Buffalo @ Ohio preview

Last Meeting ( Feb 19, 2019 ) Ohio 67, Buffalo 114

Buffalo will attempt to lock up its second straight Mid-American Conference regular-season title Tuesday at Ohio. The No. 20 Bulls may need to beat Bowling Green at home Friday if they cannot produce a victory against the Bobcats in their final road game of the season.

Nate Oats' team recorded one of its more impressive victories of the season in the first meeting against Ohio, a 114-67 thrashing Feb. 19 that set a school record for points in a MAC game. Jayvon Graves was the star of that one as the sophomore scored a career-high 26 points and made seven of Buffalo's record 19 3-pointers, but seniors CJ Massinburg and Nick Perkins have taken over in the last three contests. Perkins netted 52 total points in back-to-back wins over Kent State and Akron, and Massinburg overcame an ankle injury to post his eighth 20-point game in the last 12 contests with 20 as the Bulls held on to beat Miami (Ohio) on Friday. "The first four minutes were some of the best basketball we've played all year," Oats told the media after his team opened to an 18-0 lead before eking out a 77-69 victory. "For us to shoot as poorly as we did and find a way to win on the road says a lot about this group." Led by Jason Carter, Ben Vander Plas and Jason Preston, the Bobcats regrouped from the loss to Buffalo, which capped a six-game skid, to take two of their past three games, including a 73-49 win at Akron on Saturday.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, No TV

ABOUT BUFFALO (26-3, 14-2 MAC): Davonta Jordan has been a vital role player for the Bulls during their seven-win streak. The junior guard from Cocoa, Fla., who is the Bulls active leader in assists with 332, has averaged 7.4 points, 4.9 helpers, 3.6 rebounds and 1.6 steals over those seven games and even flirted with a triple-double against Kent State, finishing with eight points, eight assists and seven rebounds in an 80-57 victory Feb. 22. Jordan, who was selected to the All-MAC Defensive Team a season ago, leads the team with 46 steals and is second on the team in chargers drawn (22).

ABOUT OHIO (13-15, 5-11): After some early-season struggles typical of many freshmen, Preston has come on in the second half of the season for the Bobcats, who wrap up the regular season Friday at home against instate rival Miami. The 6-3 guard from Orlando, Fla., has increased his assists and rebounds while doing a better job of limiting turnovers, something he struggled with in non-conference games. Over the last five games, Preston has averaged 7.8 points, 6.2 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 1.4 steals while committing a total of three turnovers.

TIP-INS

1. Buffalo, which became the first Western New York school to win 25 or more games in back-to-back seasons, is one of six schools in the nation with three or fewer losses, joining No. 1 Gonzaga, No. 2 Virginia, No. 4 Tennessee, No. 12 Houston and No. 18 Nevada.

2. The Bulls have averaged 94.5 points in winning four straight against the Bobcats.

3. Massinburg, who earned his second straight MAC East Division Player of the Week honors, needs 22 points to become the third player in school history with 1,900 points while also becoming the third active player in the country with 1,900 points, 700 rebounds and 300 assists.

PREDICTION: Buffalo 99, Ohio 77