Sports - The Spectrum

Freshman guard Lamonte Bearden goes up to shoot against an Akron defender. Bearden scored 10 points in Friday night's victory over Akron. The Bulls will face Central Michigan on Saturday night for the MAC title.

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Bulls defeat Akron in MAC semifinals, will play for championship

By Jordan Grossman | Mar. 14, 2015

The No. 2 Bulls (22-9, 13-6 MAC) defeated No. 7 Akron 68-59 after closing the game out on a 19-10 run on Friday night at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. Buffalo advances to the MAC Championships for the first time since 2009, where it lost to Akron 65-53. The Bulls will face No. 1 Central Michigan on Saturday night for the conference title.

Stephanie Reid is emotional after the Bulls' 63-55 loss to No. 1 Ohio in the semi-finals of the Mid-American Conference Tournament on Friday.

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UB Bulls lose to No. 1 Ohio in MAC Tournament semifinals

By Jordan Grossman | Mar. 13, 2015

The No. 4 Bulls (19-12, 12-8 MAC) were defeated by No. 1 Ohio (26-4, 17-2 MAC) 63-55 in the semi-finals of the MAC Tournament, ending their season.

Tedroy Lynch, a graduated Bull, competes in a defensive drill, taking down tackle dummies.

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UB players try out for NFL at Buffalo's Pro Day

By QUENTIN HAYNES | Mar. 12, 2015

Buffalo held its annual Pro Day at Ralph Wilson Fieldhouse Thursday. The Pro Day is crucial for draft-eligible student-athletes who hope to play make NFL rosters next season. The events of the day include the 40-yard dash, bench presses, vertical leaps along with other drills.

Junior guard Joanna Smith (left) and sophomore guard Stephanie Reid (right) compete in a 63-60 victory over Western Michigan in MAC Tournament Quarterfinals last season. The dynamic backcourt duo will be crucial for Buffalo this season.

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UB Bulls women's basketball defeat Western Michigan, advance to MAC semifinals

By Jordan Grossman | Mar. 12, 2015

The No. 4 Bulls (19-11, 12-7 Mid-American Conference) defeated No. 5 Western Michigan (20-12, 11-8 MAC), 63-60, in the quarterfinals of the MAC Tournament at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio.

(From left to right) Senior forward Kristen Sharkey, sophomore forward Alexus Malone, freshman guard Stephanie Reid, Senior forward Christa Baccas and sophomore guards Karin Moss and Joanna Smith embrace one another in Buffalo's 87-80 victory over Akron on Feb. 28. The Bulls are a No. 4 seed in the MAC Tournament.

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UB women's basketball team locks up a No. 4 seed and double-bye to the quarterfinals

By Jordan Grossman | Mar. 10, 2015

The Bulls (18-11, 11-7 MAC) will try to make a run to the NCAA Tournament starting on Thursday at noon when they take on the winner of No. 5 Western Michigan (19-11, 11-7 MAC) and No. 9 Central Michigan (13-17, 7-11 MAC), which will take place on Wednesday.

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Men’s swimming and diving takes third place at MAC Championship

By BOBBY MCINTOSH | Mar. 10, 2015

The Bulls took 16 swimmers and five divers to Geneva, Ohio to compete at the SPIRE Institute from Wednesday, March 4 – Saturday, March 7 for the MAC title. After a slow start on the final day of events, the Bulls claimed third place.

The baseball team went 2-2 this weekend in Dayton, Ohio.

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UB baseball splits weekend series

By MICHAEL AKELSON | Mar. 10, 2015

The Bulls (3-6) went 2-2 in four games this weekend in Dayton, Ohio against the Dayton Flyers (5-8). The team scored a season-high seven runs in a loss in Monday’s first game, but were outscored 21-20 over the series.

(From left to right) Sophomore guard Shannon Evans, senior forward Xavier Ford, junior forward Justin Moss, junior guard Jarryn Skeete and junior forward Rodell Wigginton during a timeout in Buffalo's 77-68 victory over Miami Ohio on Jan. 17. They will lead the Bulls into the MAC Semifinals on Friday after securing a triple-bye.

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UB men's basketball prepare for MAC Tournament with championship aspirations

By QUENTIN HAYNES | Mar. 10, 2015

Bulls claimed a MAC East division title, a share of the regular season MAC Championship and a triple-bye in this week’s conference tournament in Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. The No. 2 seeded Bulls (21-9, 12-6 MAC) will play a yet to be determined opponent Friday in the MAC Semifinals – meaning they’ll will need just two victories to claim their first ever MAC Tournament championship, as well as the program’s first ever NCAA tournament bid.

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Buzzer Beater: contenders or pretenders for the MAC Tournament

By Sports Desk | Mar. 10, 2015

The Spectrum sports desk discusses whether the Bulls are legitimate contenders to win the tournament or if there is a team or two that we see knocking them off beforehand.

Alumni Arena was packed out with 6,607 fans - the third-highest total in the arenas history and the largest in over 10 years - on Friday night when the Bulls defeated Bowling Green 77-75.

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#Operation6607: The highest attendance at Alumni Arena in over 10 years

By Jordan Grossman | Mar. 8, 2015

The Bulls’ 77-75 victory over Bowling Green Friday night – that clinched a No. 2 seed and triple-bye in the upcoming Mid-American Conference Tournament – had an announced crowd of 6,607 – the third highest total in Alumni Arena history.

Junior guard Rodell Wigginton crosses over Bowling Green guard David Joseph. Wigginton and the Bulls defeated Kent State on Tuesday and Bowling Green on Friday en route to a triple-bye in the MAC Tournament.

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Hardwood Report Card: UB Bulls take MAC East title

By Sports Desk | Mar. 8, 2015

The men’s basketball team (21-9, 12-6 Mid-American Conference) went 2-0 this week with victories over Ohio (10-19, 5-13 MAC) and Bowling Green (19-10, 11-7 MAC). The Spectrum graded their performance.

Sophomore guard Joanna Smith dribbles up the court. On Saturday, Smith scored 15 points in a 68-58 victory over Kent State.

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UB Bulls defeat Golden Flashes 68-58 on Saturday

By QUENTIN HAYNES | Mar. 8, 2015

The Bulls (18-11, 11-7 Mid-American Conference) defeated Kent State (5-24, 3-15 MAC) 68-58 in Kent, Ohio. The Bulls secured their first 18-win season since the 2002-2003 campaign as they led wire-to-wire. The win also earned the team a No. 4 seed in next week’s MAC Tournament, which automatically gives it a bye to the quarterfinals.

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UB Bulls defeat Bowling Green 77-75 to clinch the MAC East

By Jordan Grossman | Mar. 7, 2015

The Bulls (21-9, 12-6 MAC) defeated Bowling Green (20-10, 11-7 MAC) 77-75 on Friday night to clinch the MAC East division at a sold-out Alumni Arena on Friday night.

Head coach Felisha Legette-Jack (pictured) will lead the Bulls on Friday against Kent State in the team’s final regular season matchup of the season.

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UB women’s basketball to take on Kent State in regular season finale

By Jordan Grossman | Mar. 5, 2015

On Saturday afternoon, the Bulls (17-11, 10-7 Mid-American Conference) will take on Kent State (5-23, 2-14 MAC) in Kent, Ohio in the final regular season matchup of the 2014-15 season. Buffalo is currently tied with Toledo, Central Michigan and Western Michigan for fourth place in the conference.

Head coach Chris Jans and the Bowling Green Falcons will square off against Bobby Hurley and the Bulls on Friday in the final regular season matchup of the year. If the Bulls win, they will win the MAC East.

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UB men's basketball preview: Bulls look to secure the MAC East

By QUENTIN HAYNES | Mar. 5, 2015

Two weeks ago, the Bulls were on a three-game losing streak and fell into the middle of the pack in the Mid-American Conference standings. It looked like the team was set to play in the first round of the MAC Tournament. But a five-game winning streak heading into the final matchup of the season propelled the team into position to win the MAC East.

Senior forward Christa Baccas scores a layup during Wednesday's 55-47 victory over Bowling Green.

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UB women’s basketball defeats Bowling Green, in play for double-bye

By QUENTIN HAYNES | Mar. 5, 2015

In the three games prior to Wednesday’s matchup, the women’s basketball team scored over 70 points in three straight games for the first time since Nov. 18 – Nov. 25.

Junior guard Rodell Wigginton drives to the basket against Ohio in Buffalo's 93-66 win Tuesday night. Wigginton had a career-high 20 points.

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UB Bulls defeat Ohio 93-66, set up crucial finale against Bowling Green

By JAMES BATTLE | Mar. 4, 2015

The Bulls defeated the Bobcats 93-66 on Tuesday evening at Alumni Arena in front of an announced crowd of 3,596, marking the team’s season-high fifth straight win. The team also registered its highest scoring output of the season. If the Bulls win against Bowling Green (19-9, 11-6) on Friday, they will clinch at least a share of the MAC East.

The men’s team celebrates a victory on the field. For Spring break, the Bulls will travel to the United Kingdom to gain experience while submersed in the English soccer culture.

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UB men's soccer team to go on 10-day trip to the United Kingdom over spring break

By Jordan Grossman | Mar. 3, 2015

For the first time ever, the men’s soccer team will travel to the United Kingdom to check out the competitive culture of English soccer firsthand.

Reed Sunahara walks out of the Buffalo huddle at a Bulls volleyball game in Alumni Arena during the 2014 season. Sunahara resigned his position as head coach on Monday to take the same job at West Virginia.

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UB volleyball head coach Reed Sunahara resigns to take job at West Virginia

By Jordan Grossman | Mar. 2, 2015

Reed Sunahara resigned as the volleyball team’s head coach to assume the same position at West Virginia University on Monday after only one season in Buffalo.

During the women's MAC Swimming and Diving Championship, held in Ypsilanti, Michigan Feb. 25-28, the Bulls finished with nine individual first-place finishes and two team relay wins in 20 events and finished fourth in the competition with 477 points. Jessica Powers (middle) claimed gold in the 500-freestyle, finishing ahead of (from left to right) Akron’s Kara Kaulius, Miami Ohio’s Stephan Pearce, Eastern Michigan’s Carly Jackson, Akron’s Ash Drazkowski, sophomore Paula Stoddard, Bowling Green’s Tara Capouch and Toledo’s Lauren Comer.

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Women’s swimming and diving places fourth at the MAC Championships

By BOBBY MCINTOSH | Mar. 1, 2015

The Bulls finished with nine individual first-place finishes and two team relay wins in 20 events, but finished fourth in the competition with 477 points in the women’s MAC Swimming and Diving Championship that began on Wednesday, Feb. 25 and concluded on Saturday, Feb. 28 at the Michael H. Jones Natatorium in Ypsilanti, Michigan.