Bull Run Blog Swap Kicks off Bull Preview

The MAC seasons starts tomorrow with the BG-Buffalo game from Alumni Hall/Arena in Buffalo. We'll do a preview in 2 parts, starting with a blogswap with our peer, Bull Run.  I asked him five questions and he asked me five questions.  Here are his responses to what I asked.

1) Your team is 8-4 but has played a relatively soft schedule, with your best win being at home against Green Bay. How confident do you feel that you really know what you've got?

I feel pretty good considering UB was supposed to be a MAC doormat. The BYU game was the difference maker for me. UB was right in that game until the last few minutes. The Bulls really don't have a game that they have not been in and could easily be 11-1 if they shot free throws a bit better.

2) We emailed about this, but talk about the decision to redshirt Mulkey after his junior year, a pretty unconventional move.

Spoon was playing chess when we all were thinking about Checkers. That move, more than any in his career, defines him as a forward thinking *program* coach. While maybe Mulkey might have made a difference last season I don't think Buffalo gets past the quarterfinals with him, he may not even have been a starter.

This season Mulkey is the key to UB getting 15 or more wins. Yea McCrea is blowing the doors off of fans and Fitzen is, so far, shooting lights out from three. But we have one of the best Guards in the conference, that will make a difference as the season wears on.

3) Given the youth of your team, are you surprised at the success so far?

Very. I saw UB as a ten win team this year. Even with the soft schedule UB's age and Spoon's tenancy to rely on the bench had all the makings of a very bad season.

4) Tell us about Javon McCrea. In the MAC teleconference today, Coach Witherspoon alluded to the idea that people thought he couldn't play at this level. What is up with that, and what have you seen from him?

Apparenty he had a rather lack luster summer session last year so a lot of people were writing him off. At one point he held offers from Georgetown and UMass so while his summer play may have given some pause there were some folks who saw the potential. The other reason, as given by coach Spoon, is that Javon is pretty young (just tuned 18).

The thing that has really impressed me about Javon is his focus. There is almost no situation in which he has not played consistently well. McCrea is 2nd in the NCAA for field goal shooting percentage 68.9.

5) What's Buffalo's game plan to beat the Falcons?

Spoons offense has not changed much its just got a little more push to the basket than it did last season. There is still going to be alot of ball movement. Unfortunately that tends to play into the Falcons hands, the zone employed by Bowling Green has given the Bulls fits over the years (thinking back to 08-09 when we would have won the regular season MACC if we could have solved it.

Fitzen will try to force the issue on the outside, he has been shooting well and might force you to give a little underneath.

What might kill us is turnovers, not the tasty kind I had for breakfast but the kind that UB has been giving away at a rate of nearly 20 a game.