Big 4 Hoops Blogger

Dontay Caruthers has always had the scoring touch, it just wasn't his role. He was a tremendous playmaker in high school. It just wasn't necessary for him at Buffalo with guys like CJ Massinburg, Nick Perkins and Jeremy Harris besides him. He embraced becoming a defensive stopper in order to pick up playing time. Now, with 2/3 of the Bulls "Big 3" struggling, UB has needed him to step up and that's exactly what he's done. For anyone that has attended a UB practice, it's easy to see he possesses the skills. It's always been about having the opportunity, which he now has.

LINK: Big 4 Update: Buffalo Poll Watch Speculation MAC fans know how difficult it is to win on the road. They also know that the Falcons are having their best season in forever. It was never going to be easy for UB to leave the Stroh Center with a victory but I’m not sure AP voters will understand that. They were very forgiving following Buffalo's loss to Northern Illinois last week, dropping them only four spots to 18th. I’m not so sure they’ll be as understanding this time around. It would be a different scenario if they hadn’t dropped conference games in back-to-back weeks. For that reason alone, I have the Bulls dropping out of the AP Top 25, becoming one of the first few teams out. That said, I still think they’re safely on the right side of the bubble conversation. One more regulation season loss and things will get a bit dicey moving forward but they’re still in good shape at the moment.

You're definitely right about where Ball State ranks in terms of support in Indiana but I'm not sure that's why they're struggling as much as they have recently. In Ohio, you have Ohio State, Cincinnati, Xavier and Dayton. That's some strong competition. It might not equal Indiana, Purdue, Notre Dame and Butler but it's awfully close. Despite that, Ohio University and Akron have both recruited 3 and 4-star guys in the past. Ball State has a TON of solid players in their own backyard! (I lived an hour away. It's insane how many talented players come from Indiana.) Indiana and Purdue battle for the top guys in the state. Notre Dame and Butler go after "their type of guys" while Ball State battles with the in-state schools (IUPUI, Purdue-Fort Wayne, Valpo, Indiana State, Evansville) and the rest of the MAC for the remaining players available. There's more than enough talent for them to recruit. I'm not sure why they haven't been better for a long time.

I lived in Fort Wayne, Indiana for two years and was able to catch a few Ball State games while I was there. (My wife went to Ball State) I'm honestly not sure why they aren't a better MAC program. They have a great recruiting base with Indianapolis and Fort Wayne nearby. Sure, the top guys in the state go to P5 programs or remain in-state at Indiana/Purdue/Notre Dame/Butler but there's a ton of great leftover talent, 3-star caliber players there for the taking. Ball State has a great arena, nice tradition and play in a weak division. They should be much better. In fact, the thought was that they'd be solid this year. Unfortunately, that hasn't been the case but I believe they'll be a better program moving forward.

LINK: Big 4 Update: UB rebounds following first MAC loss The headlines says it all. My Big 4 Update this week is focused on the Bulls response following their loss at Northern Illinois. I was very impressed by their ability to battle adversity on the road against Kent State. I've included videos from the past week of Nate Oats mic'd up, the amazing passing sequence leading to Jeremy Harris' dunk in transition and the unfortunate game-winning layup by Noah McCarty. I also congratulate Cierra Dillard on reaching the 1,000 point milestone at UB and make my prediction for where I expect to see the Bulls ranked on Monday. Make sure to check it out and let me know your thoughts! LINK: Big 4 Update: UB rebounds following first MAC loss

LINK: Big 4 Update: UB rebounds following first MAC loss Buffalo’s loss against Northern Illinois will be judged more harshly than a Power-Five school losing to another P5 program but it shouldn’t be enough to drop them outside of the rankings with plenty of other programs slotted near them also suffering losses last week. If I were to guess, I’d predict the Bulls to be ranked 22nd in Monday’s poll.

This is tremendous! It's always more fun when Alumni Arena is packed. Nice to see the community finally give UB the support they deserve.

There's absolutely no reason why Buffalo couldn't get hot and make a run come March. I wouldn't predict them making the Final Four because it's incredibly difficult to do but it's certainly possible. The NCAA Tournament is as much about your draw as it is your talent. If UB can get past the opening weekend, anything is possible depending on what upsets and matchups present themselves. Just ask Loyola or any other Cinderella about that.

I'm pumped the Kent State on 2/22 was moved to Friday! It's great for UB to have a home game on ESPN2. That'll help with promoting the program to potential recruits and show the nation what UB basketball is all about. Selfishly, I'm also excited because I can now cover the game since I'm off from my full-time job on Fridays.

Traditionally, the MAC is a one-bid league but that doesn't mean UB can't get an at-large bid this year. They've already racked up an impressive resume. They're still easily on the right side of the bubble discussion. Talk to me if they lose 2-3 more games, that's when Bulls fans should start worrying. They have 12 more regular season games and possibly three MAC Tournament games. If they go 12-3 in that stretch, they'll be 29-5 with multiple quality wins. They could possibly squeak into the tournament in that scenario. If they go 30-4 or better, they're a lock in my opinion. But honestly, I think they'll take care of business in Cleveland so I'm not even worried about their at-large chances right now.

