The Big Picture: 73-71 loss at Alumni to Canisius in the Main Street Derby is by no way, shape, or form the type of defeat that Buffalo should take anything positive from. The Bulls fell to 2-2 on the season thanks to get an early start to Thanksgiving and the holiday season by giving a gift victory to the Golden Griffins. This was a game UB should’ve put away either early in the second half, which they started with a 42-32 lead or in the final two minutes of the second half, when they were up 71-66.
Instead of finishing off a less-experienced Canisius squad when they had the chance, the Bulls ended up having to battle back from a 54-45 second half deficit and, ultimately, losing on a Frank Turner J with 1.5 seconds left. Losing to Canisius this way just isn’t good enough.
The Good: Not to be harsh, but when you blow a double digit lead and lose at home to a middling MAAC side, there is nothing good about that game.
The Bad: The Bulls began the 2009-10 season with what seemed to be one of the softest OOC slates in a league where most non-league schedules would make Hans-and-Frans cringe. Given their talent, experience, and depth, UB should be 4-0 or 3-1 right now. Instead, they’ve shown a disconcerting inability to finish games. Because of that, the Bulls sole path to the Big Dance is winning the MAC in Clevo. And that will be a lot more difficult than holding serve against Canisius and Vermont at Alumni Arena.
The Ugly: Only Jenna Haze blows as many leads as UB does. It’s one thing to let the home team, playing in a relatively raucous gym, erase your second half lead, as Towson did to Buffalo on Saturday. It’s quite another to allow that to happen at your own gym, as the Bulls did on Tuesday against Canisius.
Who’s Got Next: After fending off Navy at Annapolis last Thursday, the Bulls get a Thanksgiving break before getting another dose of service academy hoops, as they host Army at Alumni Arena next Wednesday. The Black Knights, who’ve already beaten decent Harvard, Princeton, and Long Island sides, are entirely capable of beating an inconsistent Buffalo team. Coach ‘Spoon’s squad needs to figure out how to start closing out games, or this is going to be a long season.
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