The Bulls will begin defense of their Mid-American Conference title on Tuesday night when they travel to Toledo to open league play. It will be the first time since 2002-03 that Buffalo will begin MAC play inside a West Division arena. These two teams split last year’s series with the Bulls winning 73-68 at Savage Arena. Blake Hamilton led the Bulls with 17 points in that victory.
Buffalo has won 7 of its last 12 games played at MAC West schools dating back to the start of the 2013-14 season. The Bulls have also won three of their last four games at Savage Arena dating back to the 2009-10 season. UB is 7-11 all-time in MAC openers, winning two of their last three.
Through the end of non-conference play, the Bulls are averaging 40.5 rebounds per game. Buffalo has not averaged over 40.0 rebounds per game for entire season since 2011-12 and UB has done it just twice since 1993-94. UB is currently in the top 30 nationally in rebounds per game and defensive rebounds per game.
Toledo completed non-league play with a 7-6 record and the Rockets are currently riding a three-game winning streak following a 98-58 win over Ohio Christian on Friday night. Toledo is in the midst of a five-game homestand. They are currently 5-1 at Savage Arena this season. Last year, the Bulls and Rockets split the season series, both winning on each other’s home floor.
Toledo has three players averaging double figures, led by Jonathan Williams, who is averaging 19.8 points per game. Nearly half of his shots have come from behind the arc. Steve Taylor Jr. is averaging a double-double for Toledo as he has 15.9 points per game and 11.5 rebounds per contest, which is amongst the MAC leaders. Jaelan Sanford chips in 13.0 points per contest.
Toledo is in the top 30 nationally in defensive rebounds per game, averaging 28.92 per game. That is paced by Steve Taylor Jr., who is first nationally in defensive rebounds per game at 9.67. Taylor has already recorded 10 double-doubles on the season, which leads the MAC and is third nationally, just one behind the national leaders.
Tod Kowalczyk is in his seventh season as head coach at Toledo. He led the Rockets to a MAC West title in 2012-13. He came to Toledo following a successful stint at Wisconsin-Green Bay. Kowalczyk’s tenure in Green Bay produced an eight-year run of success that saw the Phoenix post a 136-112 (.548) win-loss mark, including a pair of 22-win campaigns in his final two seasons. Kowalczyk spent 13 years as an assistant at five different institutions with his final stint coming at Marquette.
from UBBulls.com via IFTTT