LINK: Big 4 Update: 716 taking notice of the UB Bulls Hey guys, In this week's Big 4 Update, I recap the past two UB games against WMU and EMU. I preview their spot in the polls and take some time to recognize the Buffalo community for finally giving the Bulls the support they deserve during the past few weeks. Here's a snippet of my weekly column: 716 taking notice of UB Bulls: I have to give a round of applause to the Buffalo community for finally giving the Bulls the support they deserve. They’ve had back-to-back home games with 6,000+ in the house with Friday’s crowd against Eastern Michigan ranking as the 8th largest attendance in Alumni Arena history (6,193). I’ve never seen so many people interested in keeping tabs on UB basketball. That includes the general public and the local media. It’s a great sight and something I’m hoping will continue into next season. And yes, I’m well aware that a lot of things will go into determining if it’s sustainable or not moving forward. cough…Nate Oats future…cough LINK: Big 4 Update: 716 taking notice of the UB Bulls

Poll Watch: Buffalo will move up in the polls once again this week. The question is, how far? They should jump Florida State, Auburn and Texas Tech. Virginia Tech and Kansas will fall but probably not far enough for the Bulls to pass them. With that said, my expectation is for UB to rise to 13th in Monday’s AP Poll. Big 4 Update: 716 taking notice of UB Bulls

I've attached some highlights from Buffalo's 77-65 victory over Eastern Michigan on Friday evening. I also have a written recap below: LINK: Buffalo stays perfect in MAC play defeating Eastern Michigan

Guys, I had the pleasure of talking to Cierra Dillard for an extended interview earlier this week. I have that conversation attached above in the YouTube video. A lot has been written about her accomplishments throughout the past year. She's easily the top player to ever come through the UB women's program. I learned a lot about her during our conversation. I focused on her journey to Buffalo, what it means to her repping WNY, her WNBA dreams and the struggles she's endured along the way. Please take a read. This is one of the more comprehensive features I've done for From the 300 Level. I hope you enjoy! Rochester native Cierra Dillard repping WNY, elevating UB program in WNBA pursuit

I think your rankings are pretty spot on. The only thing I would change is Northern Illinois at #5. They're 3-1 in MAC play but haven't really beaten anyone in the top half of the league. I don't think they're as good as their record would indicate. In time, I think Ball State and Eastern Michigan will rise but they're too inconsistent at the moment.

Guys, As many of you already know, I've had opportunity to cover UB basketball closely this season. Last week, I did a story on Jeremy Harris and tonight, I posted a story on how Jayvon Graves is the key piece for the Bulls moving forward. He's already averaging nearly 10 points per game as a sophomore and should only get better with time. He'll be heavily relied on as one of their key players the next two years. With that said, I dropped by practice to speak with Nate Oats and Jayvon Graves about their expectations moving forward, Here's the link if you'd rather read than watch the above video: Jayvon Graves critical to Buffalo's future success

Syracuse defeating #1 Duke is MASSIVE for UB! Heading into tonight, the Cuse were having another one of their mediocre "will they get in" type seasons. This changes that! Everyone in the country is aware of the Orange now after upsetting Duke. Many are also aware UB defeated them. Come March, this will be very helpful for the Bulls resume.

Gotcha, I'll see what the rest of the board thinks and move forward accordingly. I appreciate the suggestion. It's a decent idea.

I'd be fine with that moving forward. The next time I post, I can make an extended thread that will have all of my updates in the future.

Fair point, I should've included my post in the other thread instead.

LINK: Big 4 Update: UB primed for huge jump in the rankings! Here's a snippet of my Big 4 Update column, previewing where I believe UB will be ranked in the polls this week. I also have my podcast and Jeremy Harris story attached. Poll Watch: Buffalo will make a large jump in the polls this week. The question is, how far will they rise? Seven teams ranked ahead of the Bulls lost this past week. Here’s a look at who UB could potentially jump. 11 Auburn – Possible 12 North Carolina – Possible 13 Florida State – Unlikely 14 Mississippi State – Lock 15 North Carolina State – Lock 16 Ohio State – Lock 17 Houston – Lock If I were a betting man, I would pick Buffalo to be slotted no lower than 15th in this week’s AP Poll. I don’t think they’ll jump Florida State with the Seminoles just missing out on upsetting No. 1 Duke. The question is, will the Bulls jump Auburn and North Carolina. I’m not sure right now. It’s certainly possible but that’s asking a lot for them to move up six spots to No. 13. For now, my prediction is for UB to be ranked No. 14 in Monday’s poll.

Yep, it wasn't a good day for the higher ranked teams in my MAC tiers lol I'm with you on your first point. It appears that EMU is one of the best teams in the conference despite their ugly start to the season. Ohio is confusing to me. They're very inconsistent and you never know what to expect. Bowling Green is impressing a lot early on in MAC play. They could be the surprise team of the year.

LINK: Buffalo guard Jeremy Harris leading by example on the court I had the chance to drop by UB practice on Friday afternoon and speak with Nate Oats and Jeremy Harris. I expanded on Oats comments on Tuesday that Harris was one of the hardest working players he's ever coached. I put together a "television" package with sound from the two, plus practice video. I hope you check it out. There's also an article attached for those of you that would rather read than watch the above story. Is there a way to insert YouTube videos? Hoping to share the video in this post.

If I had to break the MAC into tiers, this is how I would put it. Tier 1: Buffalo Tier 2: Ball State Toledo Kent State Tier 3: Eastern Michigan Akron Central Michigan Bowling Green Miami Tier 4: Ohio Western Michigan Northern Illinois

Yea, I'm allowed to ask questions during the postgame pressers. I typically allow the more established media members to ask what's on their minds first since they have important deadlines they're trying to meet. If they don't get to something I'm hoping to figure out, I normally bring it up later on. I'm always open to suggestions. That's part of the reason why I'm active on this message board is to see if there's anything that peaks UB fans interest.