UB’s season stays alive with NIT bid

Posted: Mar 14, 2021 / 10:50 PM EDT / Updated: Mar 14, 2021 / 10:50 PM EDT

Buffalo’s Jeenathan Williams (11) drives to the basket against Ohio’s Ben Vander Plas (5) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in the championship of the Mid-American Conference tournament Saturday, March 13, 2021, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) – Buffalo’s loss in the MAC Tournament Championship left no guarantees to how their season would end. They weren’t going to make it to the NCAA Tournament, and with the NIT dropping down to just 16 teams, the future was uncertain for the Bulls. Sunday night, they found they’ll get at least one more game with an invite to the tournament.

UB gets #1 seeded Colorado State in the first round. The Rams finished 3rd in the Mountain West Conference in the regular season with an 18-6 record. They lost to Utah State in the semifinals of the conference tournament on Friday.

The Bulls are fresh off a tough loss in the MAC Tournament Finals to Ohio. They were 16-8 on the year and finished 2nd in the conference during the regular season.

These two teams meet Friday at 7 p.m. on ESPN 2.