Following an away-game win over Northern Illinois (5-20, 1-11 MAC) last Tuesday, the Bulls (8-17, 3-9 MAC) were defeated 63-59 by the Bowling Green Falcons in their return to home conference play on Saturday afternoon.
The first half of the game saw both sides struggling to develop a consistent offensive rhythm, each relying on their defensive force to keep it competitive. Turnovers were commonplace, and the half ended with 22 total. Neither side built a significant lead. Buffalo never led by more than two points but kept the scoring margin low. The first period concluded with the Falcons in the lead by a single point.
Despite the efforts of both teams to secure full control, the game remained tightly contested throughout the second half. Bowling Green managed to keep their slim lead throughout the rest of the game, capitalizing on every visit to the free-throw line and closing down Buffalo’s star sophomore guard Ryan Sabol.
Sabol, the Mid-American Conference leader in three-point attempts and a top-10 all-time three-point converter in UB program history, couldn’t find many good chances as he was regularly double-teamed. He didn’t attempt any shots from behind the arc until late in the second half, ending the game with only nine total points and a single three-pointer.
Fellow sophomore guard Anquan Boldin Jr. was the primary force behind Buffalo’s limited offense in this matchup. He finished with 12 points, seven rebounds and a block.
The Bulls will next face Western Michigan (8-17, 5-7 MAC) on Tuesday. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.
Rodrigo Feijão is the senior sports editor and can be reached at rodrigo.feijao@ubspectrum.com
Photo: Courtesy of Mitchell Kish
