March 3, 2002

THE GAME For the second time in eight days, Miami (12-17, 9-9 Mid-American Conference) and Buffalo (12-17, 7-11 MAC) clash as the two teams will meet again in Oxford for the first round of the Mid-American Conference Tournament on Monday, March 4 at 7 p.m. Last Monday, Miami captured a 78-68 triumph over the Bulls to complete the regular-season series sweep and clinch tournament first-round hosting rights. In what turned out to be an exceptionally tight MAC race, Miami earned the No. 7 seed in the tournament, while Buffalo ended as the No. 10 seed. The Bulls are trying to advance past the first round for the first time in the school's four-year history in the MAC, but will have to become the first team in the 23-year history of the MAC Tournament to defeat Miami on its home court. The Bulls, who are coming off a 73-58 loss at Bowling Green last Wednesday to end its regular season, have lost seven of their last nine games. However, Buffalo was the lone MAC school to topple MAC Champion Kent State and has won more MAC games this season than its last three seasons combined. Darcel Williams leads Buffalo, averaging 15.4 points per game and 8.2 rebounds per game. Louis Campbell adds 12.8 ppg. Alex Shorts paces Miami with 13.5 ppg. Doug Davis adds 12.3 ppg, while Juby Johnson chips in 10.4 ppg for the RedHawks. In league action, Davis averages a team-best 15.1 ppg.

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