# 2023–24 Buffalo Bulls men's basketball team

The 2023–24 Buffalo Bulls men's basketball team represented the University at Buffalo in the 2023–24 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Bulls, led by first-year head coach George Halcovage III, played their home games at Alumni Arena in Amherst, New York as members of the Mid-American Conference. They finished the season 4–27, 2–16 in MAC play, to finish in last place. They failed to qualify for the MAC tournament.

## Previous season

The Bulls finished the season 15–17, 9–9 in MAC play, to finish in a tie for sixth place. As the No. 6 seed in the MAC tournament they lost to Akron in the quarterfinals. On March 11, 2023, the school fired head coach Jim Whitesell. On March 30, the school named longtime Villanova assistant coach George Halcovage the team's new head coach.

## Offseason
### Departures

Departures :
| Name | Number | Pos. | Height | Weight | Year | Hometown | Reason |
| LaQuill Hardnett | 1 | F | 6'8" | 205 | Senior | Philadelphia, PA | Transferred to Arkansas State |
| Kidtrell Blocker | 2 | G | 6'5" | 164 | Sophomore | Rochester, NY | Transferred to IUPUI |
| Curtis Jones | 3 | G | 6'5" | 180 | Sophomore | Minneapolis, MN | Transferred to Iowa State |
| Armoni Foster | 4 | G | 6'4" | 180 | Graduate student | Meadville, PA | Exhausted eligibility |
| Devin Ceaser | 10 | G | 6'1" | 172 | Freshman | Waldorf, MD | Transferred to Old Dominion |
| Kuluel Mading | 11 | F | 6'9" | 208 | Sophomore | High Point, NC | Transferred to Norfolk State |
| Yadiz Powell | 13 | G | 6'4" | 195 | Junior | Philadelphia, PA | Transferred to UTEP |
| Isaac Jack | 31 | C | 6'1" | 251 | Freshman | Port Alberni, BC | Transferred to Dayton |
| Jaden Slaughter | 33 | G | 6'5" | 202 | Freshman | Buffalo, NY | Transferred to Coahoma CC |

### Incoming transfers

Incoming transfers :
| Name | Number | Pos. | Height | Weight | Year | Hometown | Reason |
| James Graham | 12 | G/F | 6'7" | 208 | Junior | Milwaukee, WI | Transferred from Missouri State |

### Recruiting class

College recruiting information :
| Name | Hometown | High school / college | Height | Weight |
| Ryan Sabol G | Washington, D.C. | Gonzaga College High School | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | 195 lb (88 kg) |
| Star ratings: Scout: N/A Rivals: N/A 247Sports: N/A ESPN grade: NR ||||||
| Anquan Boldin Jr. G | Delray Beach, FL | IMG Academy | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | 194 lb (88 kg) |
| Star ratings: Scout: N/A Rivals: N/A 247Sports: N/A ESPN grade: NR ||||||
| Shawn Fulcher G | Brooklyn, NY | Ellsworth CC | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | 170 lb (77 kg) |
| Star ratings: Scout: N/A Rivals: N/A 247Sports: N/A ESPN grade: NR ||||||
| Bryson Wilson F | Washington, D.C. | St. Stephen's & St. Agnes School | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) | 210 lb (95 kg) |
| Star ratings: Scout: Rivals: N/A 247Sports: N/A ESPN grade: 78 ||||||
| Lloyd McVeigh F | Cabarita Beach, Australia | | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) | N/A |
| Star ratings: Scout: N/A Rivals: N/A 247Sports: N/A ESPN grade: NR ||||||
| Diovion Famakinde G | Woodstock, CT | Hargrave Military Academy | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | 224 lb (102 kg) |
| Star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN grade: 77 ||||||
| Overall recruiting rankings: ||||||
| Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight. In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale. Sources: "2023 Team Ranking". Rivals.com. ||||||

