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I think any expectations that this team would be as good as last years was wishful thinking at best, so I don't think it's reasonable or useful to compare production loss from last years' team to this years team. We don't need to be last years team beating MAC opponents 15 points a night to win the MAC. The talent level on this roster is good enough to be the best in the MAC - I mean look around the league: would you really want to swap out our roster for any other roster? As for CJ and Perk being ready immediately, as freshmen when UB won the MAC with Nate Oats for the first time Perk contributed 7.6 PPG and 4.3 RPG on 19.1 MPG; CJ was 11.3 points and 4.1 rebounds in 25 minutes. Both excellent contributions but not dissimilar from Williams and Segu this year - sure they're doing it a year later than Perk and CJ but that's comparing 2 of the best players in UB history. Hell you could even argue Mballa as a sophomore is ahead of where Perk was as a sophomore. As a team in 15-16 we averaged 77.6 points, 39.1 rebounds, 12.7 assists, 6.9 steals, 3.6 blocks, and 13.7 turnovers on 43.8% shooting (33.7% from deep). This year we are at 77.9 points, 41.2 rebounds, 16.4 assists, 8.7 steals, 4.4 blocks, 14.1 turnovers on 44.3% shooting (33.4% from deep). Pretty on pace to match that years squad for better or worse. What I don't recall about that years squad was their defensive intensity, something this year seems to sorely be lacking. We have players contributing very similarly to how they contributed in 15-16. We stole a championship that year - it was Akron's to lose and it may be again this year. 15-16 wasn't about having enough bodies to make clutch shots down the stretch, it was about THE clutch shot that Hamilton made to win it all. To achieve what Oats did that year all we really have to do is get hot at the right time. We were sitting at 9-8 in MAC play and 2 games over .500 overall in March of that year and I don't think the MAC as a whole was any better that year than this. It just feels different because of some really dud games against teams we know we should be better than and the fact that we just don't know how this season will end yet.

Kinda ironic we hit the free throw at the end that Graves tried to miss

You’ve gotta be excited about Williams potential. Just a studly offensive performance tonight. However, his defensive game still needs to improve drastically.

People are quick to criticize Jim & co. when things aren't up to their standards, but not a lot is said when a solid job is done. While they have had some puzzling off-nights, this team is still a work in progress overall. While some of the pieces were here last year, their roles have changed, leading to different responsibilities therefore causing for transition even with those returning players. This team seems to be going through some illnesses, so the bench was even more limited than normal last night. This team does have several players who can hit big points on a given night, as shown by 5 players in or around double digit scoring averages on the season. If the team dynamic improves overall and players buy in to their roles, this team can achieve a lot of wins this season. Last night was the first night (possibly all season) where Johnson forced very few outside shots up. Consequently, his shooting % was vastly improved. In prior games, he was "trying to get his" and it showed in some less than quality attempts and a lower %. Grant, who has taken a beating from many on this board, was very positive last night. While his stats were minimal, he took a big charge (from a BIG man) and was extremely "up" on the bench last night, more so than he has in previous games. Little things like that count in the long run and hopefully he and a few others who have shown some bench negativity over the first half of the season will get into the positive team culture aspect of athletics and make the right choices over the rest of the season. 2-2 to start may not be where everyone hoped to be, but this league can be a grind, as we've seen for most years. Last year was an anomaly and shouldn't be expected every single year (at least not until we become the "Gonzaga of the East" or something of similar ilk). This team has more than enough opportunity to secure a top tier seed and have a shot in Cleveland.

I know always back him, but I thought Whitesell showed a lot of the passion and energy people on this board were questioning. He was trying to fire the crowd up multiple times and he smacked the scorer's table after an Ohio offensive rebound. Was good to see that energy in such a competitive game.

Haven’t looked through all the posts yet obviously Williams had a great game but we need to give credit to Johnson for stepping up bigtime tonight

Looks like we should have Fair back. Let’s get back to the basketball we saw in 2019.

UB’s athletic department should put together highlights after each game. I’m sure they could get some student intern to do it.

I hope they go to overtime one game, just to mess with this math.

