Sports - The Spectrum

Senior forward Raheem Johnson watches his teammates practice in Providence, Rhode Island on March 16, the day before their NCAA Tournament game against Miami.

SPORTS

UB Bull Raheem Johnson receives medical waiver, will return next season

By Tom Dinki | Mar. 30, 2016

The Mid-American Conference has granted Raheem Johnson a medical hardship waiver and the senior forward will get one more year of eligibility. Johnson missed all but one game this past season. After missing the early party of the season with a foot injury, Johnson scored four points and grabbed seven rebounds against Iowa State on Dec. 7 before re-injuring his foot and missing the rest of the season.

OPINION

American League predictions: Royals return to defend crown, Astros appear to be best team in league

By QUENTIN HAYNES | Mar. 30, 2016

The Major League Baseball season will start on April 3 with the New York Mets facing the Kansas City Royals. To kick off the baseball season, I wanted to provide some predictions on who will make the playoffs, who will win the major awards and who will ultimately walk away with a World Series championship. Let’s start with the American League playoff teams.

OPINION

American League predictions: Yankees take the East, defending champs Royals take the Central

By Jordan Grossman | Mar. 30, 2016

If you predicted Josh Donaldson to take home MVP honors or no-name Dallas Keuchel to win the Cy Young, you are probably lying. Last season was one of the most unpredictable years in the MLB’s American League in quite some time. Players that weren’t even on the radar before the season now enter as some of the hottest storylines to follow for the 2016 season. There will always be fresh talent ready to amaze the baseball crowds. It’s just a matter of whom. Here are my predictions for the 2016 AL playoff teams.

Senior outfielder Mike Abrunzo makes contact with an opponent’s pitch. The Bulls won two of their three games against Toledo - their first series in MAC play.

SPORTS

UB Bulls quick hits: Women’s tennis and softball continue hot streaks

By Sport Desk | Mar. 29, 2016

One of the hottest teams on campus, the women's tennis team is currently riding a four-game winning streak, including a pair of victories over the weekend to start MAC play.

Bulls head coach Felisha Legette-Jack looks on, leading her team in the right direction. A former player and coach at Syracuse University, Legette-Jack was impressed at her alma mater’s run to the Final Four.

SPORTS

Legette-Jack proud of alma mater ‘Cuse’s improbable run to Final Four

By Jordan Grossman | Mar. 29, 2016

Felisha Legette-Jack’s alma mater’s run to the Final Four is aspiring the Buffalo women’s basketball team head coach and her players, who recently just completed their own conference championship season and improbable run to the NCAA Women’s Tournament.

Head coach John Stutzman overlooks a Bulls wrestler during practice as Buffalo prepares for the 2015-16 season.

SPORTS

UB Bulls wrestlers are teammates on the mat and in the dorm

By MICHAEL AKELSON | Mar. 28, 2016

Most wrestlers spend their first year living in the heart of Governors Hall, at the request of head coach John Stutzman. According to Stutzman, it’s been a tradition since he was a wrestler at UB in the mid-1990s.

OPINION

It would be best for Donyell Marshall and the UB Bulls if he stays put

By Jordan Grossman | Mar. 25, 2016

And it should be the only rumor he wants to hear as well. I don’t understand why Marshall, even with his rich résumé in the NBA, would leave Mid-Major Buffalo just yet. I’ll say that again. Marshall, a 15-year veteran who has played with some of the NBA’s greatest, should stay at a program that reached just its second-ever postseason appearance. You bet it.

The D-III men’s hockey team celebrate a 4-2 victory over Penn State this past Sunday. The Bulls brought home their first-ever NCHA Championship this past weekend.

SPORTS

Tiring practices, program hardships push UB men's ice hockey to first-ever NCHA Championship

By QUENTIN HAYNES | Mar. 25, 2016

The men’s ice hockey team defeated Penn State 4-2 this past Sunday to win its first-ever National Collegiate Hockey Association Championship.

SPORTS

UB Bulls assistant coach Donyell Marshall linked to Rutgers position

By QUENTIN HAYNES | Mar. 23, 2016

Buffalo men’s basketball assistant coach Donyell Marshall will be hired as an assistant coach at Rutgers, according to a report from CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein. A UB Athletics spokesperson said Wednesday afternoon that Marshall is still on staff with the Bulls. Marshall has ties with Rutgers new head coach Steve Pikiell, as they both played at UConn. Pikiell was also an assistant coach for UConn during Marshall’s college career.

Both the men’s and women’s basketball teams come together for a group photo during Tuesday’s rally in the Student Union. Both teams won their respective Mid-American Championships last week and made NCAA Tournament appearances.

SPORTS

UB men's and women's basketball bring home the hardware with MAC Championship, NCAA Tournament appearance celebration

By QUENTIN HAYNES | Mar. 23, 2016

On Monday, students, media, alumni and fans gathered in the Student Union for a rally to celebrate both teams’ conference tournament championships and NCAA Tournament appearances. Players, coaches and President Satish Tripathi were present, while members of the administration, including Athletic Director Allen Greene, were not present due to a planned vacation.

