The madness begins: Bulls basketball debuts

Men’s basketball junior guard Jarryn Skeete lobbed the ball at the side of the Alumni Arena backboard Friday night. Junior guard and Central Florida transfer Rodell Wigginton caught the ball and spun 360 degrees mid-air before slamming it in.

The basket did not count for two points, but did help Skeete and Wigginton earn a slam-dunk title from a panel of celebrity guest judges, including Buffalo Bills center Eric Wood and former Bulls wide receiver Naaman Roosevelt.

“I just went out there and gave it my all,” Wigginton said. “I wanted to put on a show for the kids and the fans.”

Although their seasons do not start for another few weeks, the men’s and women’s basketball teams gave Bulls fans a reason to cheer Friday night in Alumni Arena, as the teams hosted Bulls Madness. The annual pep rally included player and coach introductions, intrasquad scrimmages and shooting, dunk and three-point contests.

The championship round of the dunk competition came down to Wigginton and junior forward Justin Moss. Moss dunked over sophomore guard Shannon Evans, who was sitting in a chair in front of the basket.

“It was fun,” Evans said. “Justin and I are really good friends so I had no problem with him dunking over me.”

Both teams showcased their new players to fans in 10-minute scrimmages. The women’s team introduced several freshmen, including forward Mariah Suchan and twin freshman guards Liisa and Katherine Ups. The men’s team debuted new freshmen players as well, including forward Ikenna Smart and guards Lamonte Bearden and Bobby Frasco.

“I just wanted the guys to express themselves, have some fun and enjoy the atmosphere,” said men’s head coach Bobby Hurley. “For our new guys, it gave them an opportunity to play in front of a crowd for the first time.”

Fans also had an opportunity to showcase their skills on the court. Four UB students participated in a shooting challenge with some of the players.

Skeete and senior forward Kristen Sharkey played on a team with a male and female student, while Evans and sophomore guard Rachael Gregory did the same on the opposing team.

Each team had 45 seconds to make as many shots from the free throw corner as possible.

“It gave me an idea how it feels to be on the team,” said sophomore engineering major Marcus Crewe, who participated in the contest. “It’s a lot more pressure than people expect. Having people cheer for you is something special.”

Sophomore guard Joanna Smith electrified the crowd when she knocked down 14 shots in the one-minute opening round of the three-point contest. Smith eventually lost to senior forward Will Regan, however, who won the competition by sinking 17 shots in the final round.

“I think the energy has never been louder at Alumni Arena,” said junior guard Mackenzie Loesing. “It’s great to know the community is just as excited as we are. I hope it translates to the season.”

Both teams expressed excitement for the upcoming season, which begins in mid-November. Women’s head coach Felisha Legette-Jack believes this year’s team will have more depth than last season.

“I’m excited about our balance,” Legette-Jack said. “We really had to rely on Sharkey and Mackenzie way too much last year. That’s not going to be a problem this year.”

The women’s team returns four out of five starters from last season’s team that earned the highest MAC Tournament seeding in program history. The men graduated three starters from last season, including UB all-time leading scorer Javon McCrea but have also brought in a highly talented recruiting class, Regan said.

“We have a great group of freshman,” Regan said. “I want to make sure we take advantage of every opportunity we have. Doing that is going to be through leadership. In my last season, I want to make the most of my experience and propel these younger guys for after I leave.”

Both teams host exhibition games at Alumni Arena, with the men playing Wheeling Jesuit on Nov. 6 and the women facing Buffalo State on Nov. 8. Both teams begin the season on Nov. 14 in a doubleheader at Alumni Arena. The women’s team hosts Siena at 5 p.m. and the men follow with a 7:30 p.m. matchup with South Dakota State.

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