The NCAA inserted new rules this offseason - including stronger enforcement of hand checking and defenders having two hands on offensive players in the paint - resulting in more fouls.
The "Purple Nation" crowd of students chanted boisterously, "This is our house!" as the final seconds waned down at the 'Taps' Gallagher Center of Niagara University on Wednesday night. The atmosphere was booming for the Big Four's showdown featuring the Bulls and the Niagara Purple Eagles.
Dear Danny White, I need to apologize. I wrote a column on Oct. 14, 2012 titled "Get real" following the football team's 45-3 loss against Northern Illinois, calling for the job of head coach Jeff Quinn. I realize now that was unfair.
Buffalo's defense entered Toledo on Tuesday night allowing only 274.8 total yards per game and 88.4 rushing yards per game in Mid-American Conference play. The Rockets totaled 229 yards and 103 rushing yards on UB in the first quarter. The Bulls were unable to expand their win streak to a school record eight games, and the Rockets (7-3, 5-1 MAC) defeated Buffalo (7-3, 5-1 MAC) 51-41 on Tuesday night at Glass Bowl.
Passing Game: A- Sophomore quarterback Joe Licata looked good moving around the pocket and making passes on the move.
Stu Riddle inherited a team in need of a change when he took over as head coach of the men's soccer team before this season. The Bulls had finished with a disappointing 5-11-1 record in 2012, a year after making the Mid-American Conference Tournament. Change is exactly what Riddle brought. He put his own stamp on the team, bringing in 12 freshmen and three transfers, including a player from his native New Zealand.
The Bulls will look to continue their scorching play when they travel to face Toledo Tuesday. In this section,
After a 30-3 victory over Ohio in one the biggest regular-season wins in program history, the Bulls take to the road this week for another tough test as they seek their eighth straight win. After two record-setting performances on offense last week - senior running back Branden Oliver had a school record 249 yards rushing and senior receiver Alex Neutz caught his 27th and 28th career touchdowns, tying him for first place among Buffalo receivers - and arguably its strongest defensive performance yet this season, the football team does not have any time to celebrate. The Bulls (7-2, 5-0 Mid-American Conference) will face arguably their toughest conference foe yet as they travel to Toledo to take on the Rockets (6-3, 4-1 MAC) on Tuesday. Toledo is currently third in the MAC West division, with its only loss coming against Ball State (9-1, 6-0 MAC). Last season, the Bulls lost to the Rockets 25-20 at UB Stadium.
Binghamton's women's basketball team entered Alumni Arena last season with a winless record. Buffalo was struggling as well, at 1-8. The Bulls lost 65-60, but finished the season going 11-11.
Jarrett Franklin wasn't sure if he was going to get a chance to play Division II football - let alone Division I. His high school coaches told him his senior year he would be lucky to get a Division II scholarship.
The men's basketball team won't ease into its schedule with a cupcake. It will face one of its toughest opponents all year on Friday night. The Bulls have traveled over 1,400 miles to College Station, Texas, to take on the Texas A&M Aggies of the Southeastern Conference. It's hard to judge the Aggies right now.
In Buffalo football's biggest game in years, its stars delivered a massive blow in their last game at UB Stadium - as they have all season. In front of a national audience on ESPN2, senior receiver Alex Neutz caught two touchdown passes (tying Naaman Roosevelt's career school record of 28), senior running back Branden Oliver rushed for 249 yards (a school Division 1A record) and senior linebacker Khalil Mack forced and recovered a fumble and recorded a safety. The Bulls (7-2, 5-0 Mid-American Conference) beat Ohio 30-3, extending their win streak to seven, the longest since 1959.
Despite a disappointing final season for women's soccer (6-9-1, 3-7-1 Mid-American Conference), the Bulls' senior class was part of a major transformation at UB. From 2008-10 - head coach Michael Thomas' first three seasons with the program - the Bulls won eight games. In the senior class' freshman season (2010), the squad went 1-16-2 and 0-9-3 in MAC competition.
Before most students are awake, Rachael Gregory is working out and putting up shots to improve her basketball game.
It has been nearly eight months since several coworkers and I were driving back to Buffalo from the Mid-American Conference Tournament in Cleveland and one blurted out, "Oh my God.
Expectations around Alumni Arena are high for the men's basketball team this season for a few reasons. Senior forward Javon McCrea is returning for his final season.
Women's basketball senior guard Jenna Rickan makes sure to control her feet when a basketball bounces toward her at practice.
Solutions by The State News