## Schedule and results

| Date time, TV | Opponent$^#$ | Result | Record | High points | High rebounds | High assists | Site (attendance) city, state |
| Exhibition |||||||||
| October 23, 2023* 7:00 p.m. | Daemen | W 71–67 | – | 15 – tied | 7 – tied | 7 – Adams | Alumni Arena (1,751) Amherst, NY |
| Non-conference regular season |||||||||
| November 6, 2023* 7:30 p.m., ESPN+ | Fairleigh Dickinson | L 86–92 | 0–1 | 28 – Adams | 19 – Smith | 5 – Adams | Alumni Arena (2,500) Amherst, NY |
| November 11, 2023* 2:00 p.m., ESPN+ | South Alabama MAC-SBC Challenge | L 56–70 | 0–2 | 16 – Chatman | 8 – Chatman | 5 – Jones | Alumni Arena (2,080) Amherst, NY |
| November 15, 2023* 7:00 p.m., ESPN+ | Roberts Wesleyan | W 89–83 | 1–2 | 19 – Chatman | 16 – Smith | 5 – Fulcher | Alumni Arena (2,169) Amherst, NY |
| November 20, 2023* 7:30 p.m., FloSports | vs. Hofstra Gulf Coast Showcase quarterfinals | L 68–102 | 1–3 | 15 – Chatman | 8 – Smith | 5 – Adams | Hertz Arena (314) Estero, FL |
| November 21, 2023* 1:30 p.m., FloSports | vs. Louisiana Gulf Coast Showcase consolation 2nd round | L 60–68 | 1–4 | 13 – tied | 8 – Smith | 3 – tied | Hertz Arena (231) Estero, FL |
| November 22, 2023* 11:00 a.m., FloSports | vs. Iona Gulf Coast Showcase 7th-place game | L 64–89 | 1–5 | 14 – Chatman | 10 – Smith | 3 – Saboi | Hertz Arena (213) Estero, FL |
| November 29, 2023* 7:00 p.m., ESPN+ | at No. 22 James Madison | L 66–81 | 1–6 | 19 – Chatman | 5 – tied | 3 – tied | Atlantic Union Bank Center (5,106) Harrisonburg, VA |
| December 2, 2023* 2:00 p.m., ESPN+ | St. Bonaventure | L 65–80 | 1–7 | 20 – Chatman | 11 – Chatman | 5 – Fulcher | Alumni Arena (3,324) Amherst, NY |
| December 5, 2023* 8:30 p.m., FS1 | at Butler | L 59–72 | 1–8 | 16 – Chatman | 8 – Chatman | 3 – Boldin Jr. | Hinkle Fieldhouse (6,262) Indianapolis, IN |
| December 9, 2023* 2:00 p.m., ESPN+ | Western Kentucky | L 65–82 | 1–9 | 21 – Chatman | 11 – Chatman | 7 – Sabol | Alumni Arena (2,186) Amherst, NY |
| December 21, 2023* 7:00 p.m., ESPN+ | at Richmond | L 66–72 | 1–10 | 21 – Chatman | 8 – Smith | 3 – Fulcher | Robins Center (4,897) Richmond, VA |
| December 29, 2023* 7:00 p.m., ESPN+ | Niagara | L 63–69 | 1–11 | 29 – Chatman | 13 – Chatman | 6 – Sabol | Alumni Arena (4,663) Amherst, NY |
| MAC regular season |||||||||
| January 2, 2024 7:00 p.m., ESPN+ | at Central Michigan | W 76–64 | 2–11 (1–0) | 26 – Chatman | 15 – Smith | 3 – tied | McGuirk Arena (1,088) Mount Pleasant, MI |
| January 6, 2024 2:00 p.m., ESPN+ | Western Michigan | L 77–82 | 2–12 (1–1) | 24 – Chatman | 13 – Smith | 4 – Adams | Alumni Arena (2,260) Amherst, NY |
| January 9, 2024 7:00 p.m., ESPN+ | Miami (OH) | L 65–86 | 2–13 (1–2) | 20 – Fulcher | 5 – tied | 5 – Adams | Alumni Arena (1,361) Amherst, NY |
