Long layoff comes to an end
When the Mid-American Conference changed its tournament format over the summer coaches did what coaches always do. They began to worry.
Would it be possible for anyone outside the top four to secure the five wins it would take to capture the tournament title and steal the conference's NCAA Tournament berth? How big an advantage was finishing first or second and receiving a bye to the semifinals when it translated to five or six days off that would threaten team continuity and chemistry?
"I was not big on this when we talked about it in our conference meetings because I know some conferences have used it and not liked it and it's since gone away," said UB coach Reggie Witherspoon. "I know the Big East is still using it but I know there are some coaches who don't like it. You want to stay in a rhythm."
It's been a common refrain. When his Ohio Bobcats played at Alumni Arena in late February, coach John Groce said he would reserve judgment on the new format until after this year's tournament. Doubtless it will again be the subject of discussion among coaches and administrators during the coming offseason.
What if any effect a five-day layoff has on UB will come to light during tonight's semifinal against either Ohio or Toledo, who were scheduled to tip off their quarterfinal at 9:30 Thursday night. The winner plays the Bulls at 9:30 tonight, with the survivor advancing to Saturday's 8 p.m. final.
"It's about time," said UB guard Zach Filzen said before Thursday's workout at Alumni Arena.
"I'm definitely excited," said forward Titus Robinson. "Being in Buffalo this long has been kind of weird. I'm ready to get to Cleveland and get playing. It's been a long time since we've played it seems like."
The Bulls have been off since Saturday's victory over Bowling Green that secured the No. 2 seed, the highest in program history. That's one day less rest than Akron, which locked up the regular-season title with last Friday's comeback victory over Kent State.
The Bulls (19-9, 12-4) are betting the respite did them good after a regular season that was all the more of a grind because of the heightened postseason stakes.
"We had an extra day off on Wednesday so that's giving us our legs back," Robinson said.
"Practice has been great," Filzen said. "I feel like we've had good practices all week. We've gone hard, not real long but hard. And we're just fine-tuning everything really, making sure everything's just crisp and we're running everything as well as we can. I feel we've done that. I feel real good going into this weekend. I feel like we're ready to go.
"The intensity is crazy. We're fighting for the same goal, making the NCAA Tournament, so the intensity's very, very high. There's a lot of pressure, obviously. But it's a fun time, too. The environment is amazing."
UB brings four seniors to the table, all of whom play extensively. Forward Mitchell Watt was the MAC Player of the Year and was joined on the All-MAC first team by sophomore forward Javon McCrea. Filzen has been one of the conference's top long-range shooters. Former walk-on Dave Barnett of East Aurora and Robinson give the Bulls a little bit of everything off the bench.
Running the show is sophomore Jarod Oldham who, like Filzen, was overlooked when individual postseason honors were handed out. Neither received so much as honorable mention although Filzen was second in three-pointers made and Oldham topped everybody in assists and finished second in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.1-1).
"We're in the best position we've ever been seeding-wise," Filzen said. "We have some tournament experience, got the whole environment, the intensity, got a feel right that. So we're in a tremendous position right now where if we just play our best basketball we'll be fine, we'll be good to go."
When the Mid-American Conference changed its tournament format over the summer coaches did what coaches always do. They began to worry.
Would it be possible for anyone outside the top four to secure the five wins it would take to capture the tournament title and steal the conference's NCAA Tournament berth? How big an advantage was finishing first or second and receiving a bye to the semifinals when it translated to five or six days off that would threaten team continuity and chemistry?
"I was not big on this when we talked about it in our conference meetings because I know some conferences have used it and not liked it and it's since gone away," said UB coach Reggie Witherspoon. "I know the Big East is still using it but I know there are some coaches who don't like it. You want to stay in a rhythm."
It's been a common refrain. When his Ohio Bobcats played at Alumni Arena in late February, coach John Groce said he would reserve judgment on the new format until after this year's tournament. Doubtless it will again be the subject of discussion among coaches and administrators during the coming offseason.
What if any effect a five-day layoff has on UB will come to light during tonight's semifinal against either Ohio or Toledo, who were scheduled to tip off their quarterfinal at 9:30 Thursday night. The winner plays the Bulls at 9:30 tonight, with the survivor advancing to Saturday's 8 p.m. final.
"It's about time," said UB guard Zach Filzen said before Thursday's workout at Alumni Arena.
"I'm definitely excited," said forward Titus Robinson. "Being in Buffalo this long has been kind of weird. I'm ready to get to Cleveland and get playing. It's been a long time since we've played it seems like."
The Bulls have been off since Saturday's victory over Bowling Green that secured the No. 2 seed, the highest in program history. That's one day less rest than Akron, which locked up the regular-season title with last Friday's comeback victory over Kent State.
The Bulls (19-9, 12-4) are betting the respite did them good after a regular season that was all the more of a grind because of the heightened postseason stakes.
"We had an extra day off on Wednesday so that's giving us our legs back," Robinson said.
"Practice has been great," Filzen said. "I feel like we've had good practices all week. We've gone hard, not real long but hard. And we're just fine-tuning everything really, making sure everything's just crisp and we're running everything as well as we can. I feel we've done that. I feel real good going into this weekend. I feel like we're ready to go.
"The intensity is crazy. We're fighting for the same goal, making the NCAA Tournament, so the intensity's very, very high. There's a lot of pressure, obviously. But it's a fun time, too. The environment is amazing."
UB brings four seniors to the table, all of whom play extensively. Forward Mitchell Watt was the MAC Player of the Year and was joined on the All-MAC first team by sophomore forward Javon McCrea. Filzen has been one of the conference's top long-range shooters. Former walk-on Dave Barnett of East Aurora and Robinson give the Bulls a little bit of everything off the bench.
Running the show is sophomore Jarod Oldham who, like Filzen, was overlooked when individual postseason honors were handed out. Neither received so much as honorable mention although Filzen was second in three-pointers made and Oldham topped everybody in assists and finished second in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.1-1).
"We're in the best position we've ever been seeding-wise," Filzen said. "We have some tournament experience, got the whole environment, the intensity, got a feel right that. So we're in a tremendous position right now where if we just play our best basketball we'll be fine, we'll be good to go."
