MaineBull

As of today our roster looks as follows: Guards: Dunn, Fulcher, Sabol, Boldin, Akot Wings: Wilson, Mcveigh, Michaels, Batchelor, Jackson Bigs: Oboh That gives us the following class breakdown: Freshman (4): Michaels Oboh Jackson Akot Sophmores (4): Sabol Boldin Wilson Mcveigh Juniors (2): Fulcher Batchelor Seniors (1) Dunn That leaves us 2 scholarships left. Hard to predict today with 2 spots left to fill but here is my guess at starters for next season as of now: PG: Dunn SG: Sabol SF: Boldin PF: Batchelor Center: Grad transfer to come I would like to see staff fill the last two roster spots with a grad transfer big who can start and provide some veteran leadership and a freshman true big man who we can develop in our system who can play with his back to the basket and rebound and protect the rim. I like the direction this team is headed and I am looking forward to next season. This team is going to surprise some people, especially with their ability to shoot. Lets hope the staff can bring in a few more solid pieces to build on what they have started. Go Bulls!

You guys both bring up some great points. I agree with UBinMD that I feel like this coach and staff are trying to build a roster around kids that are interchangeable on the floor defensively and offensively both from a size and athletic point of view. These coaches are clearly looking for kids who are willing to play defense, are good athletes, and are unselfish hard workers. I think you can describe all of the freshman from last year under those categories. Those are clearly the type of kids this staff is after. I think this is the formula started by Villanova and now used by many schools, like Uconn. Obviously the talent level at these schools is above the level we are recruiting at but the type of kids are the same. The kids this staff is after are willing to sacrifice their own accolades for the good of the team. This describes, Sabol, Boldin, Wilson and Mcveigh all of this staffs recruits last year. I agree with MuchMany who feels that the veteran leadership from last year never took on these characteristics and they were a non complimentary group of players left leading this team. They were selfish players and were not willing to sacrifice for the good of the team. All of the lazy play from last year falls squarely on the shoulders of Chatman and Adams. That is why we won so little of our games. These kids let us down by being selfish and lazy. I think this staff will be the first to tell you there mistake was to allow Chatman and Adams and Smith the ability to return and their choice to continue to play them heavy minutes down the stretch of the season. It was destined to fail when the only reason these kids stayed here at UB was because they did not want to have to sit out another year because it was all of their at least second transfer if they chose to move to another school. These kids had no interest in playing for this coach, after all they came here to play for Whitesell. They had no interest in buying into what this staff was selling. That was the major issue last year. I wish the coaching staff had just benched them. It was a weird dynamic all year and I think this was the crux of it all. I think this staff is trying to follow the mold of Villanova and Uconn but we did not get a chance to see it much last year. I think they are trying to create an identity of interchangability, with athletes who work hard and are willing to sacrifice and play unselfish. Personally I think this is the approach to take in our situation. We go after the kids who are loyal and are willing to stay and play as a team. I also think this a reason you see this staff recruiting these kids who dont have a ton of other offers. They are under recruited and have a chip on their shoulder to prove themselves. I think next year we are going to see a vast improvement and I think it will be an entertaining brand of basketball. Trust me, I was as frustrated as anyone this past season. I drove 550 miles to see three games of Chatman and Adams being ball hogs and lazy on defense. I was the one standing and clapping when Chatman was kicked out of his final game, BYE! I am not happy with the status of this program but after I have let my emotions settle and I have reviewed our situation, a plan emerged that I think this staff is aiming for. Will it result in wins next year like we all want, I doubt it, but I think it takes time to build a program. I will support this approach and I hope you all will as well. I look forward to next year. I want to see a team identity based on interchangeability, athleticism and unselfish play where the players sacrifice for each other to allow for team success. If we see this from the team it will be a fun season and we can all get behind that approach. Go Bulls!

As of today our roster looks as follows: Guards: Fulcher, Sabol, Boldin, Akot Wings: Wilson, Mcveigh, Michaels, Batchelor, Jackson Bigs: Oboh That gives us the following class breakdown: Freshman (4): Michaels Oboh Jackson Akot Sophmores (4): Sabol Boldin Wilson Mcveigh Juniors (2): Fulcher Batchelor That leaves us 3 scholarships left. Personally I would love to see two graduate transfers for a PG and Center who can be starters and contributors right away and one more freshman, preferably a big. That would round out our roster nicely both from a position point of view as well as a class point of view. A graduate PG can make room in 2025 for PG Cooper who has committed already to play at UB. Hard to predict today with 3 spots left to fill but here is my guess at starters for next season as of now: PG: Grad transfer to come SG: Sabol/Boldin SF: Batchelor PF: Jackson/Michaels Center: Grad transfer to come I remain confident in what this staff is trying to assemble. I am hopeful that they can pull in a few graduate transfers under our current NIL situation. I know it will be difficult to accomplish but I am hopeful they can find some upper level players that are not getting the playing time they feel they deserve and they are willing to come to Buffalo for a year and mentor our young players and contribute right away. The more I look back on last season the more I am convinced the season was lost because of a lack of leadership from the older players. Look at the NCAA tournament and how important it is to have older experienced players that are leaders on your team. I am hopeful this staff can bring in a few senior leaders to both contribute and lead this team over the next year. I am excited about next year and I am curious about your thoughts on the construction of this roster thus far. Go Bulls!

