
"We brought it back this year really because the students had requested it," said Bill Maher, Interim Director of Athletics. "(Midnight Mania) is something that our basketball teams really enjoy and it's a way that we can kick off the season and get things rolling for the basketball year."
Last year, the men's basketball team went on a late February tear, ultimately finishing the 2003-2004 season with a 17-12 record and an appearance in the quarterfinals of the MAC tournament.
Music, contests and a plentiful amount of free food served as precursors to a countdown to midnight. Following a small-scale pyrotechnic display inside the arena, game time announcer Tim Rosenhaus introduced the players and coaches of the 2004-2005 men's and women's basketball teams to the boisterous crowd.
"It's great to see this many people come out on a Friday night and enjoy the new arena," said head men's basketball coach Reggie Witherspoon. "I wasn't sure what to expect in terms of the crowd, but to see this many people this enthusiastic is really great."
Although the crowd was favorably receptive to all of the UB players, senior point guard and pre-season All-MAC honoree Turner Battle was the clear fan favorite, as indicated by the crowd's ovation.
"It's my last season and I'm very excited about it," said Battle. "We worked hard this summer for this season, we've worked hard all the years I've been here and now we're here where we want to be and we just have to keep it up."
The basketball portion of the evening began with a three-point shooting competition that pitted two mixed teams consisting of players from both the men's and women's squad against each other. Although there was no clear winner, the competition served as an excellent preview of the long-range shooting prowess that fans of the Bulls can expect to see in the upcoming season.
"Our kids are excited and there's a ton of energy in the building. It doesn't get any better than this," said head women's basketball coach Cheryl Dozier. "It's just a great atmosphere; this is what college is all about."
Most notably for the women's squad, the three point shooting competition marked the return of dead-eye shooter Erin Lawrenson. Lawrenson, a junior, is currently ranked eighth all-time in three point field goals made at UB despite battling injuries throughout the majority of her career.
After a brief warm-up, the Bulls further showcased their talents in an inter-squad scrimmage. The men and women alternated court time in five-minute spurts under a running 20-minute game clock. In a contest that recalled the NBA all-star game, defense was minimal and the offense took control from the onset.
With no clear winning team, the players on each team were able to take over and were able to ultimately give the dwindling crowd a show.
For the men, junior guard Calvin Cage was flashy in his ball-handling maneuvers while senior forward Danny Gilbert electrified the crowd with two uncontested jams in a row. Yassin "The Dream" Idbihi wasn't slowed by the 40 pounds of muscle he added to his frame in the offseason. Mark Bortz was ever present in the post.
"I know this is the first time in my four years here that we've had Midnight Madness," said Bortz. "We're really excited to come out here and put on a little bit of a show; let the fans get a taste of what's to come for the season."
On the women's side, Allison Bennett, a three-year starter for the Bulls and one of the most consistent guards on UB's roster, put on an offensive clinic. Bennett wasn't the only bright spot for the Bulls, however. She was complimented by the fresh antics and noticeable hustle of her younger sister, Stephanie, a freshman this season for UB.
"By introducing the team and just bringing out the UB community tonight, I think it will definitely help and keep our fan base up," said Allison Bennett. "We all just feel a close chemistry. Everybody's been working really hard and we're ready to get into the season and get things started."
Photo: Courtesy of SUNY
