Buffalo Athletics Set for a Busy Weekend

BUFFALO, NY - It’s a dream weekend for fans of UB athletics, as six different teams will be in action in a span of less than 24 hours this Friday and Saturday on the University at Buffalo campus. The weekend will feature the season openers for both Bulls basketball teams, a national top-10 foe squaring off against the Buffalo wrestling team in Alumni Arena and a rematch of the 2008 MAC Championship for football. 

The weekend will begin with a bang at 3:00 pm Friday, as two terrific teams will take to the mat as Buffalo welcomes in Oklahoma, ranked eighth nationally in all of Division I. This will be the Sooners’ first visit ever to Alumni Arena and the first time the two teams have battled since 1975. The Bulls are hoping to beat a vaunted Big 12 member for a second-straight year, as the team took down traditional power Nebraska last season. Buffalo currently has four members with top-25 individual rankings at the moment (Kevin Smith, Desi Green, John-Martin Cannon and Jimmy Hamel) and the team fully expects an exciting dogfight with the Sooners. 

After the conclusion of the match, there will still be plenty of time to tailgate and enjoy the Fall weather before the 6:00 pm football game kicks off, with the Bulls welcoming in Ball State. The game will be the first of back-to-back home games for the team, as it looks to start the home stretch with a win. 

At halftime, be sure to stretch out your legs with a walk back over to Alumni Arena and help cheer on the women’s basketball team as it opens the season at home against Howard. The team, led by 2009-10 All-MAC and defensive player of the year Kourtney Brown, is coming off an exhibition win over Daemen and will look to open the season on a winning note. It marks the first of two home games the women will play in the opening week of play, as Cleveland State will also come to town for a Monday showdown. 

Saturday caps the busy weekend with three other events, starting with the opening tip to the men’s basketball season. The team will welcome in Navy in the debut of five freshmen Bulls as head coach Reggie Witherspoon begins his 12th season as head coach. Buffalo finished with an 18-12 record in 2009-10 and will look to improve with an infusion of youth leading the way. Tip-off is scheduled for noon. 

At the conclusion of the basketball game, one final event remains. Both the men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams have a combined meet against Big 4 rival Niagara starting at 2:00 pm. The men’s swim team has had a terrific start to the season, going 3-0 after three dual meets on the road with wins over Big East power Pittsburgh and conference rival Miami (OH). The women are 1-2 this season and will look to even up its record against the Purple Eagles.

Great deals are available to make sure you get to see as much action as possible this weekend. Current packages include tickets to wrestling and football plus a $5 concession coupon for just $20. There will also be team headbands given away during the men’s home opener. Be sure to come ready to cheer this weekend, as the action will come fast and furious!