The helmet of junior linebacker Jarrett Franklin displays the phrase "All 41" in honor of Solomon Jackson. The entire Bulls roster will wear the same phrase on the front of their helmets this year as well.

SPORTS

UB Bulls hold first official spring practice after death of Solomon Jackson

By Jordan Grossman | Mar. 22, 2016

It’s been nearly a month since former Bull Solomon Jackson died following a medical emergency at a team conditioning session on Feb. 22. Tuesday marked the Bulls’ first official practice of the upcoming 2016 season and first after the death of Jackson.

The Bulls huddle during their NCAA Women's Tournament game against Ohio State in Columbus, Ohio on March 18.

SPORTS

UB women's basketball looking upward after first NCAA Tournament

By QUENTIN HAYNES | Mar. 20, 2016

The next question: Where can the Bulls go from here?

OPINION

UB women’s basketball is ahead of schedule

By QUENTIN HAYNES | Mar. 19, 2016

My first reaction was shock that Buffalo, fresh off a successful conference tournament run, could look barley competitive. Then I stopped and remembered just how far this team had come from the start of the regular season – how we started to see some of its strengths and how players you didn’t know about five months ago stepped up in moments you could’ve never imagined. I remembered this team is ahead of schedule.

Junior center Cassie Oursler tries to go for a rebound against Ohio State forward Makayla Waterman Friday. The Bulls fell 88-69 against Ohio State in the first round of the NCAA Women's Tournament.

SPORTS

UB women's basketball drops first-ever NCAA Tournament game to Ohio State 88-69

By QUENTIN HAYNES | Mar. 19, 2016

Head coach Felisha Legette-Jack took Friday's loss as a learning experience for both her and the team.

The Buffalo women's basketball team practices in the St. John Arena Thursday afternoon to prepare for its matchup with No. 3 seed Ohio State.

SPORTS

UB women’s basketball looking to come out victorious in first-ever NCAA Tournament game

By QUENTIN HAYNES | Mar. 18, 2016

The surprising upstart Bulls (20-13, 8-10 Mid-American Conference) want to see just how good they really are – and what better way to do that than beating one of the top teams in the country like Ohio State?

SPORTS

UB Bulls come close, end up falling short in NCAA Tournament for second straight year

By Tom Dinki | Mar. 17, 2016

No. 3 seed Miami (26-7, 13-5 Atlantic Coast Conference) took care of business and downed the No. 14 seed Bulls 79-72 in the round of 64 inside Providence College's Dunkin’ Donuts Center.

Sophomore guard Lamonte Bearden (right) drives to the basket against Miami in the Bulls' NCAA Tournament game. Bulls trail 35-33 and Bearden has nine points.

SPORTS

HALFTIME: UB Bulls trail Miami 35-33 in NCAA Tournament

By Tom Dinki | Mar. 17, 2016

PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND – The Buffalo men’s basketball team (20-14, 10-8 Mid-American Conference) trails Miami 35-33 at the end of the first half in its opening game of the NCAA Tournament in the Dunkin’ Donuts Center.

OPINION

Legette-Jack and UB women’s basketball’s Cinderella run was long time coming

By Tom Dinki | Mar. 17, 2016

Felisha Legette-Jack is without question the most intense coach on UB’s campus. It’s hard not to leave one of her Buffalo women’s basketball practices or postgame interviews – where she is always both animated, passionate and even a little intimidating – not feeling a little motivated yourself, even if you’re from being a Division-I women’s basketball player. So when Legette-Jack said she wanted to build “the village” or community of support to help grow her young Bulls team this season – it was hard to dismiss it as the campy and cliché coach speak that it would be if 99 percent of coaches said it.

Head coach Nate Oats looks on during the Bulls' open practice Wednesday before their NCAA Tournament against Miami.

SPORTS

UB Bulls continue to play loose heading into second straight NCAA appearance

By Tom Dinki | Mar. 16, 2016

The Bulls (20-14, 10-8 MAC), despite less than ideal circumstances, have been cool and calm this entire unexpected championship repeat season, and will have to stay that way if they want any hope of upsetting No. 3 seed Miami in the round of 64 Thursday night.

(From left to right) Miami Hurricanes Angel Rodriguez, Sheldon McClellan and Tonye Jekiri speak to the media about the Buffalo men's basketball team at the Dunkin' Donuts Center Wednesday afternoon.

SPORTS

What the Miami Hurricanes are saying about the UB Bulls

By Tom Dinki | Mar. 16, 2016

The Bulls (20-14, 10-8 Mid-American Conference) are the No. 14 seed and heavy underdogs, but the Hurricanes favorably compared them to some ACC teams Wednesday afternoon, though they maintained they feel confident Buffalo is good matchup for them.