I have supported this team since 1994 when I decided to come to UB. You will regret the statements about the coach and this roster. Good luck and I hope you can find a way to find some balance and happiness in this world. Good luck next year routing against your school.

I am sorry this is the approach you chose to take for being a fan for a team, betting against them for coming seasons before they even assemble a team. This approach surely takes all of the fun out of it. I hope you find a way to get some enjoyment out of this team in the coming years, as that is what it means to be a fan and that is the reason we route for a team to begin with.

This is like banging your head against a door. You are too emotionally invested to make an objective opinion. I am moving on as this is not fun for anyone. Your missing the point to no ones surprise. We will have to agree to disagree. Go Bulls!

They are freshman. Lets re access this statement in a year or two and see if you have the same opinion then. We all know you will not. By the time they graduate my guess is two of these freshman will be strong players on very successful teams. I think you need to get a better understanding of the game before you say some of these opinions.

That does not even warrant a response. The idiocy speaks for itself. I want to be clear and get on record you don't feel there are any D1 players on this roster outside of Adams, Chatman and Smith. Is that your opinion?

Your clear love for Adams is clouding your judgment. I am afraid you are too emotionally invested for some odd reason to be able to look at this objectively. Lets just agree to disagree on this issue. The simple fact remains Adams (and Chatman) were selfish and lazy players who took this team down and were an anchor for this team. We will be better off without them. To be successful in basketball it takes a team, look at James Harden and Russell Westbrook, great players but cannot win, why cause they are selfish and don't play team basketball. It takes team players to be successful. Adams and Chatman, were not those players. If they were not on the team last year the shots could have gone to the open player, whomever that was. That is how you succeed at basketball. Ball movement and passing that breaks down the defense and results in an open shot for whatever player is in the open spot on the floor.

Well said and spot on!

I think you need to get a better understanding of the game of basketball and how to be successful at it. I can tell you that the games of Adams and Chatman are not in the recipe for success, they are players on bad teams that can put up solid numbers nothing more. The game is won on the defensive side of the ball and Adams and Chatman were two of the worst defenders in the country last year. There are no numbers needed to back that up. We all watched each game painlessly watching Adams playing lazy defense (especially on the glass) and Chatman trying to break the school record for blocked shots by going after everything and goaltending constantly all while lazily getting back on defense. Adams led the team in assists yes, but his passing and ball movement in the flow of the offense are sub par, cause he is a selfish player. We all saw it, we all witnessed the insanity that was his game last season. It was awful to watch. He is a low level mid major player and he should be the third or fourth option on that team, that is his role and in that setting, I agree he could be successful potentially. UB is better off with those two players gone, anyone who feels otherwise needs to get a better understanding of how basketball is meant to be played. I am not lumping Jo into this mix as I felt differently about his game. He worked hard and was on an island on the glass last season with no one willing to help him. His game on the offensive end does not translate at this level, he is too small and frail to be a big with his back to the basket and he does not have the offensive tools to play on the perimeter, his handle is too weak. I will miss Jo and thank him for all of his effort the last 2 seasons. I wish him nothing but the best.

Any body willing to defend Adams is not watching the game close enough. Adams (and Chatman) let this team down tremendously last season. Adams is one of the most selfish players to ever play at UB. He was second in the conference in turnovers per game and he had the worst shot selection of any player I have ever seen at UB. His effort on the defensive end (and rebounding) was laughable at best. This program is in a much better place with him (and Chatman) gone. I wish him the best and good riddance. I personally like what I am seeing for recruits coming in. I think this is going to be a slow build to get where coach wants this program to be. We all need to be willing to commit to that, as clearly the University and Admin have. I think that is what they were sold on when HGIII was hired. I have a feeling we will next see some experience added to the roster thru the portal, likely a PG and Big. I think we can start to see an identity forming around, unselfish players that are willing to work, stay loyal to a program for 4 years and are solid defenders who can shot and are willing to be unselfish for the benefit of the team. I like this mold and am willing to be patient to see it built. Like BB, in year 2, I suspect to see a big jump, year 3 should be when things really get rolling. I think looking back the coaches will reflect and understand the mistake they made last was to allow the players to return from Whitesell's teams. Would have been better to clean the cupboard and start over. Tere is a very stark difference in the type of player HGIII and staff covet versus those that Whitesell recruited here and more importantly there is a big difference in the system they play both offensively and defensively.

