Sports - The Spectrum

Lance Leipold runs onto the field during the opening game of the 2018 season. The Bulls head coach signed a new contract worth $615,000 per year.

SPORTS

Buffalo extends Lance Leipold through 2023

By NATHANIEL MENDELSON | Feb. 7, 2019

Head football coach Lance Leipold received a five-year contract extension running through the 2023 season, UB Athletics announced on Tuesday. Leipold came to UB in 2014 and just completed his fourth season as head coach. He led Buffalo to a school-record 10 wins and 7-1 record in the Mid-American Conference this season. The Bulls appeared in just their second MAC Championship game and earned the third-ever bowl berth. Leipold receives a $159,500 salary increase with the extension.

Senior guard Dontay Caruthers picks up his dribble in the corner in a previous game. Caruthers had a career-high 28 points in UB’s loss against Bowling Green.

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No. 18 Bulls fall to Bowling Green

By Sports Desk | Feb. 3, 2019

Bowling Green is now the top team in the Mid-American Conference. The Bulls (19-3, 7-2 MAC) found themselves in front of a sold-out Bowling Green crowd Friday night to take on the Falcons (15-6, 7-1 MAC).

The Bulls pose to celebrate their win. The women’s tennis team opened its 2019 spring season with two dominating performances.

SPORTS

Women’s tennis starts spring season with two wins

By Sports Desk | Feb. 3, 2019

Miller Tennis Center reopened for business this weekend as men’s and women’s tennis each hosted their first home matches of the season. The women’s tennis team picked right up where it left off last season, when the Bulls won their second-straight Mid-American Conference Championship. Now the team is on track for a third.

The Bulls celebrate their third Mid-American Conference championship in four years. Head coach Nate Oats wants to build a great program not just a great team.

SPORTS

Bulls don’t want to be this year’s Loyola Chicago

By NATHANIEL MENDELSON | Feb. 3, 2019

Loyola-Chicago, as an 11 seed in the NCAA March Madness tournament, made a magical run to the final four last season. The Ramblers took over the television screens of millions of Americans, who watched in awe as the unknown school and its 99-year-old mascot Sister Jean stole hearts and produced one of the best underdog stories of the year.

Junior forward Summer Hemphill converts the tough layup. The Bulls, without Hemphill, lacked their best athlete on the court.

SPORTS

Buzzer-beating leadership

By NATHANIEL MENDELSON | Feb. 3, 2019

Summer Hemphill found herself wide open in the closing seconds against Western Michigan. Senior guard Cierra Dillard launched a full-court pass and found Hemphill for the buzzer-beating layup, giving the Bulls a 61-59 win and a spot on ESPN’s top-10 plays. Most importantly, Hemphill, a junior forward, found more than a highlight reel play –– she found redemption.

Sophomore guard Jayvon Graves goes up and under the rim for a layup. Graves finished with a double double in the 83-59 win.

SPORTS

‘Buffalo, they're not going to let a snowstorm keep them away’

By NATHANIEL MENDELSON | Jan. 30, 2019

Families across Erie County hunkered down Tuesday night, knowing they would be greeted with over a foot of snow when they woke up.

Head strength and conditioning coach Lewis Caralla pushes senior center James O'Hagan. Caralla brought a new energy to the UB weight room but is leaving less than one year after being hired.

SPORTS

Lewis Caralla to leave UB

By NATHANIEL MENDELSON | Dec. 27, 2018

Head strength and conditioning coach Lewis Caralla is leaving UB after one season to be the head strength coach at Georgia Tech, Caralla announced Thursday on Twitter. It will be Caralla’s third job in three years. Caralla, who joined the Bulls last Jan. 19, brought new enthusiasm to the Buffalo weight room and field with his highly energetic style.

Junior quarterback Tyree Jackson winds up to throw. Jackson might not be in a Bulls uniform next season, as he enters the NCAA transfer portal.

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Tyree Jackson enters NCAA transfer portal

By NATHANIEL MENDELSON | Dec. 26, 2018

Bulls fans might see Tyree Jackson in a different jersey next fall. Jackson, a junior quarterback, entered the NCAA transfer portal on Wednesday. Jackson will be eligible to become a graduate-transfer and will not have to sit out a season if he transfers.

Junior quarterback Tyree Jackson walks off the field at the Mid-American Conference title game. Jackson had 274 yards passing, one touchdown, an interception and a fumble in what could be his final game as a Bull in the Dollar General Bowl Saturday night.

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Bulls check out at Dollar General Bowl

By NATHANIEL MENDELSON | Dec. 23, 2018

The Bulls had two chances to be champions this season. They lost both. Junior quarterback Tyree Jackson had an opportunity to throw the ball away; instead, he fumbled. The fumble sealed the fate of Buffalo as Troy took over on the UB 20-yard line. The Trojans scored a touchdown five seconds later.

CJ Massinburg dribbles up to a Daemon defender. Massinburg helped lead the Bulls to a historic victory over Syracuse Tuesday night.

