CMU men's basketball drops MAC opener to Buffalo
Central Michigan junior guard Anthony Pritchard attempts to move past a Valparaiso player during the game against Valparaiso, Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2023 in McGuirk Arena. Pritchard recorded twelve points. (CM-Life | Jenna Spanola)
Opening up Mid-American Conference play, Central Michigan men's basketball hosted Buffalo, looking to start off with a win. That would all change in a hurry when the Bulls went on a 19-4 run to open the game, a lead CMU could not comeback from.
Buffalo, who came into the matchup with a 1-11 record defeated CMU 76-64. It was the second-straight loss for the Chippewas who now drop to 5-8 on the season.
“They’re (Buffalo) very talented,” head coach Tony Barbee said. “They are way better than their record, they've had opportunities in a lot of games… I painted the picture for them that if we didn't come out from the jump ball ready to play, this was going to be a hard night for us because of how talented they are.”
It was a slow first half for the Chippewas as they were only able to amount 18 points in the first half, as the team shot 22 percent from the field, including 0-12 from three-point range.
The three-point struggles continued throughout the game for CMU as at one point the team was 0-17 from three-point range, eventually finishing 3-23.
“We’ve got a lid on the rim,” Barbee said. “Teams are playing 10 feet off of everybody, because they're saying you can't play and we're proving them right. Were it not for Paul's (McMillan IV) two late threes, we would have been one for 22 from the three.”
Central Michigan was able to pick up the offense in the second half as it shot 50 percent from the field, winning the half 46-40.
“We did shoot 50 percent from the floor in the second half. So that was why we won the second half because we played with a little more confidence,” Barbee said.
Despite three-point shooting woes, junior guard Anthony Pritchard put together a strong performance, scoring 19 points, while also adding five steals.
Two other Chippewas added double digit scoring with graduate guard Brian Taylor having 13 points. While junior forward Markus Harding added 12 points on an efficient 6-8 shooting, after missing the last three games due to injury.
“Physically he (Markus Harding) is 100%, he's cleared medically, and he's just got to work himself back into condition," Barbee said. "He played too many way too many minutes tonight that's on me.”
On the defensive side of the ball CMU forced Buffalo into 18 turnovers compared to the Chippewas' eight. Though the wide margin Buffalo scored 14 points off of turnovers while CMU only amounted to 13 points.
Buffalo had a flurry of double-digit scorers, but the highlight was forward Sy Chatman who had a game high 26 points. The most impressive part of Chatman’s game was at the free throw line where he made 12-of-13 free throws attempted.
“They've (Buffalo) got a difference maker in Chatman,” Barbee said. “All you got to do is look at the line. He was the best player on the floor tonight. They had the best player we didn’t, and he played like it.”
The Chippewas will look to get back into the win column, when they travel to Muncie, Indiana where they will take on Ball State on Saturday at 2 p.m.
“I'm always confident but it's not my confidence I'm worried about. Players gotta be confident because they're the one playing the game,” Barbee said on the team’s confidence heading into Saturday.