This was one of the hardest seasons of UB basketball to watch that I can recall. Us as fans and these coaches and players all need to do some self reflection and make some hard decisions this offseason. I have been a huge fan of this team since I attended UB in 1995. I have watched every game and I have supported the team religiously. I make an annual trip to Buffalo each year from Maine to watch the Bulls in person. I attended the final three home games last week. I felt the game day experience has been improved slightly from last year. The band was spot on for all three of these games! The crowds were disappointing but that is to be expected for weekday games for a team with 4 wins on the season. I did attend the girls game on Wednesday and was impressed with the crowd for this game. Becky Burke has something brewing with this girls team. KLW and Alexis Davis are going to be superstars in this conference! Future is bright for the girls. The coach was in a tough spot with this men's team. He painted himself into a corner when he allowed both Chatman and Adams to return. They are not his type of players and do not fit his system. Chatman and Adams let this team down by being selfish and lacking effort especially on the defensive end. Chatman played hard but was the most selfish player I have seen at UB since maybe Zid. He came here to play with his high school teammate Curtis Jones and coach Whitesell, both of whom left, hence he lacked motivation to do as he was asked. He chose to do as he pleased and it hurt this team tremendously. Don't get me wrong he played hard but he only cared about his stats and not the success of the team. He was more concerned about not getting hurt then he was whether this team won or lost. If you pump fake he would jump out of his shoes. He got himself out of position all season long by trying to block a shot that would result in an easy basket. If I am ranking UB players with worst defensive ability he is definitely in the top 5. He spent the entire season taking ill advised shots. His game is to use his strength and back down his opponent and try to get to the line using his athleticism. Sadly he rarely took this approach instead choosing a contested three that he shot under 25.7% at. He is a great athlete that could have done much more on the glass then he did but he did. This team really needed help in rebounding. I am so happy this bozo is leaving us, our program is much better for it. His lazy running up the court or complaining to an official constantly and terrible attitude will not be missed. Watching him in person on the final game versus NIU was sickening. He is the opposite of blue collar basketball. Honestly I am shocked the coach allowed his behavior all season. As mentioned above the downfall was letting him return, coach was in a tough spot as he clearly was not listening to what the coaching staff was preaching. Adams let this team down even more than Chatman did this year. It is mind blowing how poorly he shot the ball all season long. His shot has no arc what so ever. Its flat and barely gets over 10 feet high. He has flawed mechanics that at this point cannot be fixed. field goal% for year under 40%, 3 point percentage 22.8%. Those are atrocious! His shot selection is terrible. The coaching staff was trying to develop an offense with lots of ball movement, but that was impossible with Adams on the floor. The ball stops when it gets to him every time. GO back and watch film, every time he catches the ball he jab steps and puts ball down in front of him. Yes, he lead the team in assists, I get it, but his game is not conducive to the type of offense the coach was trying to run. He is a selfish player and he showed it all season long. As we all know this team needed help on the glass, poor JO was on an island all season long with not much help. Adams, like Chatman, could have been the help we needed. But again he is too lazy to take this on constantly. I have never seen the amount of lazy turnovers that Adams consistently produced this season. He and Chatman combined for a staggering total of 169 turnovers on the season. That's 5.5 a game! Over the course of the season those two alone resulted in 5 to 6 points a game just with their turnovers! That's god awful and I blame the players for not correcting the issue and I blame the coaches for continuing to play them when they were hurting the team. I would have benched both of them down the stretch of the season. Give the minutes to the kids who want to be on the floor and are willing to lay it all on the line for the success of the team. Look back at the NIU game, once Chatman was kicked out and Adams was benched down the stretch, look at the results, that is when we made our run and made a game of it, cause the kids on the floor may have had less talent but they were working together and were working towards once goal, the success of the team. Basketball is about one thing, effort and sacrifice, both Adams and Chatman have none of that in their games. They let this team down so much and this program will be better for all now that they are both finally moving on. I liked what I saw from our freshman, Boldin and Sabol. They could be good players at this level if they continue to develop. The fact they got so many minutes this season in the end will help their development. I hope they don't transfer. The fact Boldin dressed for final game versus NIU tells me he is still committed to team. If he was planning to transfer I don't think he would have any intentions of playing in that final game. I really liked what I saw from Wilson as he continued to get minutes. His effort on the defensive end was impressive and he is a remarkable athlete a lot like Boldin. He needs to shoot 1000 shots a day all summer to improve his jump shot as that will be key to his success. McVeigh seemed to slowly improve all season. He looked lost early in the season, especially on the defensive side of the ball. I liked his ability to rebound and his effort was always really high. I am hoping this staff can develop each of these players and they remain with the team this off season, but that seems unlikely at this point. I would love to see Williamson and Fulcher return as I think each of them showed some ability and I think they can be pieces on a successful team. Like Wilson, Fulcher needs to get a ton of shots up this summer and Williamson needs to improve his defensive rebounding. Jo appears to be gone since he participated in Senior day and that's a bummer for this team in some ways. I loved his effort and his motor, it never quit. He is a great rebounded especially on the offensive glass. His game does not work with the offense this coach is trying to run. He is not strong enough with the ball on the perimeter to participate in this offense. They had to sit him down often this season as a result of this. I really like his game but him moving on is best for this team. We thank you for all you did for us and we will miss you Jo and wish you all the best. Where do we go from here? The coach is likely here to stay since he was hired to build a system. After Year one I am hesitant and nervous about the future of this program. I am not convinced this is not the coach for the job but at this point he has to step up and make a big jump in year two. I think moving on from Whitesells players of Chatman, Adams and Smith is a big first step. Next he needs to bring in some high level recruits to compete in year two. These players needs to be able to do the two things this coach came here looking to do, shoot the basketball efficiently and defend. That is the recipe for success. I support bringing in transfers or freshmen, which ever this staff feels can help them the most. Transfers will result in better success next season but I think that is not the end goal. I think this admin is ok with a slow build, I think this coach came here selling his system and how it takes time to build it. Year one was painful but here is hoping year two can be better. If not, I am afraid admin has no choice but to move on. It saddens me how far this program has fallen since the Oats years but I will remain steadfast in my support of this team and this program. We will return to those days, lets hope next season is a big step in the right direction. Go Bulls!

