BUFFALO — The two-time defending Mid-American Conference men’s basketball program will be getting an early start to their 2016-17 campaign this year as the University at Buffalo will be embarking on a foreign tour at the end of August that will see them play games in both Canada and the Bahamas.

The Bulls will begin the trip on Aug. 20 in Guelph, Ontario as UB will face Guelph University at 7 p.m. The following day, the Bulls will take on York University at 12:30 p.m. and will remain in Guelph for the evening before moving on to the Bahamas on Aug. 22.

UB will play two games in the Bahamas with the first coming at 7 p.m. on Aug. 23 against the College of the Bahamas. Following an off day on Wednesday, the Bulls will play a Bahamian club team The Real Deal Shockers at 9 p.m. on Aug. 25.  Both games in the Bahamas will be played at the Sir Kendall Isaacs Gymnasium.

The foreign tour has given the Bulls the extra practice opportunities that they would not be afforded without this trip.  Teams are allowed by the NCAA to take a foreign trip once every four years.

“We are thrilled about this opportunity to go to Canada and the Bahamas right before school starts,” said head coach Nate Oats.  “This will be a once in a lifetime event for our players, coaches, and staff and it will give our team an opportunity to bond both on and off the court. In the practices we’ve had thus far, the players have been working hard, getting better, & really learning to play with each other. Our fans are really going to enjoy watching this team play this year.”

Fans wishing to help donate for this trip to give the men’s basketball student-athletes a first-class experience can do so through the UB men’s hoops crowdfunding campaign at: ubhornsup.com/mbb.

From UBBulls.com.