COLIN HART
Special to the Leader
The University of Buffalo Bulls pulled off one of the biggest upsets of the NCAA tournament Thursday night, but it didn’t feel like an upset at all. The 13-seeded Bulls dominated the 4-seed Arizona Wildcats, coasting to an 89-68 victory. Arizona was heavily favored coming into the matchup, having been carried all season by seven-foot freshman Deandre Ayton, who is projected to be the top pick in this year’s NBA Draft. However, the Bulls’ suffocating defense completely held the All-American in check. Ayton was held to just 12 points and did little to slow the Bulls’ fast-paced offensive attack.
UB head coach Nate Oats preaches intensity above all else, and his Bulls did not step off the gas one bit. UB’s trio of guards — Wes Clark, Jeremy Harris and CJ Massinburg — combined for 67 points to capture the first NCAA tournament victory in school history. They advanced to play the 5-seed Kentucky Wildcats on Saturday.
Unfortunately, St. Bonaventure was unable to make it past the second round, as the 11-seed Bonnies fell to the 6-seed Florida Gators by a score of 77-62. Although the Bonnies took care of business against the UCLA Bruins in the First Four, they fell behind early against Florida and struggled with foul trouble. Nevertheless, this was still a successful season for St. Bonaventure and part of a larger turnaround for local college basketball.
“Bracket” Comic by E. Roderick