SPORTS

Best in state

By THOMAS ZAFONTE | Dec. 19, 2018

SYRACUSE — The No.-14 Bulls beat the Syracuse Orangemen 71-59 at the Carrier Dome Tuesday night, in a nationally broadcasted game on ESPN2. Senior guard CJ Massinburg put on an all-star performance, finishing with 25 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists to continue the program’s strongest season start. Massinburg and the Bulls (11-0) played strong defense all night, with Syracuse (7-4) going 24-of-57 from the field. Buffalo led the game in rebounds, assists and three pointers.

Celtics point guard Kyrie Irving drives past Derrick Rose. The Celtics play the Philadelphia 76ers on Christmas day.

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NBA Christmas watching guide

By THOMAS ZAFONTE | Dec. 6, 2018

It has been a weird first month of the NBA. The Oklahoma City Thunder were bad and now look well-built. That’s odd. The Los Angeles Lakers look like a losing team, but have a winning record and wrecking ball on defense in Tyson Chandler. We found out even LeBron James can’t carry an entire defense. The Boston Celtics look like garbage, but they have arguably the second-most-stacked team in the NBA.

Senior guard CJ Massinburg dives through the lane against Daemen. Men’s basketball plays games against Syracuse and Marquette during the winter break.

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UB winter semester games to watch

By THOMAS ZAFONTE | Dec. 6, 2018

Buffalo in the winter is when the arctic comes to Western New York. The brutal cold mixed with lake-effect snow guarantees anyone here will be stuck inside. Luckily, UB’s biggest sports programs have Buffalonians covered with championship and high-level games to watch. The Spectrum compiled the games that will keep Bulls fans busy as they wait for more classes at the end of January.

Senior forward Nick Perkins defends against a driving Le Moyne player. Perkins had 18 points in 22 minutes off the bench for the Bulls.

SPORTS

Triple double, triple threat

By THOMAS ZAFONTE | Dec. 6, 2018

Senior guard CJ Massinburg led a second-half rally Wednesday night with UB basketball’s second triple-double in school history, to help No.17-ranked Buffalo earn an 89-55 win over the Le Moyne Dolphins.

Junior wide receiver K.J. Osborn rushes past defenders in the 2018 MAC Championship game. Osborn and the Bulls will have another championship chance, when they play in the Dollar General Bowl on Dec. 22.

SPORTS

Bulls go Bowling

By NATHANIEL MENDELSON | Dec. 6, 2018

The Bulls play in the Dollar General Bowl on Dec. 22 against the Troy Trojans. The game takes place in Mobile, Alabama at Ladd-Peebles Stadium. It is Buffalo’s first bowl game since 2013.

Victor E. Bull and members of the cheerleading team lead the Bulls onto the field at the MAC Championship game. Buffalo was selected to play in the Dollar General Bowl.

SPORTS

Bulls headed to Dollar General Bowl

By NATHANIEL MENDELSON | Dec. 3, 2018

Buffalo football head coach Lance Leipold wants his team to be proud but not satisfied. Leipold had a chance to address his team Sunday, meeting for the first time since losing the Mid-American Conference Championship game. Through mixed emotions as the Bulls process the loss, Buffalo announced it will be playing a bowl game this year.

Senior guard Autumn Jones dribbles down the court. Jones had 16 points in the Bulls’ road win on Saturday.

SPORTS

Seniors lead charge in win over Central Connecticut State

By Sports Desk | Dec. 3, 2018

The Bulls made it a three-game win streak on Saturday, beating the Central Connecticut State Devils 82-69 on the road. Buffalo’s (5-1) strongest performances came from senior guard Cierra Dillard and senior forward Brittany Morrison. Dillard led in scoring, finishing with 27 points, 6 rebounds and 2 steals. Morrison had her first double-double of the season, having 11 points and 16 rebounds Saturday afternoon.

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Bulls win Belfast Classic

By Sports Desk | Dec. 1, 2018

The Bulls beat the Milwaukee Panthers (2-6) and the San Francisco Dons (7-1) this weekend, to win the Belfast Hall of Fame Classic in Belfast, Northern Ireland for the first time in program history.

Seniors Khalil Hodge, Cameron Lewis, Brandon Williams and Tatum Slack kneel in disbelief as Bulls lose MAC title game.

SPORTS

Disappointment in Detroit

By NATHANIEL MENDELSON | Dec. 1, 2018

DETROIT –– The Bulls were up 19 points in the second half and there was little doubt they would be the Mid-American Conference champions. But Northern Illinois shocked Buffalo by scoring 20 unanswered points and the Huskies became MAC football champs instead.

SPORTS

The Edge: MAC Championship Edition

By THOMAS ZAFONTE | Nov. 28, 2018

The Bulls are headed for the Mid-American Conference Championship for the first time since 2008. Buffalo football (10-2, 7-1 MAC) will play the Northern Illinois Huskies (7-5, 6-2 MAC) at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan Friday at 7 p.m. The Bulls are looking for the program’s second MAC Championship, coming off winning the MAC East Division this season.

Victor E. Bull and True Blue cheer in the student section at UB Stadium.

SPORTS

Drinking with the Bulls

By THOMAS ZAFONTE | Nov. 28, 2018

UB began selling alcohol at basketball games last week and offered solely Bud Light at concession stands and standalone kiosks. Within a few months, there could be a lot more drinking options for UB sports fans.