2015–16 Buffalo Bulls men's basketball team

The 2015–16 Buffalo Bulls men's basketball team represented the University at Buffalo during the 2015–16 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Bulls, led by first year head coach Nate Oats, played their home games at Alumni Arena as members of the East Division of the Mid-American Conference. They finished the season 20–15, 10–8 in MAC play to finish in a tie for third place in the East Division and third place overall. They defeated Miami (OH), Ohio, and Akron to be champions of the MAC tournament and earn the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. In their second consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament, they lost to Miami (FL) in the first round.[1]

2015–16 Buffalo Bulls men's basketball
MAC tournament champions
NCAA tournament, First Round
ConferenceMid-American Conference
DivisionEast Division
Record20–15 (10–8 MAC)
Head coach
Assistant coaches
Home arenaAlumni Arena
Seasons
2015–16 Mid-American Conference men's basketball standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   PCT W   L   PCT
East
Akron 13 5   .722 26 9   .743
Ohio 11 7   .611 23 12   .657
Kent State 10 8   .556 19 13   .594
Buffalo 10 8   .556 20 15   .571
Miami (OH) 6 12   .333 13 20   .394
Bowling Green 5 13   .278 16 18   .471
West
Ball State 10 8   .556 21 14   .600
Central Michigan 10 8   .556 17 16   .515
Northern Illinois 9 9   .500 21 13   .618
Eastern Michigan 9 9   .500 18 15   .545
Toledo 8 10   .444 17 15   .531
Western Michigan 7 11   .389 13 19   .406
2016 MAC tournament winner

Previous season

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The Bulls finished the 2014–15 season 23–10, 12–6 in MAC play to be co–champions of the East Division and co–champions of the MAC overall regular season. They defeated Akron and Central Michigan to become champions of the MAC tournament. They received an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament, their first NCAA Tournament bid in school history, where they lost in the second round to West Virginia.[2]

Departures

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Name Number Pos. Height Weight Year Hometown Notes
Will Regan 2 F 6'8" 230 Senior Buffalo, NY Graduated
Bobby Frasco 3 G 6'4" 185 Freshman Mount Prospect, IL Transferred to Quincy University
Shannon Evans 11 G 6'1" 170 Sophomore Suffolk, VA Transferred to Arizona State[3]
Justin Moss 23 F 6'7" 240 Junior Detroit, MI Dismissed from the team due violation of team rules
Xavier Ford 35 F 6'7" 210 Senior Colorado Springs, CO Graduated

Incoming Transfers

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Name Number Pos. Height Weight Year Hometown Previous School
Blake Hamilton 0 G 6'6" 205 Junior Pasadena, CA Junior college transferred from Mt. San Antonio College
Willie Conner III 2 G 6'5" 185 Junior Chicago, IL Junior college transferred from Angelina College
David Kadiri 4 F 6'8" 190 Junior Fort Washington, MD Junior college transferred from South Plains College

Recruiting class of 2015

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US college sports recruiting information for high school athletes
Name Hometown High school / college Height Weight Commit date
Nick Perkins
PF
Ypsilanti, MI Milan High School 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) N/A Sep 24, 2014 
Recruiting star ratings: ScoutN/A   RivalsN/A   247SportsN/A    ESPN grade: NR
C. J. Massinburg
SG
Dallas, TX South Oak Cliff High School 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) N/A  
Recruiting star ratings: ScoutN/A   RivalsN/A   247SportsN/A    ESPN grade: NR
Overall recruiting rankings:
  • Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight.
  • In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale.

Sources:

  • "2015 Team Ranking". Rivals.com. Retrieved September 19, 2015.

Recruiting class of 2016

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US college sports recruiting information for 2016 recruits
Name Hometown High school / college Height Weight Commit date
Quate McKinzie
#39 PF
Burgaw, NC Pender High School 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 195 lb (88 kg) Sep 14, 2015 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:    RivalsN/A   247SportsN/A    ESPN grade: 77
Evan Clayborne
PF
Dayton, OH Thurgood Marshall High School 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 220 lb (100 kg) Jun 29, 2015 
Recruiting star ratings: ScoutN/A   RivalsN/A   247SportsN/A    ESPN grade: NR
Overall recruiting rankings:
  • Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight.
  • In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale.

