KALAMAZOO, Mich. (Interstat) — The Buffalo Bulls opened Mid-American Conference play with an 88-71 road victory over the Western Michigan Broncos on Saturday at University Arena. Buffalo seized control with a dominant first half, leading 41-28 at halftime, and maintained a double-digit advantage throughout. Tim Oboh led the Bulls with 15 points and 13 rebounds. Daniel Freitag scored a game-high 20 points and Ryan Sabol added 19 for Buffalo, which improved to 10-2. Jalen Griffith scored 18 points for Western Michigan, which fell to 4-7. The Broncos struggled to capitalize on opportunities, scoring only four points off turnovers. Attendance was 1,403.

KALAMAZOO, Mich. (Interstat) — The Buffalo Bulls, defying pregame projections and a sluggish recent performance, delivered a commanding wire-to-wire victory over the Western Michigan Broncos, 88-71, in a Mid-American Conference men’s basketball game Saturday at University Arena. Fueled by a dominant first half and a balanced offensive attack, Buffalo improved to 10-2 overall and handed Western Michigan its seventh loss in 11 games. The Bulls, who entered as slight underdogs according to national metrics and the betting line, never trailed and built a 13-point halftime lead that ballooned to as many as 23 in the second half. The most critical phase of the contest was its opening segment. Buffalo established control immediately, leveraging its defensive intensity and efficiency to build a double-digit cushion while Western Michigan struggled to find any offensive rhythm. The Broncos missed eight of their first nine field goal attempts and committed two early turnovers. During this stretch, Buffalo’s Tim Oboh, a 6-foot-11 center from Orpington, England, set the tone with his interior presence, securing offensive rebounds and converting putbacks. While the Bulls were not shooting lights out, their ability to generate second chances and limit Western Michigan to one-shot possessions created a decisive early advantage. By the first media timeout, the tone was set, and Western Michigan spent the remainder of the game fighting uphill against a disciplined Buffalo squad. Oboh was the game’s standout performer, posting a double-double with 15 points and 13 rebounds in just 24 minutes, adding two blocks. His activity on both ends anchored Buffalo’s efforts, a bounce-back showing after a quieter 14-minute, seven-point outing in the Bulls’ loss at East Carolina earlier in the week. He was far from alone. Guards Daniel Freitag of Bloomington, Minnesota, and Ryan Sabol of Washington, D.C., provided the backcourt punch. Freitag led all scorers with 20 points and dished out six assists, while Sabol added 19 points, five rebounds and four assists. Reserve forward Ezra McKenna of Fort Walton Beach, Florida, provided a significant spark off the bench, scoring all 15 of his points in the second half to help Buffalo withstand Western Michigan’s increased offensive output after halftime. The statistical profile underscored Buffalo’s comprehensive performance. The Bulls shot 49.2% from the field and a solid 37.5% from three-point range. More critically, they assisted on their limited number of made baskets, recording five assists to Western Michigan’s two, and won the turnover battle, committing only four giveaways while forcing seven. Buffalo also converted those Bronco mistakes into 13 points, compared to just four points off turnovers for the home team. Western Michigan, which shot 39.4% overall and 30.3% from deep, was led by Jalen Griffith’s 18 points and four assists. Hudson Ward added 13 points and Jayden Brewer contributed 12 points and seven rebounds. The Broncos showed more life after the break, scoring 43 second-half points, but could never trim the deficit to single digits as Buffalo answered every run with timely baskets, often from McKenna or Freitag. The game’s tempo and efficiency metrics highlighted the gap. Buffalo scored 88 points on just 66 possessions, an elite offensive rating of 132.5. Western Michigan managed 71 points on 70 possessions, a rating of 101.9. The Bulls also bested the Broncos at the free-throw line, making 18 of 24 attempts. The victory gives Buffalo positive momentum as it heads into a quick non-conference tune-up against Penn St.-Behrend on Monday before resuming MAC play. Western Michigan, which saw its two-game winning streak snapped, will also face a non-Division I opponent in Defiance on Monday before a challenging conference road test at Toledo. An announced crowd of 1,403 at University Arena saw the Bulls snap a two-game skid in the series and deliver a performance that contradicted the pregame statistical probability, which heavily favored the Broncos. The combined score of 159 points surpassed the game’s over/under line of 152.

KALAMAZOO, Mich. (Interstat) — A surging Buffalo Bulls squad looks to rebound from a narrow defeat when they visit the struggling Western Michigan Broncos in a Mid-American Conference men’s basketball matchup Saturday at University Arena. The Bulls (9-2) enter on the heels of a tough 73-70 road loss at East Carolina last Sunday, which snapped a three-game winning streak. Despite the defeat, Buffalo showcased its potency, led by a dominant 31-point, 11-rebound performance from standout guard Daniel Freitag. The sophomore has been on a tear, averaging 20.3 points and 7.2 rebounds over his last six games, establishing himself as the focal point of a Buffalo offense averaging 77.5 points per game. Western Michigan (4-6) seeks stability after a lopsided 91-51 loss at Iowa, also last Sunday. It was the Broncos’ third defeat in four games, all by 20 or more points. Guard Jayden Brewer, who scored 10 points against the Hawkeyes, is a key perimeter player for a Broncos team allowing 79.2 points per contest. Western Michigan’s victories have come against lower-tier competition, with its most notable win an 83-73 decision at SIU Edwardsville earlier this month. The matchup pits Buffalo’s efficient offense against a Western Michigan defense that has struggled against high-major opponents. The Bulls’ backcourt, featuring Freitag and Ryan Sabol (19 points vs. East Carolina), will test the Broncos’ perimeter defense. For Western Michigan, generating offense beyond Brewer will be critical; Carson Vis and Jalen Griffith, who each had 11 points at Iowa, must provide consistent support. This game opens the conference slate for both teams. Buffalo aims to solidify its status as a MAC contender, while Western Michigan hopes to find a defensive rhythm and spring an early-season upset at home. The Bulls have won three straight road games and will look to continue that trend in Kalamazoo. Tip-off is set for Saturday, December 20.