NCAAB Game Recap - Bowling Green at Buffalo
Fri Mar 8, 2019 6:00 PM EST

Valpa
54
LoyIL
67
F
StPet
71
Iona
73
F
APSU
67
Belm
83
F
GWebb
79
Campbl
74
F
ChaSo
54
Radf
63
F
IlSt
62
Drake
78
F
Manh
65
Canis
69
F(OT)
JSU
74
Murr
76
F
NrthIA
61
SIU
58
F
Brad
61
MOSt
58
F
Pepp
68
LoyMa
65
F
USD
62
SCla
45
F
Citad
71
Samf
100
F
WCU
83
VMI
96
F
Mia-FL
70
VaTec
84
F
BGSU
73
Buff
84
F
Minn
60
MD
69
F
Brown
67
Princ
63
F
Akr
65
Kent
68
F
Harv
59
Corn
72
F
CenMI
82
W MI
75
F
E MI
58
Toled
64
F
Yale
66
Penn
77
F
Mia-O
57
Ohio
66
F
Dart
66
Colum
70
F
NIU
64
Ball
57
F
StJos
63
VCU
75
F

Mar 8, 2019, 6:00 PM EST

Final

1

2

T

Bowling Green

30

43

73

(19) Buffalo

43

41

84

No. 19 Buffalo beats Bowling Green in regular-season finale
Fri Mar 8, 2019 10:11 PM

AMHERST, N.Y. (AP) Nick Perkins recalled arriving at Buffalo as what he referred to as "a little fat kid."

Four years later in his final home game, the senior showed off how far he's come in developing into one of the Mid-American Conference's top power forwards.

With the No. 19 Bulls clinging to a one-point lead over Bowling Green midway through the second half, Perkins used his 6-foot-8, 250-pound chiseled frame to dominate in the paint by scoring seven points during a 14-5 run to key an 84-73 victory Friday night.

Perkins finished with 22 points and six rebounds and Buffalo (28-3, 16-2) set single-season school records for overall and conference victories, while winning its 26th consecutive home game.

"Obviously, we struggled shooting the ball a little tonight. And obviously, I'm the inside presence," said the 6-foot-8, 250-pound Perkins. "I think that can kind of get the whole team going. Getting something easier toward the rim kind of helps the momentum and gets us in the swing of things."

It was the type of performance on a day Buffalo honored all five seniors in which coach Nate Oats credited Perkins for being a part of a team in position to earn its third NCAA tournament berth in four years.

"He's going to be pretty much impossible to replace," said Oats, whose team will be the top seed in in the MAC Tournament. "But it's going to be hard to replace all these seniors to be honest with you."

CJ Massinburg scored 15 points, and Jeremy Harris had 10 of his 14 points in the second half to help the Bulls win their ninth straight since a loss at Bowling Green on Feb. 1.

Buffalo matched No. 5 Tennessee for the nation's longest active home streak in a run dating to a 72-63 loss to St. Bonaventure on Dec. 2, 2017.

Justin Turner scored 17 points for Bowling Green (20-11, 12-6), which lost its eighth straight game at Buffalo in a drought dating to Jan. 8, 2011. Assured of finishing second in the East Division, the Falcons have lost four of five.

Buffalo, which led by 19 in the first half, allowed the Falcons to go on a 13-2 run and close the deficit to 55-54 on Antwon Lillard's layup with 12:06 remaining.

That's when Perkins took over. After hitting layup in the paint, he drove to the right post and scored another layup and then completed a three-point play after being fouled.

Harris then took over by scoring two baskets from in close.

"He was able to carry those guys when they needed a lift," Falcons coach Michael Huger said, referring to Perkins. "It's no ifs ands or buts. There's no other words I can say to describe that. It was grown-man stuff in what he was doing down there."

Oats said Buffalo's cold-shooting spell from the outside led him to lean on Perkins.

"If we can't make a shot, Nick's obviously a great option," Oats said. "Sometimes I wonder if I shouldn't go to him more."

MILESTONES

The Bulls became the first MAC team to win 28 games since Ohio went 29-8 in 2011-12. And their 16 conference wins are the most since Kent State went 17-1 in 2001-02.

SENIOR HONORS

The Bulls held a postgame ceremony honoring their five seniors. Massinburg and Perkins have been with the school for all four seasons. Guard Dontay Caruthers has spent the past three years at Buffalo, while wingmen Harris and Montell McRae joined the Bulls two years ago as junior college transfers.

Oats started all five seniors, and they then left the game to a standing ovation with 25 seconds remaining.

RETIRING YOUNG

The Bulls honored former standout Rasaun Young by hanging his jersey on a wall of Alumni Arena. Young was Buffalo's career leading scorer with 1,908 from 1993-98. He was passed by Javon McCrea (2,004 points) in 2014, and ended the day third on the scoring list. Massinburg moved two ahead of Young.

BIG PICTURE

Bowling Green: A young team is showing signs of struggling down the stretch in dropping to 5-5 since beating Buffalo at home. Most concerning is Frye's struggles. He finished 3 of 9 for eight points and is 12 of 39 - and 7 of 28 on 3-point attempts - for 35 points in the past four games.

Buffalo: Enters MAC tournament seeking a chance to improve its resume' for the NCAA Tournament selection committee. Even with a loss, Bulls are projected to have locked up an at-large berth, which would be the first for a MAC since Miami (Ohio) in 1999.

UP NEXT

MAC quarterfinals in Cleveland on March 14

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More AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/Collegebasketball and https://twitter.com/AP-Top25

Leaders

Bowling Green PTS +/- AST REB ST BLK
J. Turner 17 0 2 4 1 0
A. Lillard 12 0 0 3 1 0
Buffalo PTS +/- AST REB ST BLK
N. Perkins 22 0 0 6 1 0
C. Massinburg 15 0 2 6 2 0

Team Comparison

BGSU Buff
Points For 73 84
Field Goals 25/54-46% 33/73-45%
Three Pointers 6/22-27% 5/26-19%
Free Throws 17/23-74% 13/20-65%
Offensive Rebounds 8 15
Defensive Rebounds 31 25
Rebounds 42 42
Blocks 2 1
Steals 5 12
Turnovers 17 8
Personal Fouls 20 19
Technical Fouls 0 0
Ejections 0 0

2018-19 Reg Season - Series Tied 1-1

Date Result Away Pts Ldr Home Pts Ldr
Fri Feb 1 Buff 88 @ BGSU 92 D. Caruthers 28 D. Frye 25
Fri Mar 8 BGSU 73 @ Buff 84 J. Turner 17 N. Perkins 22

Game Information

Stadium: Alumni Arena, Buffalo, New York
Attendance: 6,709
Game Time: