The Streak Is On

A super sized rally with a side of 3-bombs rocketed the UB men's basketball team to victory on Sunday afternoon against the Ball State Cardinals.

Jason Bird and Turner Battle helped turn things around for the Bulls (8-9, 4-5 Mid-American Conference), who trailed by double digits not once, but twice during the first half.

Sunday's 84-73 win marked the first victory in 24 years for Buffalo over the Cardinals, as well as their first three-game conference winning streak since joining the MAC six years ago.

"To win against a program like that is a good feeling," said UB head coach Reggie Witherspoon. "Anytime you are on the road it is difficult to come in, play well, and win."

Ball State (8-9, 5-4 MAC) played with a swagger in the first half that diminished quicker than their shot in the second half. After leading 42-32 in the young minutes of the second half, Buffalo slowly but surely shot itself back into the game, eventually taking the lead at 51-50 on a Bird three.

Ball State was quick to answer with a three of their own; making it 53-51, but then things went suddenly, and terribly, wrong for BSU. The Bulls shot threes unconsciously, connecting on six straight to open up a 73-55 advantage.

And with that, the Bulls never looked back.

"We were beat in so many phases of the game today," stated BSU head coach Tim Buckley in a press release. "It is my responsibility."

One of those phases Buckley was referring to could have been rebounding.

Buffalo owned the glass, with three players snatching nine and totaling 48 rebounds.

UB also handcuffed Ball State's top player Cameron Echols, who finished with a paltry four points and two boards.

The Bulls have now won three straight games, and are very familiar with streaks this season. They opened the season 0-3, won the next five to jump to 5-3 and then lost the subsequent six to fall to 5-9.

Turner Battle led all players with 20 points and Jason Bird played wingman connecting on three straight 3-pointers during the Bull's 19-0 run that put the game in the W column for Buffalo.

UB next plays at 7 p.m. on Wednesday in Alumni Arena against a Central Michigan team that is yet to record a MAC victory (0-9).