| January 12, 2024 7:00 p.m., CBSSN | at Akron | L 59–76 | 2–14 (1–3) | 23 – Chatman | 7 – tied | 8 – Adams | James A. Rhodes Arena (2,535) Akron, OH |
| January 16, 2024 7:00 p.m., ESPN+ | at Toledo | L 66–77 | 2–15 (1–4) | 24 – Adams | 10 – Smith | 4 – Chatman | Savage Arena (3,689) Toledo, OH |
| January 23, 2024 7:00 p.m., ESPN+ | Ball State | L 59–87 | 2–16 (1–5) | 27 – Chatman | 7 – tied | 5 – Sabol | Alumni Arena (2,007) Amherst, NY |
| January 27, 2024 3:30 p.m., ESPN+ | at Eastern Michigan | L 65–75 | 2–17 (1–6) | 13 – Adams | 11 – Smith | 4 – Adams | George Gervin GameAbove Center (2,095) Ypsilanti, MI |
| January 30, 2024 7:00 p.m., ESPN+ | at Ohio | L 70–91 | 2–18 (1–7) | 22 – Chatman | 13 – Smith | 4 – Chatman | Convocation Center (3,652) Athens, OH |
| February 3, 2024 8:30 p.m., ESPN+ | Kent State | L 52–83 | 2–19 (1–8) | 12 – tied | 5 – Boldin Jr. | 3 – tied | Alumni Arena (2,042) Amherst, NY |
| February 6, 2024 7:00 p.m., ESPN+ | at Bowling Green | L 73–87 | 2–20 (1–9) | 21 – Sabol | 9 – Smith | 6 – tied | Stroh Center (1,704) Bowling Green, OH |
| February 10, 2024* 3:00 p.m., ESPN+ | at Georgia Southern MAC-SBC Challenge | W 82–81 $^{OT}$ | 3–20 | 24 – Adams | 12 – Chatman | 6 – Adams | Hanner Fieldhouse (1,524) Statesboro, GA |
| February 13, 2024 8:00 p.m., ESPN+ | at Northern Illinois | L 68–72 | 3–21 (1–10) | 18 – Chatman | 12 – Smith | 5 – tied | Convocation Center (1,425) DeKalb, IL |
| February 17, 2024 2:00 p.m., ESPN+ | Akron | L 62–73 | 3–22 (1–11) | 24 – Chatman | 8 – Chatman | 4 – tied | Alumni Arena (2,721) Amherst, NY |
| February 20, 2024 7:00 p.m., ESPN+ | Eastern Michigan | W 78–69 | 4–22 (2–11) | 23 – Chatman | 13 – Chatman | 8 – Fulcher | Alumni Arena (2,946) Amherst, NY |
| February 24, 2024 2:30 p.m., ESPN+ | at Western Michigan | L 72–91 | 4–23 (2–12) | 23 – Chatman | 11 – Smith | 4 – Adams | University Arena (1,928) Kalamazoo, MI |
| February 27, 2024 7:00 p.m., ESPN+ | at Kent State | L 64–76 | 4–24 (2–13) | 19 – Adams | 10 – Smith | 5 – Fulcher | MAC Center (2,928) Kent, OH |
| March 2, 2024 2:00 p.m., ESPN+ | Toledo | L 79–85 | 4–25 (2–14) | 25 – Chatman | 10 – Chatman | 5 – Adams | Alumni Arena (2,476) Amherst, NY |
| March 5, 2024 7:00 p.m., CBSSN | Ohio | L 66–78 | 4–26 (2–15) | 25 – Chatman | 8 – tied | 7 – Adams | Alumni Arena (2,140) Amherst, NY |
| March 8, 2024 7:00 p.m., ESPN+ | Northern Illinois | L 68–78 | 4–27 (2–16) | 22 – Sabol | 7 – Smith | 5 – Fulcher | Alumni Arena (2,416) Amherst, NY |
| *Non-conference game. $^#$Rankings from AP poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses. All times are in Eastern Time. |||||||||
Source