Next Up for MBB: Da' Bulls.

BG plays a team for the second time for the first time this year...if that makes any sense.  The team holding that honor is the UB Bulls, who BG beat by 18 at the Stroh.

Since then, BG is 1-6 in MAC games. UB is 3-4 since losing to BG.  None of those wins are against top teams in the MAC. The Falcons and the Bulls are tied for 10th-11th at 3-8.  BG is a 1.5 point favorite.

In the first game, BG was up 4 at the half, came out of the locker room with the first 7 points and led by 10 or more for the remainder of the game.

BG had 1.13 points per possession, which is pretty good and allowed UB .87, which is a really low offensive number.  BG didn't shoot the ball well, but UB shot it terrible.  They were 7-33 from 3FG, which amazingly is only their 4th worst 3FG% of the year. They are a poor rebounding team, which you can see here, and they were blown out at the line. BG was 27 of 36 at the line, for a +8 differential.  That's an incredible FT Rate, FWIW.

UB is the worst offensive team in the MAC.  They are 10th in shooting, 11th in turnovers and 10th in offensive rebounding. They try the highest percentage of 3FGS in the MAC, but are 8th in making them.  On defense, they are 7th in the MAC.  That's #8 against the shot, #8 in forcing turnovers and #11 on the defensive boards.

In game one, Ben Michaels led the Bulls with 13 and 8 rebounds.  Noah Batchelor had 11 points and 6 rebounds.  He's a Maryland transfer.  Ryan Sabol had 10.

Their leading scorer in MAC play is Ryan Sabol, who is scoring 15.4 PPG on 57% and 36% shooting.  He is #7 in the MAC in minutes played.

The other double-figure scorer is Tyson Dunn, who was held to 5 in the first game.  He scores 14 on 48 and 37% shooting and leads the MAC at 6.1 assists per game.  Batchelor leads in rebounding at 6.8 per game.

BG is running out of road.  That OU loss made our job all the more difficult.  It would have been great to pull that one out.  

This is a rough year.  In a MAC that is verging on low major, BG is 3-8 and their first >300 kenpom in school history.  There have certainly been obstacles this year--and we played Akron, Miami and OU tight--but the season overall has been disappointing.