I would agree Adams has been bad defensively but Chatman may be the worst defensive player to ever done a UB uniform. All he cares about is getting a block. He plays with such a lack of effort it makes me sick honestly. You are exactly right he literally trots back on defense every play. Watch him tonight, it's so frustrating to watch a guy who could.be a great player on both ends just lack the desire to ever want to try. He play like a kid who transfered to a school to play with his buddy (Curtis Jones) and a coach he liked in whitesell only to have to sit out a year because it was his second transfer and then both Whitesell and Jones are gone and he does not want to sit out another year so screw it I am going to breeze thru the season and do what I want and give an awful effort. It's so bad. The major reason this team is ranked 345 currently in kenpom rankings and that is because of the lack of good play by the supposed leaders of this team Adams and Chatman. I welcome the off-season where both these guys will.be gone , hopefully, and coaching staff can bring in some.of their own guys who are willing to do what is needed on the defensive end to win.

He was definitely like this last year. He is a good third or fourth option on a team. The difference this year is he he is being asked to be option 1 or 2 and he does not have that ability. He is also being asked to be a leader and we can all see how that is going. This team will not have success with this type of player on a roster. We cannot support a player giving such poor effort, it's flat our embarrassing and setting this program back. The best situation for all is he grad transfers out of program. Best way to assure that happens is to make an example of him, and establish culture by saying lack of effort has consequences. As a result he gets upset and transfers. BYE!

His minutes can can be given to anyone. What he is giving us is nothing but, terrible attitude, awful defense, no rebounding, no leadership, terrible shot selection and he limits ball movement as it stops when it gets to him always. Anyone who knows anything aboit basketball knows hiw much he has let this team down. His stats for season 38% fg 22%3pt fg 3 to per game

Things I would like to see these final games: 1. Get Boldin back on court and encourage him to use his athleticism to attack the rim and get to the free throw line. 2. Limit minutes of Adams as he is the biggest anchor taking this team down. Lazy on defense, terrible effort to rebound, too many turnovers and awful shot selection and even worse shooting percentage. Limiting his minutes will certainly mean he will transfer out. That is what is best for this program. 3. Get Sabol the ability to create some shots for either himself or his teammates. To be affective he needs to be able to get some shots off the dribble. He needs to have more shots each game. Too many shots are being taken by adams and Smith. 4. No more three pointers for Chatman. His percentage is awful and he is so good and the mid range, that needs to be his game. Back ur defender down and play to the strength of ur game and please take care of the ball. This has been one if the hardest seasons to watch in my 28 years following the program. I have remained engaged and continue to support the team despite how hard that is to do at this point. I want to see improvement. To me it starts with effort especially on the defensive end of the floor. I also want to see more fire from coaches. If these kids aren't doing what we want, sit them. Playing time is earned. Hold them accountable for their actions on the floor. I have seen way to much lackadaisical effort from this team.

I am making my annual trip out to Buffalo from Maine to see the final three home games of the season. Will anyone be there at the games? How have the crowds been?

