• Marquette to take on #14 Buffalo

    By: Steve Luebke
    Special to BrewCityBall.com

    First meeting between Buffalo and Marquette.

    The Bulls are loaded with upper classmen.
    They start 3 seniors, Montell McRae (#1), Jeremy Harris (#2), CJ Massinburg (#5) and bring Nick Perkins (#33) off the bench. Perkins averages 25 minutes per game and is the 2nd leading scorer for the Bulls. All 4 players played a key part in last year’s record setting season with 27 wins and the upset of #4 Arizona in the NCAA tournament.

    Can I say road WARRIORS?
    The Bulls have quality true road wins at West Virginia, Southern Illinois, and Syracuse this season. They also traveled to Belfast for a two game showcase and came back with wins over UWM and an underrated San Francisco team.

    Local Connection…
    Head coach Nate Oates grew up in Watertown and played college basketball at Maranatha Baptist College before becoming an assistant coach at his alma mater. Oates went on to UW Whitewater for a short stint as an assistant coach before becoming the head coach at Romulus High School in Detroit. In 2014, Oates was tabbed as a top assistant by then newly named head coach Bobby Hurley. When Hurley departed for Arizona State after the 2015 season, Oates was name the new head coach.

    Efficiency Numbers (Kenpom)

    Buffalo Offensive Efficiency 112.7 (24th)
    Defensive Efficiency 94.8 (38st)
    Marquette Offensive Efficiency 111.4 (31th)
    Defensive Efficiency 95.5 (44th)

    I watched the first half of the Buffalo @ Syracuse game. Buffalo is a quality defensive team. If MU turns the ball over frequently and outside the 3 point line, it will lead to easy baskets for Buffalo. Buffalo gets out and plays fast.

    IMO this is the best team to visit FF this year.

    Key to victory for Marquette will be to limit turnovers and control the defensive boards.

    Will be exciting game, prediction…Marquette 83 Buffalo 80

    Merry Christmas