Buffalo @ Miami (OH) preview

Last Meeting ( Jan 12, 2019 ) Miami (OH) 64, Buffalo 88

CJ Massinburg and Nick Perkins are putting No. 23 Buffalo, which plays a Mid-American Conference game at Miami (Ohio) on Friday, on their backs as they try to finish their careers in dominating fashion. The two four-year seniors have the Bulls one win shy of an unbeaten season at home but first comes their final two road games, including a date with the RedHawks.

Massinburg and Perkins, who have led the Bulls to 89 wins in their four seasons - 52 in the last two campaigns, were at their individual best Tuesday as Buffalo outlasted Akron for its 25th straight home win. The duo, who have combined for 3,512 points, 1,497 rebounds and 379 assists, had 48 points, 15 boards and eight helpers against Akron, the third time this season they each scored 20 or more points in the same game. By virtue of the win, coach Nate Oats, who was named one of the 15 candidates for the Naismith Coach of the Year Award, owns the highest winning percentage (67.9) in school history,. The RedHawks and Nike Sibande have alternated between wins and losses over the last eight games and are coming off a victory over Bowling Green on Tuesday that widened Buffalo's lead in the MAC East Division to two games.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, CBS Sports Network

ABOUT BUFFALO (25-3, 13-2 MAC): Jayvon Graves made several key plays in the win over Akron, including a block and a subsequent dunk that kick-started a late run for the Bulls that put the game away. The sophomore stuffed the stat sheet to the tune of 14 points, seven rebounds, five assists and three blocks and received Buffalo's Blue Collar Award for the third time in the last five contests. "It was a really big momentum swing," Massinburg told the media of Graves' block and dunk. "They called a timeout and we got the guys together and were like, 'It's time. Right here. This is where we go. This is where we make out run.'"

ABOUT MIAMI (15-13, 7-8): Sibande is 52 points away from becoming the 35th member of the 1,000-point club for the RedHawks but the Indianapolis native can become the first to gain entry as a sophomore. The 6-4 guard recorded his seventh 20-point game of the season and 17th of his career against Bowling Green despite shooting below 41 percent from the field for the seventh straight contest. Sibande has enjoyed three productive games against the Bulls, averaging 18.3 points and shooting a shade better than 50 percent.

TIP-INS

1. The RedHawks haven't defeated a ranked team since knocking off No. 11 Boston College in 2001 and haven't done so at home since dispatching No. 17 Temple in 2000.

2. Buffalo has won 10 of the last 13 meetings but has dropped the last two road games in the series, which it trails 25-19.

3. Massinburg (1,858 points) passed former Miami star Wally Szczerbiak to move into 20th place on the MAC's all-time scoring list and may soon become the 17th player in conference history with 1,900 career points, joining the likes of Ball State's Bonzi Wells, Miami's Ron Harper, Eastern Michigan's Earl Boykins and Central Michigan's Dan Majerle.

PREDICTION: Buffalo 86, Miami 71