Sports - The Spectrum

Redshirt junior Jake Gunning takes down an opponent. Gunning is the reigning MAC champion in the heavyweight division.

SPORTS

The big three

By DANIEL PETRUCCELLI | Feb. 8, 2018

UB has wrestled the toughest schedule in program history, facing four top-25 teams already, including two top-five programs. The team will be heading to Pennslyvania this month to face the number one team in the nation, the Penn State Nittany Lions. The Bulls are just weeks away from the end of their season and it has been a down year for the team. The schedule has been hard for the Bulls who are 0-4 in their top-25 matchups this season

Sophomore guard Davonta Jordan pushes in the paint for a layup. Jordan and the bulls are hoping to fix mental lapses so they can hold on to leads better in late game.

SPORTS

Defensive Mentality

By THOMAS ZAFONTE | Feb. 8, 2018

If you look at the Bulls from a perspective outside the team, they would look like the top team in the Mid-American Conference.

SPORTS

Bulls beat Kent State 80-42

By THOMAS ZAFONTE | Feb. 8, 2018

“When they come together they can knock people out,” said head coach Felisha Legette-Jack. “I just think sometimes we go out there and allow a team to be in a game with us. I think this game we never saw our opponent. We saw what we were good at, what we had to do and things we could offer the game, and I think the fans had fun.”

Junior guard Jeremy Harris goes up for a layup. Harris has been a huge addition to the Bulls roster this season and is shooting 41.4 percent from three-point range.

SPORTS

Bulls keep running

By DANIEL PETRUCCELLI | Feb. 5, 2018

The Bulls have already matched last year’s total wins with 17 and they still have eight games left to play. The Bulls (17-6, 9-1 MAC) have been hot since they entered MAC play winning their first eight games before losing to Kent State (12-11, 6-4 MAC) on Tuesday. The emergence of newcomers junior guard Jeremy Harris and senior guard Wes Clark have been the big reasons for their control of the MAC.

Junior forward Summer Hemphill working through a layup. Hemphill has a string of recent strong performances.

SPORTS

Focused ambition

By THOMAS ZAFONTE | Feb. 5, 2018

The team had a strong start going 9-2 in non-conference and followed it up going 8-2 in conference. The Bulls (17-4, 8-2 MAC) do not rest on their current mid-season accomplishments. Instead the players wait until they are MAC champions, always keeping their sights on it from the start of the season.

SPORTS

Winter Rundown

By Sports Desk | Feb. 1, 2018

Men’s Basketball (16-6, 8-1 MAC) The Bulls have looked like killers in the MAC so far this season. Despite a recent close loss to Kent State (12-10, 6-3 MAC), the Bulls have won nine of their last 10 games. Seven of those wins were by 10 points or more. The team started the season with some impressive individual performances, but now the Bulls have been playing on a more consistent level.

Jeremy Harris pushes through the defender to the rim. Harris will look to continue on his recent performances from the past few weeks.

SPORTS

The Edge: Buffalo vs. Western Michigan

By THOMAS ZAFONTE | Feb. 1, 2018

One winter break later and the Bulls (16-6, 8-1 MAC) look like the best team in the MAC. Despite their recent win streak coming to an end to Kent State (12-10, 6-3 MAC), it remains their only loss in conference. And now they have a rematch with the Broncos (13-9, 5-4 MAC) this Friday at 7 p.m. at Alumni Arena.

Sophomore Summer Hemphill pushing in the paint. Hemphill has worked into her role as a starter this season.

SPORTS

Spring Sports Guide

By DANIEL PETRUCCELLI | Feb. 1, 2018

Men’s Basketball (16-6, 8-1 Mid-American Conference) vs. Western Michigan, Feb. 2 at 7 p.m. The new semester brings big games and events for UB sports. The semester starts this week with a Friday game for the men's basketball team. They welcome the Western Michigan Broncos (13-9, 5-4 MAC) to Alumni Arena on Friday night at 7 p.m. The Bulls and Broncos were both selected by the MAC coaches to win their respective divisions.

Allen Greene has been named the new Director of Athletics for Auburn University. Greene leaves UB after serving in the same position for the Bulls for just over two years.

SPORTS

Athletic Director Allen Greene to leave UB

By DANIEL PETRUCCELLI | Jan. 19, 2018

Allen Greene will be leaving UB to become the athletic director at Auburn University beginning in February. Greene has been the athletic director for Buffalo since November 2015 and served as an associate athletic director prior to that, under his predecessor, Danny White.

SPORTS

Buckets under the tree

By JEREMY TORRES | Dec. 7, 2017

The NBA season is in full effect and after opening day the next slate of games comes on Dec. 25. As NFL football is to Thanksgiving, NBA basketball is to Christmas. This year is no different. Here are the best Christmas games.