Sources:

Roster

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2015–16 Buffalo Bulls men's basketball team
Players Coaches
Pos. # Name Height Weight Year Previous school Hometown
G/F 0 Blake Hamilton 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 205 lb (93 kg) Jr Pasadena HS
Mt. San Antonio College
Pasadena, CA
G 1 Lamonte Bearden 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 160 lb (73 kg) So Germantown HS Milwaukee, WI
G/F 2 Willie Conner 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 200 lb (91 kg) Jr Richard T. Crane HS
Angelina College
Chicago, IL
G 3 C. J. Massinburg 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 170 lb (77 kg) Fr South Oak Cliff HS Dallas, TX
F 4 David Kadiri 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 210 lb (95 kg) Jr Coolidge HS
South Plains College
Laurel, MD
G 5 Mory Diane 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 175 lb (79 kg) So Pershing HS Detroit, MI
G 10 Jarryn Skeete 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 185 lb (84 kg) Sr Wasatch Academy
Bridgton Academy
Brampton, ON
G 15 Zac DiSalvo 5 ft 11 in (1.8 m) 165 lb (75 kg) Fr Greece Athena HS Rochester, NY
G/F 20 Rodell Wigginton 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 215 lb (98 kg) Sr Lee Academy
College of Central Florida
Dartmouth, NS
G/F 21 Nikola Rakićević 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 185 lb (84 kg) Fr E-Gimnazija Novi Sad Smederevska Palanka, Serbia
G 24 Christian Pino 5 ft 7 in (1.7 m) 145 lb (66 kg) RS So Romulus HS
Arizona State
Detroit, MI
F 31 Raheem Johnson 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 235 lb (107 kg) Sr Romulus HS
Barton CC
Detroit, MI
F 33 Nick Perkins 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 225 lb (102 kg) Fr Milan HS Ypsilanti, MI
F 34 Ikenna Smart 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 235 lb (107 kg) RS Fr New Garden Friends School Greensboro, NC
G 35 Tyler Moffe 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 168 lb (76 kg) Fr Elmira HS Elmira, NY
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)

Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • (W) Walk-on

Roster

Schedule

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Source: [1]