I think many of the people on this board need to relax and see the big picture here. We have a new coach, a first time head coach, with many new players. This stuff takes time to develop. We all knew going into this season this was not going to be about wins and losses, but about improvements and growth both from the team and individual players. Lets all relax and let this team develop and let this coach find his way. I remain excited and think the future is bright for this team and this program. This coach is building something and lets all enjoy the process of it being built from the ground up. We all know after the last disaster of a coach we are starting from ground zero with the reconstruction of this team. This is about building a program and building it the right way. Personally I am excited to watch this develop. As you all know I tend to limit my comments and when I do I tend to provide an in depth review of the team as I see it thus far. I tend to wait to complete this analysis until further in the season but this seems an appropriate time to provide my first thoughts after 7 games. Here are my thoughts on this team and the roster thus far: Coaches: I have heard lots of criticism of the coaches and their passion on the sideline. What I see is a coach who is composed and involved in teaching. He may not be as fierce as Hurley but in my eyes that's a good thing. What is important is how fiery he is with the players in the huddle, if you look closely you will see he is much more intense in that situation. On the sideline during action he is a composed teacher like his predecessor Jay Wright. I for one am a huge fan of this approach. All of the coaches seem to be involved and I think we have something great developing with this staff. I like that coach is toying with different defenses like the 2/3 zone and a 2/2/1 full court press now and then to keep the offense off balance. I think as a group we have struggled with the 2/3 zone thus far but I think the more they play it the better we will get at it. I have said from the beginning we made a great hire in GH3 and he has established a great staff. Lets see how it develops as the year continues. The important part is that the team shows continuous improvement and is playing their best basketball by the end of the year. Clearly the coaching staff has been disciplining players for either on court or off court behavior and I am a big fan of this. Laying the ground work for a culture, a culture of success. Team: They seem to be struggling to find a grove together. We look like a team that has not played a lot of basketball together which is true. There are many factors involved in this. The new coaching regime as we talked about above, an influx of freshman who are playing significant minutes, our best player has not played in over 1.5 years and is trying to get comfortable on the court again. I think we are slowly seeing Sy find his way back to form. Offensively there has not been enough ball movement yet. I think that needs to change and I think it will as players get an understanding of their roles and responsibilities. There have been so many turnovers and that is concerning. Turnovers have such a huge impact on a teams ability to win games. We expect turnovers with a new system and new players, especially with young players in the ball handling positions as this team is currently configured. We did not expect this level of turnovers. The unforced turnovers are a huge problem that this team needs to resolve. Defensively is the biggest concern I have for this team. We have given up way to many easy buckets in the half court set. Our interior defenders (Williamson, Chatman and Smith) in all honesty have been terrible at protecting the rim. They need to be more physical and frankly work harder at making the offensive players uncomfortable. If this team can grow into a team that limits the unforced turnovers, moves the ball better offensively and does a better job with team defense to protect the rim, I think we will all be happy with those results. I felt the effort defensively was much higher yesterday against JMU then it has been all year. Small steps is what I expect this season to be about, small steps in the right direction. Kanye Jones: He has clearly been in the coaching staffs dog house. I feel for the most part he has played rather well thus far. His shot has been off for most of the year. I am still not a fan of his footwork on his shot but I am afraid its too late to change that. He has attacked the rim off the dribble going both left and right with quite a bit of success. He has been one of the only players able to consistently get to the free throw line. I think he has rebounded the ball better than last year. I would still like to see more effort defensively and see him distribute the ball more. We saw yesterday in the JMU game him dribble into double teams on multiple occasions. That ball needs to be moved. I did feel like he worked harder on defense yesterday then he has all year. I think Kanye will be a key contributor to this team all season long. Sy Chatman: He is struggling to get comfortable on the floor because of his long period of not being on the floor. I would like to see him not settle for jump shots. I think he is a great player with his back to the basket and we need to see him in the post more backing his opponent in especially when the match up is in our favor. We saw him do that a few times yesterday in the second half with success. He is a strong guy who is tough to handle in the post. Defensively he needs tgo be a better rebounder and rim protector. He tries to block every shot and that hurts him a lot of times. On the perimiter on offense he needs to be a better passer. The ball gets stuck with him too often. With Sabol on the floor and his ability to shoot it should open up the floor and he needs to learn how to take advantage of that. Ryan Sabol: I have been really impressed with him thus far. Defensively he has been better than I expected. Offensively he is as pure of a shooter as we have had here in maybe a decade. His stroke is true and sweet. I think he is adjusting to the level of play around him. He has struggled with his fg% minus three pointers and I think that will come. I would like to see him take advantage of his mid range game as I think that could be a strength of his and an easier way to get his shots off when attacking off the dribble. I think we really have a great player in the making here. I like that he is getting minutes and he is proving each day he deserves them. If I am coach we are working to get him ten shots minimum per game, he has the green light anytime he can get it off. His shooting makes this team better by opening up the floor for all others. Isiah Adams: His adjustment to this team and his new role has not been smooth. Similar to last year, way to many turnovers, unforced turnovers as a result of not moving the ball. He wants to be the man on this team and he deserves that but he needs to learn to let the game come to him and not force it and result in a turnover. I would like to see him use his length more and attack off the dribble, too often he settles for jump shots. I thought he has rebounded the ball better than last year, but defensively I have not seen the effort I saw at the end of last season. At the end of last season he was getting after it on the other teams best players. I would like to see that again, this team needs someone to step up in that way. Anguan Boldin JR: Boldin and Sabol are the best players on this team and they have proved it thus far this season. I know the older guys Chatman, Smith and Adams want this to be their team, but the kids have proven this is their team. They are playing the game the right way and giving max effort and moving the ball. Boldin has really been impressive on the defensive end of the floor. He is strong and quick and willing to sacrifice his body for the team. He is a very good rebounder for his size. Offensively, his ability to offensive rebound and attack off the dribble are things this team really needs. He has not looked comfy with his jump shot except in one game but I am sure that will come. I am so excited to see him develop and I remain confident he will develop into one of the stronger players in this conference, as soon as next year. Zakir Williamson: Its so nice to see him on the floor and getting minutes. We have heard all summer how well he has been playing. He looks slimmed down again this year and I want to see him be physical cause this team needs that more than anything else. thought y was the best I have seen him play. banging down low and being a pest defensively. Offensively anything he gives us is a bonus. I would like to see him continue to develop in the post and look to kick the ball out to Sabol when help comes on his side. I would like to see Zakir work on getting 8 rebounds per game. This team needs help rebounding and he is the answer. Shawn Fulcher: Clearly this kid is used to playing fast. He is best when the tempo is high paced, but this approach is definitely not one the coaching staff is looking to take advantage of. I would like to see him slow down in the half court and look to create shots for his teammates, namely Sabol and Adams. Defensively I like what I see, he is a pest and willing to contribute on the boards. HIs jump shot looks strong and I know that will continue to improve. If he improves his assist to turnover ratio that will really help this team compete in games. Overall, I like what I have seen and I look forward toing comfortable in his role and improving as the season continues. He is going to be a solid contributor for years to come. Bryson Wilson: This kid is an athlete and physical. I thought yesterday was his best game of the season. It is going to take him sometime to figure out this level of competition. I would like to see him attack off the dribble more and focus on rebounding and getting himself to the free throw line with that athleticism. He looks very uncomfortable with his jump shot, I hope the coaching staff is working on that. With Sabol, Boldin, Fulcher and Wilson, I really like the direction this team is heading. I think that can be a solid nucleus and I love that he is getting minutes and learning on the fly. I look forward to watching him continue to develop. Lloyd McVeigh: Nobody has struggled to adjust to this level like Lloyd has. Besides a 5 minute stretch a few games ago he has looked very nervous and uncomfortable. I am struggling to figure out of he is a post or wing player. He seems to be struggling with this same issue. He needs to limit the turnovers and needs to contribute on the boards when he is on the floor. Defensively he looks scared to being called for a foul. I think once he gets more comfortable at this level we will see a lot of improvement. Sometimes it takes time and I think this is one of those cases. He needs a game where he drops in 15 points to get him going. Lets hope that game is coming up. Jo Smith: He has been our only rebounder. On the offensive glass he is relentless. Defensively I would like to see him be more physical. Offensively he is too dominant with his left hand. He has been shooting the ball well from outside but I would rather see him put the ball on the floor and attack the rim and get to the free throw line. Many of the bigs covering him on the perimeter are not able to stay in front of him without fouling. He needs help on the glass as he cannot be our only rebounder. He looks to me to be the leader of this team and I would like to see that continue to develop. Good things happen when the leader of the team is one of the hardest workers on the team. I see a 20 rebound game in his future. Has this team been hard to watch sometimes this season, yes. Have the games been frustrating because of the turnovers, yes. Lets not lose site of the big picture and what this season is about. This team and coaching staff is growing and I for one am going to remain patient and enjoy the process and watching them improve with each game. I have purchased tickets to the last three games for the final home stand and I cannot wait to see them in person. By then, I suspect this will be a different team. I believe in these players and these coaches and I say Go Bulls!