The club hockey team rest on the bench during a game. the team deals with multiple challenges being a club sport.

SPORTS

Playing on your own time and dime

By CHRISTOPHER SMITH | Dec. 7, 2017

UB hasn’t had a Division I hockey team since 1987, but the club hockey team is still going strong. UB financially supports only Division I teams, but that doesn’t stop many club teams from thriving.

Cierra Dillard gets ready to drive the ball into the hoop. Dillard will be a major factor in these weeks game against the Canisius Golden Griffins.

SPORTS

The Edge: Buffalo vs. Canisius

By THOMAS ZAFONTE | Dec. 7, 2017

The Bulls are coming into their game against the Canisius Golden Griffins after going 1-1 at the Arizona State Classic. They had a strong game in their last outing beating the University of Nevada, Las Vegas Rebels 80-53. The Bulls (5-1, 0-0) look like the better team on paper heading into Thursday’s home game. The Bulls have been able to get results on both sides of the ball unlike the Golden Griffins (2-5, 0-0), and it shows in both teams’ records.

Cutline: Redshirt sophomore running back Emmanuel Reed pushes for the endzone. The Bulls were bowl eligible this season but did not receive an invite to a game.

SPORTS

Bulls season is over

By DANIEL PETRUCCELLI | Dec. 4, 2017

UB’s bowl hopes are officially over. The 6-6 (4-4 Mid-American Campus) Bulls became bowl eligible this season for just the third time in school history.

SPORTS

The rundown

By Sports Desk | Dec. 4, 2017

Men’s Basketball vs. Niagara Purple Eagles (3-5) 106-87 The Bulls scored over the century mark on Wednesday night for the first time this season.

Freshman guard Jayvon Graves takes a shot against St. Bonaventure. Graves finished Saturday with three blocks.

SPORTS

Bulls drop final Big 4 game

By DANIEL PETRUCCELLI | Dec. 3, 2017

UB entered Saturday with a chance to sweep the Big 4 but fell short against the St. Bonaventure Bonnies. The Bulls (4-3) lost 73-62 to the Bonnies (5-2) in front of a crowd of 6,212 at Alumni Arena.

Junior forward Nick Perkins goes up for a shot in between two defenders. Perkins has been a force in the paint for the Bulls so far this season.

SPORTS

The edge: Buffalo vs. St. Bonaventure

By JEREMY TORRES | Nov. 30, 2017

The men’s basketball team is hoping to make the jump into the elite category of MAC teams. Predicted to win the MAC East, the team has already picked up some hard fought games. The Bulls continue their season Saturday at home when they take on St. Bonaventure. Like the Bulls (4-2, 0-0), the Bonnies (3-2, 0-0) run a three-guard attack. They will match up well against the Bulls and challenge them throughout during a high scoring, fast pace affair.

SPORTS

Taste of history

By JEREMY TORRES | Nov. 20, 2017

Former Buffalo Bills player and Pro Football Hall of Fame running back Thurman Thomas spoke at the Buffalo History Museum Thursday. He debuted “Icons: The Makers and Moments of Buffalo Sports,” named “The Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Gallery” due to a donation of $600,000 by the Wilson family. The gallery displays significant moments and athletes in Buffalo’s history.

Junior forward Ikenna Smart slamming home a dunk for the Bulls.

SPORTS

'Harder, better, faster, smart-er': Basketball player recovers from injury

By DANIEL PETRUCCELLI | Nov. 20, 2017

Ikenna Smart suffered from the latter. The junior forward had soreness in his back that nagged him last season. Six feet 10 inches and 241 pounds is a lot of body to support with a bad back. Smart had surgery on his back during the offseason and is expected to return to the court for the Bulls by the end of December. He plans on being better than he was a season ago now that he’s healthy.

Junior guard Cierra Dillard dribbling the ball in practice. Dillard is looking to be a top scorer for the Bulls this year.

SPORTS

Getting the shot back

By THOMAS ZAFONTE | Nov. 16, 2017

Cierra Dillard had to sit out the first basketball season of her UB career. Dillard was the top scorer at UMass Amherst averaging 15.5 points a game and having 60 steals in her 2015-16 season. She had to sit out the 2016-17 season due to NCAA transfer rules. Dillard made her return on Nov. 3 in an exhibition game against the Bloomsburg Huskies (1-1). She went 1-5 recording 2 points in the Bulls 64-32 win.

UB’s guards look to attack with the basket. The Bulls are looking to find a permanent fixture for a player to run the point guard position.

SPORTS

Who’s on point?

By DANIEL PETRUCCELLI | Nov. 16, 2017

Former UB point guard Lamonte Bearden threw a curveball at the men’s basketball team last summer. Bearden, who led the team to their second Mid-American Conference title, announced he was transferring. The team has never truly established a point guard since.