 BUFFALO 73, OHIO 68 RECORD ROAD COMEBACK
Not only did the contest feature the largest second-half comeback on the road in the Bulls Mid-American Conference history, but it was just the second time ever that UB downed Ohio on the road. Junior Zach Filzen matched a career high in points to lead a ferocious Buffalo comeback.
The team started slow in the first half, with turnovers and major foul trouble breaking up the offensive rhythm. Unable to sustain any major runs, the Bulls allowed Ohio to build an 18-point lead at the end of the first half.
ENEMY IN THE MIRROR
The Buffalo offense was its own worst enemy, committing 13 turnovers to only five assists, and Ohio took advantage of the miscues, going into halftime with a 16-0 advantage in
points off turnovers.
A normally efficient Buffalo offense failed to convert many opportunities from the field, hitting only seven of 23 shots. The lone bright spot in the first half was free throw shooting, with Buffalo hitting 10 free throws to buoy the offense through rough shooting stretches in the opening frame.
Ohio's Nick Kellogg was the difference-maker in the first half, hitting all four of his
three-point attempts for 12 points.
As the second half got underway, it became apparent very early on that Buffalo was not going away quietly, scoring eight straight points in the first two and a half minutes of the second half to force a quick timeout from the Ohio bench.
Still, the methodical comeback continued, aided by improved ball control and lights out shooting from up close and long distance.
After being held scoreless and playing only 12 minutes in the first half, Byron Mulkey was a real catalyst in the final frame, scoring 12 points and adding four assists and two steals. The Bulls' first half star, Javon McCrea, followed up nine first half points with another 12 in the second half, many coming in crunch time. The freshman phenom also had eight rebounds and two blocks to go along with his total output of 21 points.
FILZEN REGISTERS ANOTHER BIG HALF
The real difference maker, though, was Filzen, who scored 20 points in the second half with an array of three pointers and driving jumpers inside. The sharp-shooting guard was deadly from long distance in the final half, going 5-7 from three and 7-9 overall. Filzen's 20 points marked the first time Buffalo had back-to-back players with 20 points in a half since Andy Robinson in 2008, following Mulkey's first half effort against Kent State Wednesday.
When push came to shove, Buffalo turned to a trio of star performers in the second half to trim the Ohio lead. Filzen, Mulkey and McCrea combined for 44 of the team's 48 second-half points. It was an effective triple-threat as Buffalo regained its offensive efficiency in a big way, shooting 72 percent to frustrate the Bobcat defense.
A Filzen three at the 9:45 mark gave the game its first tie since the opening tip. It wouldn't take long before Buffalo took its first lead, at the 7:45 mark after a layup from Mulkey. Ohio tied it up on its next possession but a back-breaking three pointer from Filzen put Buffalo up for good on the next trip down.
MULKEY STEAL
With less than a minute to play, Ohio pulled within three and Mulkey missed the front end of a 1-and-1 free throw. With the Bobcats driving back down to attempt to take the lead, Mulkey raced back and poked the ball away from guard D.J. Cooper, snagged it and then was fouled. He would atone for his prior miss, sinking both bonus free throws to ice the game.
The victory not only gave Buffalo its first conference road win, but also allowed the Bulls to keep pace in a tight Eastern Division race. Buffalo moves to 11-6 overall and 3-2 in conference action, while Ohio drops to 1-4. The Bobcats have lost three in a row, five of the last six and seven of the last nine outings.
With intra-divisional matchups over for the time being, the Bulls will now head to Kalamazoo for a meeting with Western Michigan Tuesday night. Tipoff is set for 7
pm. Ohio hosts Eastern Michigan Wednesday.
Courtesy of Buffalo Athletics
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