I cannot express how disappointing this is. Our momentum is gone! We don't pay enough and we cannot attract the coaches we want to the program. This is a really sad day for our program. As a fan I am so sad about the status of this program. We give Whitesell an extension, then pay a fee to get him out of Town and then we cannot hire the candidates we covet. This program is clearly not at the level we as fans had hoped it had become. I am honestly crushed with this news. I would have loved to have either Cohen or McCollem. In order to attract someone to coach here, there clearly needs to be a connection to our program or they need to be so far removed from coaching that they see it as an opportunity they cannot pass up. At this point I would make the following calls to offer a potential coaching position and gauge their interest: CJ Massinburg Wes Clark Turner Battle These type of options would likely consider this an opportunity and would likely stay longer if they were to be hired here because of their history here. if none of them are interested. I would start with former NBA players looking to get into coaching: Brian Scalabrine Derek Fisher These type of options would instantly boost recruiting. This is such a disappointing day for our beloved program. I hope Admin can find a suitable option. At this point turn over every stone and look into every option possible. This hire is critical!

I have not been participating in this forum for most of the year. I have been frustrated with the direction of the team and the momentum that was lost from the program. Don't get me wrong, I watched every game and supported the team. Hiring Whitesell was the wrong move 4 years ago and it only got worse as the years went on. That being said, I am so happy the administration took the right step in letting Whitesell go. I wish him the best. I am excited again for this program. This is one of the most important hires in decades for the school. UB needs to get this one right. We need a coach who is hungry like we all are. A coach who is hungry to prove himself and to prove what this school is capable of. We need a coach who can recruit and develop relationships with his players, a coach who runs a brand of basketball that is appealing to watch for the fans and more importantly is appealing to players because they want to play in that style of basketball. Like what many others have said, I am not a fan of a retread coach. That is not the right hire for UB at this time. We need a hungry coach, and we should settle for nothing less. We are a solid destination for a hungry coach and we should take our time and find the right one. I am anxious like everyone and want to find a new coach but understand that the tournament and its progress could likely stretch out this process. There have been a lot of names floated out there and I am sure Alnutt is looking at many more that have not been mentioned. I am fully behind hiring Cohen. I think he checks off all the boxes, hungry, good teacher, solid play designer, has proven he can recruit at various levels and has a passion for the area. I know, that is not an essential aspect of the hire, but in my mind it only help and could develop into a situation where he stays longer than another hungry coach because of his love for the area. A love for City of Buffalo is a good attribute to have in a coach. I would love to see Buffalo play the brand of basketball I have seen from Xavier all season. They are fun to watch and really get after it on both ends of the floor. This coaching change has reinvigorated by passion and excitement for this team. I look forward to seeing whom Alnutt choses to hire. For what it is worth, I am pulling for Adam Cohen! Go Bulls!