Thankfully we shot way better from the FT line than usual. It was the difference in the game.

I rewatched the game from yesterday and it seemed like Antwain Johnson woke up a bit on that first dunk of his. A lot of rage went into that dunk. The guy has got to be so frustrated with himself to this point. HOWEVER, what a good performance from him yesterday. Best offensive performance by far from him and he was good defensively. Stepped up big while Graves had an off shooting night. You have to imagine Johnson is relieved. Credit to him for continuing to work at it and get better. I have been harsh as hell on here about him but last night he showed me a lot and what he is capable of. For me, the star of the show was Jeenathan Williams and for good reason. That huge game winning bucket. Great offensive showing by him getting 26 points and grabbing 7 rebounds. He still needs to work on his jump shot and at times can be a liability on defense, but my god, what a step forward he has taken. Both Williams and Segu have taken a great step in the right direction and have improved mightily since last season. I hope that we can soon get Josh Mballa help inside for the purpose of rebounding and giving him the ability to play the 4 position. The guy has been so solid for us to this point and last night came close to another double double. He has had at least 5 games this season where he’s come so close to getting a double double, on top of his already 4 double double games.

He’s having a strong season for Park and is set on going to prep school next year to be able to start college as a more polished product

Great games by Johnson and Williams. Ohio had no answer for Williams in the second half. It seemed like he scored at least 10 straight points for the Bulls. Last game’s stars, Graves and Segu, were sub par today. Good team win.

Yeah Bulls! That's more like it. A tough, tough win tonight. They played sloppy in the first half but somehow were only down 5 at halftime. I thought the intensity was higher second half, and they clawed into a lead down the stretch. I loved the competitiveness today, I loved hitting shots in the paint, I loved better free throw shooting (even when Graves tried to miss at the end!). This team has plenty of ups and downs (more to come), but they have responded after a bad game or two so far. Enjoy the ups right now. Williams - he's moving so much more smoothly with the ball this season. Taking a huge leap forward as a sophomore and becoming a more consistent player. Both ends of the court. Uses that long reach to get around defenders at the net. Graves - a frustrating night for him but a big defensive play at the end to seal it. Jordan - I expect a lot from him because he's a senior. And he makes a bunch of dumb turnovers and bad shots a game that you'd expect from a freshman. Then a couple really smooth buckets. I was upset that he was getting repeatedly torched by a sophomore who looked like he's 12. Come on man. Mballa - didn't get a ton of points today but was so active under the net. Johnson - credit when credit is due - he competed today, he hit a couple shots, double digits, well done Grant - credit when credit is due, earned a charge at a time when they needed it first half Brock - needs to box out if he wants to get more of those rebounds Ohio - they have two players. But they're really good. Preston and Vander Plas are the real deal, and they're going to be a problem for us for a while. Vander Plas can shoot from anywhere, and Preston had an annoying propensity for hitting layups from weird angles. Ogbonda (transfer from Georgia Tech) wasn't as much a factor as I thought, though he was a big body inside. I love beating Ohio, I'm still growling about some high profile losses in the past. Crowd - a decent showing on a weeknight. Props to a couple students who showed up and tried making some noise, I heard and saw you. I don't like to do this too much, but those refs were awful tonight. Hesitant on calls, perplexing on many of them. That foul near the end on Mballa that we all thought was a clean hit out of Ogbonda's hands, I was afraid those 2 points were going to decide the game. Enjoy this tonight, this was a good, tough MAC win.

I've said it before but Mballa is the MVP of this season. I don't know if it's because Brock can't get anything going or Mballa's just really good, but it's night and day with him on the court.

Great end of game sequence by our sophomores. Williams with a go ahead basket and Mballa with a nice block.

What a game by Williams, exactly who needed the ball there. Give the guy the ball with the hot hand.

Credit to Johnson. He looks like the player we wanted him to be tonight

Antwain Johnson has risen

Johnson is having his best game of the year, hopefully he has turned the corner.

Gabe Grant actually providing good minutes. Playing with energy and solid defense. That’s what role players do. Johnson also playing well.