Date
time, TV
Rank# Opponent# Result Record High points High rebounds High assists Site (attendance)
city, state
Exhibition
11/06/2015*
9:00 pm
Daemen W 87–68 
 25  Massinburg   11  Smart   5  Bearden  Alumni Arena (3,257)
Amherst, NY
Non-conference regular season
11/13/2015*
9:00 pm
Pittsburgh–Bradford W 109–49  1–0
 25  Wigginton   10  Wigginton   4  Bearden  Alumni Arena (3,112)
Amherst, NY
11/16/2015*
7:00 pm
at Old Dominion
Hall of Fame Tip Off
L 58–77  1–1
 12  Skeete   5  Tied   2  Massinburg  Ted Constant Convocation Center (6,906)
Norfolk, VA
11/18/2015*
7:00 pm
at Saint Joseph's
Hall of Fame Tip Off
L 67–89  1–2
 14  Hamilton   7  Hamilton   4  Skeete  Hagan Arena (3,451)
Philadelphia, PA
11/21/2015*
7:30 pm
vs. North Carolina A&T
Hall of Fame Tip Off
W 86–68  2–2
 19  Wigginton   11  Wigginton   5  Wigginton  Mohegan Sun Arena (4,507)
Uncasville, CT
11/22/2015*
8:00 pm
vs. Vermont
Hall of Fame Tip Off
W 77–71  3–2
 20  Bearden   7  Hamilton   4  Bearden  Mohegan Sun Arena (3,813)
Uncasville, CT
11/28/2015*
2:00 pm
Canisius W 98–96 OT 4–2
 18  Bearden   8  Wigginton   5  Bearden  Alumni Arena (3,112)
Amherst, NY
12/02/2015*
7:00 pm
St. Bonaventure L 58–60  4–3
 16  Wigginton   10  Wigginton   2  Wigginton  Alumni Arena (4,192)
Amherst, NY
12/05/2015*
5:15 pm, ESPN2
at No. 7 Duke L 59–82  4–4
 17  Massinburg   9  Smart   3  Bearden  Cameron Indoor Stadium (9,314)
Durham, NC
12/07/2015*
9:00 pm, ESPNU
at No. 4 Iowa State L 63–84  4–5
 16  Skeete   4  Tied   3  Bearden  Hilton Coliseum (14,130)
Ames, IA
12/12/2015*
2:00 pm
Binghamton W 80–64  5–5
 17  Massinburg   11  Wigginton   8  Hamilton  Alumni Arena (3,031)
Amherst, NY
12/19/2015*
2:00 pm
Montana State W 80–73  6–5
 18  Bearden   8  Wigginton   4  Bearden  Alumni Arena (2,384)
Amherst, NY
12/22/2015*
7:00 pm, CSNMA
at VCU L 69–90  6–6
 17  Wigginton   9  Wigginton   4  Massinburg  Siegel Center (7,637)
Richmond, VA
12/29/2015*
7:00 pm
Delaware W 99–79  7–6
 23  Connor   7  Tied   6  Connor  Alumni Arena (3,212)
Amherst, NY
MAC regular season
01/05/2016
7:00 pm, ASN/ESPN3
Akron L 71–75  7–7
(0–1)
 16  Connor   7  Connor   3  Hamilton  Alumni Arena (2,226)
Amherst, NY
01/08/2016
7:00 pm, CBSSN
at Kent State W 76–67  8–7
(1–1)
 22  Connor   8  Wigginton   8  Bearden  MAC Center (3,522)
Kent, OH
01/12/2016
7:00 pm, ESPN3
at Eastern Michigan L 69-81  8-8
(1-2)
 16  Hamilton   13  Perkins   2  Tied  Convocation Center (1333)
Ypsilanti, MI
01/16/2016
3:30 pm, ESPN3
Central Michigan W 74-61  9-8
(2-2)
 14  Hamilton   9  Hamilton   12  Skeete  Alumni Arena (3,547)
Amherst, NY
01/19/2016
7:00 pm, ESPN3
at Miami (OH) W 77–60  10–8
(3–2)
 22  Hamilton   10  Smart   4  Tied  Millett Hall (1,221)
Oxford, OH
01/23/2016
4:35 pm
at Western Michigan L 71–91  10–9
(3–3)
 17  Connor   8  Hamilton   4  Skeete  University Arena (3,079)
Kalamazoo, MI
01/26/2016
7:00 pm
Ball State W 76–64  11–9
(4–3)
 18  Bearden   9  Hamilton   6  Tied  Alumni Arena (3,522)
Amherst, NY
01/30/2016
7:00 pm
at Toledo W 73–68  12–9
(5–3)
 17  Hamilton   8  Wigginton   3  Tied  Savage Arena (5,041)
Toledo, OH
02/02/2016
9:00 pm, ASN/ESPN3
at Northern Illinois W 90–78  13–9
(6–3)
 23  Bearden   7  Tied   7  Bearden  Convocation Center (1,494)
DeKalb, IL
02/06/2016
3:30 pm
Eastern Michigan W 80–70  14–9
(7–3)
 14  Tied   9  Hamilton   4  Tied  Alumni Arena (3,417)
Amherst, NY
02/09/2016
7:00 pm, TWCSC/ESPN3
Toledo L 69–71  14–10
(7–4)
 17  Perkins   6  Perkins   8  Hamilton  Alumni Arena (2,706)
Amherst, NY
02/13/2016
2:00 pm, ESPNU
Ohio L 75–94  14–11
(7–5)
 36  Massinburg   6  Hamilton   4  Hamilton  Alumni Arena (2,702)
Amherst, NY
02/16/2016
7:00 pm
at Akron L 70–80  14–12
(7–6)
 21  Massinburg   8  Hamilton   3  Hamilton  James A. Rhodes Arena (3,069)
Akron, OH
02/20/2016
12:00 pm
Bowling Green W 88–74  15–12
(8–6)
 24  Hamilton   7  Hamilton   6  Bearden  Alumni Arena (3,397)
Amherst, NY
02/23/2016
6:00 pm, TWCSC/ESPN3
Kent State W 87–70  16–12
(9–6)
 21  Massinburg   7  Smart   8  Bearden  Alumni Arena (3,284)
Amherst, NY
02/27/2016
3:30 pm
at Ohio L 96–103 OT 16–13
(9–7)
 28  Connor   11  Hamilton   4  Bearden  Convocation Center (7,221)
Athens, OH
03/01/2016
7:00 pm
Miami (OH) L 59–67  16–14
(9–8)
 20  Hamilton   13  Hamilton   7  Bearden  Alumni Arena (4,798)
Amherst, NY
03/04/2016
7:00 pm
at Bowling Green W 87–83  17–14
(10–8)
 20  Tied   5  Tied   4  Bearden  Stroh Center (2,189)
Bowling Green, OH
MAC Tournament
03/10/2016
9:00 pm, ESPN3
(3) vs. (11) Miami (OH)
Quarterfinals
W 94–81  18–14
 25  Connor   16  Hamilton   7  Hamilton  Quicken Loans Arena (2,311)
Cleveland, OH
03/11/2016
9:00 pm
(3) vs. (2) Ohio
Semifinals
W 88–74  19–14
 22  Connor   9  Tied   9  Bearden  Quicken Loans Arena (6,427)
Cleveland, OH
03/12/2016
7:30 pm, ESPN2
(3) vs. (1) Akron
Championship
W 64–61  20–14
 18  Massinburg   11  Hamilton   6  Bearden  Quicken Loans Arena (6,719)
Cleveland, OH
NCAA tournament
03/17/2016*
6:50 pm, TNT
(14 S) vs. (3 S) No. 11 Miami (FL)
First Round
L 72–79  20–15
 20  Perkins   9  Hamilton   3  Bearden  Dunkin' Donuts Center (11,559)
Providence, RI
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses.
S=South Region.
All times are in Eastern Time.

References

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  1. ^ Britton, Tim (March 17, 2016). "Senior guards help Miami hold off Buffalo, 79-72". The Providence Journal. Retrieved February 4, 2024.
  2. ^ Rabinowitz, Bill (March 20, 2015). "NCAA tournament: West Virginia holds off Buffalo". The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved February 4, 2024.
  3. ^ "Shannon Evans commits to Arizona State basketball". The Arizona Republic. April 24, 2015. Retrieved February 4, 2024.