I have been holding out to give my opinions on this team and the season and I cannot seem to hold back my thoughts any longer. The negativity that comes out on this board especially during games is concerning and very off putting. Sometimes it seems like some of us want to get on the team or the coaches rather than be a fan of the team. I am all for constructive criticism but have a handle on the big picture please before you comment. Please take some time to digest and keep your eyes on the big picture. Please that's all I ask, this will make for a much better experience for all of us. This appears to be one of the best teams we have ever had at our beloved UB! Lets enjoy it and get behind this time like we did the CJ/Perk/Harris team. I know many of you are not happy with the coach. I understand the criticism but I think he has gotten a bad wrap thus far. Is he the best in game coach we have ever had, no far from it. Is he strong at making in game adjustments, no. But that being said, he is just as loved and respected by his players as Hurley and Oats was. These kids play hard for him and want to succeed for him. He is a hell of a recruiter. The recruiting has not fallen off since coach took over, the class he brought in this year, if they stay may go down as one of the strongest in school history. Coach Whitesell has been able to avoid significant transfer unlike many other coaches around the country. The team chemistry appears to be amazing and the kids seems to enjoy playing in the program. The style of play is exciting both to play in and watch and should be a strong factor in future recruiting. Coach Whitesell is not a big name coach but the facts are he has over 400 college coaching wins and these kids love him. I think he deserves more credit and some of us on this board should stop looking at ways to shoot him down. My biggest criticism of this team and his coaching is the lack of ball movement. I would love to see more ball movement, get those guys willing to make the extra pass to turn that good shot into a great shot. He has not won the big games in this time hear yet, but lets see if he can get it done this year and lets enjoy the journey. Please keel in mind this is a marathon not a sprint, the goal is to be prepare for Cleveland, so we are playing our best basketball by that time. My thoughts on the players thus far: Rondo: He is nails. His jump shot, albeit not the prettiest thing in the world, it is deadly. Leave him open and he will make u pay. His defensive effort has been very high and has been a catalyst on this team. I would like to see him try to attack off the dribble more and kick out when the help comes as he is tough to stay in front off, his hesitation is one of the best I have ever seen. Rondo is an amazing player and in order to make an NCAA run we need him to lead us there and I think this may be the year he is ready to do so. Williams: The work he has put in since his freshman year is really paying off. He is the toughest matchup in the MAC. He can shoot the three and take anyone off the dribble. I would still like to see him take the ball to his off hand as defenders try so hard to cut off his strong hand. He has been carrying us thus far on the season. He is in for a truly magical season. As the season goes along I foresee teams trying to take him away where if he takes on the role of being a playmaker, we could have a lot of fun and there will be a lot of open shots if we are willing to move the ball. His rebounding continues to improve and I have liked what I have seen from him on the defensive end thus far this year. If I am coach Whitesell I am in his ear every day challenging him to try and make a name for himself on the glass and on the defensive side of the ball, that is how he finds his way into the NBA. Jack: I have been impressed with his effort and he is more athletic then I realized he was. I would like to see his shot have more arc and be less flat but you cannot argue with the results. This kid can flat out shoot and on this team there will be some open shots to be had. Jack may well be the X Factor on this team, he plays well and the Bulls play well. If he is shooting the ball well, it opens up the floor for so many good things. His rebounding is great and his defense is not strong but I love the effort and passion he brings. I really like this kid and cannot wait to see how he gels with the big 3. By seasons end I suspect we will have a big 4! Mballa: Best rebounder I have ever seen at UB! His hands are quick and he is simply relentless on the defensive end of the floor. He brings an attitude and a toughness to this team that is critical to our success. He clearly has worked on his free throw shooting, handle and foot work. I understand why they try to iso him as he is a tough guard in that situation but too often it ends in a poor shot or a turnover. I would like to see him become more controlled on offense and I think we should try to get him the ball posting on the block more than we do currently. I love this kids game and we will go as far as Mballa can take us this season. His rebounding and defense set the tone for this team and I cannot wait to see how this season plays out. I also pray he decides to come back for another year next year. Bertrum: I love his passion for hoops and this University and how dedicated he is. But that being said he is not a player that deserves minutes at this level/ His length allows him to contribute in certain situations but he has too many limitations to contribute or get minutes at this level. I have been saying this for years but year after year his minutes increase. This season he has three guys behind him, Harnett, Skogman, Mading that are all better and deserving of more minutes. I suspect he is getting so many minutes now as Hardnett works his way back to game strength. Bertrum has a role on this team, it is a captain and as a leader who plays when the opponent has a huge interior player and we need to body him and give up some fouls. That should be his role and I suspect it will be as we move along in the season. Skogman: He is a stretch four who can really shot it and should generate some open shots for us that I am confident he can hit. Like Rondo his shot is far from pretty but effective. He has limitation both on the glass and defensively, especially on the screen and role