Second Half Charge Leads To Road Win At North Texas, 69-66

Coach Andy Mac · November 16, 2021

DENTON, TX – Trailing by 11 with just under nine minutes left in the second half, the University at Buffalo men's basketball team hit its final nine shots from the floor as the Bulls came back to defeat the defending C-USA champions North Texas, 69-66. The victory evens Buffalo's record to 1-1 on the season.

Four Bulls scored in double figures in the win, including a Buffalo career best for senior Maceo Jack. Jack had five points early as the Bulls raced out to a 7-2 lead and UB would go on to lead by as many as eight before North Texas came back. The Mean Green led by as many as six points in the first half before taking a 36-32 lead into the break.

The two teams found themselves tied at 42-42 with 16:13 left in the second half, but from there North Texas went on a 10-1 run to take a nine-point lead. A pair of free throws gave the Mean Green a 56-45 lead with 8:51 left, but then UB got the three ball going.

Back-to-back threes from Jeenathan Williams and Josh Mballa quickly cut the deficit to just five. Trailing by six with just under five minutes left, the Bulls cut it to one as Ronaldo Segu drained a three, followed by a long two from Jack. Williams put the Bulls ahead for the first time since early in the first half with a three, giving UB the 64-63 lead with 3:12 left.

Buffalo got its lead up to as many as five at 68-63 with 45 seconds left, but North Texas would cut that to three and the Mean Green had two looks from three, but couldn't convert as the final buzzer sounded.

Jack tied for game-high honors with his 18 points, going 7-of-12 from the floor and 4-of-8 from three-point range. Mballa and Segu each added 17 points and Mballa had the double-double with 10 rebounds. Segu chipped in four assists.

Williams had 14 points, six rebounds, and a career high six assists. 10 of his 14 points came in the second half. Sophomore David Skogman added three points.

In the second half alone, the Bulls shot 53.8% from the floor, including 63.6% from three point range.

With the season-opening two-game road trip in the books, the Bulls will have their regular season home opener on Saturday afternoon against Rider. Game time is set for 2pm.

Read more: https://ubbulls.com/news/2021/11/15/mens-basketball-second-half-charge-leads-to-road-win-at-north-texas-69-66.aspx

UNTLifer · November 17, 2021

https://247sports.com/college/north-texas/Article/North-Texas-Mean-Green-mens-basketball-falls-to-late-surge-by-Buffalo-175462856/

“We’ve got good leadership, it’s just about who’s going to be the person that has the ball to finish,” McCasland said. “It’s just a matter of learning who it is. I think Thomas and JJ are great leaders and we got great looks, it just may need to morph into not even what it looks like right now.”

“Buffalo is a tough team, they’re physical and big,” Perry said. “I feel like they were more experienced down the stretch than us. We just have to figure out how to win games at the end.”

Edited November 17, 2021 by UNTLifer