defense. He is a big part of our future and I think we will continue to see him grow and hope one day he grows into the player we all hope he can be. I am confident in this coaching staffs ability to develop bigs. Brewton: He still does not look comfortable and does not appear to know his role on this team yet. At this point I am not sure he will figure that out in time before he leaves. All we hear is he is an amazing shooter but we have yet to see it on the floor. This team really does need a scorer off the bench who can space the floor and give us some minutes and consistent scoring off the bench but I am not sure he is capable of that. I hope so, but time will tell. I will say this, his body language each time he shoots it says he is confident, he thinks they are all going in, but they seldomly seem to at this point. I hope that changes cause like Jack, Brewton could be one of the X factors for this team. If he plays well the Bulls will be really tough to beat. Defensively he is a liability especially against bigger athletic guards and that is not going to change. Hardnett: I really think his game is a perfect compliment to this team. He needs to be starting with Segu, Jack, Williams and Mballa. That is our best lineup and is the lineup that will take us to the NCAA tourney. I know he is working his way into game shape and in time will work his way into the starting group. He brings all the things this starting lineup needs, another strong rebounder and defender, toughness, attitude and an unselfish athlete who can run the floor. I really like his game and he is the perfect compliment to our big 4! I would like to see him develop a consistent jump shot and become a better screener to free up some of our wings. Hardnett starting is when this team goes on a run! Jones: I have been really impressed with this kid. It looks like we have found our future point guard. He appears to be a great rebounder and solid defender. I am really hoping Segu takes him under his wing and teaches him the importance of his role on the future of this program and the importance of the defense and ball pressure that he provides to this team. Not sure about his jump shot as we have seen so few opportunities for him in that role. I cannot wait to watch this kid develop and I am excited for his future. Says alot about his game that he is able to contribute as he has thus far as a point guard as a freshman. Mading: This kid is going to be an impact player as a freshman. Remember CJ his freshman year in Cameron Indoor? I suspect at some point this season we will see a performance like that from Mading. He is raw and has a lot to learn but he has all the tools to be a multi time player of the year in this conference. Give him a few months to get his feet wet and I think you will see him carve out a role for himself and that is when we start to see what this kid is capable of. The sky is the limit for this kid and I cannot wait to see how this plays out. I am fearful he will get discouraged and transfer if he does not get the minutes he feel he deserves. As of today he has the following players in front of him Bertrum, Hardnett, Skogman, Fagan. If I am the coaching staff I am playing Mading over Bertrum and Fagan from Day one. Once he figures out how to defend and rebound at this level I would play him more if his play warrants it. This kid is a star in the making and I want to encourage that and not limit his game behind players that are not part of the future of this program, Brock and Fagan, Fagan: I love this kid in many of the ways we love Bertrum. He is dedicated to this team and his effort to come back from multiple significant knee injuries should be celebrated but, like Bertrum, this team has too much talent for him to be getting minutes unless someone is in foul trouble. He has a nice jumper and is a solid rebounder but his defense is not strong and he tends to foul too often. I love his effort but we have too much talent for him to be seeing the floor. Blocker: Kid looks solid but he needs time to develop like Mading. I like what I see but he needs to slow down and let the game come to him a bit more. I think he has a bright future and cannot wait to watch him develop. For now sit back and learn as much as you can from our seniors so next year you are ready to contribute. Jones, Mading, Blocker sound to me like the next big 3 for UB basketball! Williamson: Please red shirt! Perry: Classic undersized UB guard. Tough as nails and willing to get in your face! Great rebounder for his size and will not have a hard time getting to the line. His lack of speed will be an issue at this level especially on the defensive end of the floor. Hope he continues to develop a jump shot and can carve out a defensive stopper role on this team. I see him playing a role like Caruthers did on a very strong UB team at some point in the future. I love this team and I think we are in for a hell of a season. I for one cannot wait for the next game and I cannot wait to see how this team develops as the season goes on. My prediction, we play Ohio in the MAC championship and win a close game in OT. UB seals the win with free throws down the stretch, yes free throws! Buffalo goes into tourney as an 11 seed and wins another first round upset in a route led by Willams and Segu! This is a special team and I would love to see more encouragement and love for this team as the season progresses. Lets fill the stands for as many games as we can. I will be out in February to see a few games and I for one cannot wait. Go Bulls!

Rumors are MTSU and WKU could move to the MAC. I think these would be solid adds. WKU has 14th most mens college hoops wins alltime. That's impressive no doubt.

I agree this move is mostly lateral but even more importantly is necessary for UB. If the rumored teams leave for the AAC here are the remaining teams in CUSA: Florida International Louisiana Tech University Marshall-WV Old Dominion-VA University of Southern Mississippi University of Texas El Paso Western Kentucky Middle Tennessee State Is this conference an upgrade? Geographically it seems to be much grander than the MAC. My thoughts are we need to do it and the decision should be based on the schools that the conference plans to add.

That is the question we are all considering tonight. Should UB consider a move to CUSA if the opportunity presents itself?