# 2020–21 Buffalo Bulls men's basketball team

The 2020–21 Buffalo Bulls men's basketball team represented the University at Buffalo in the 2020–21 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Bulls, led by second-year head coach Jim Whitesell, played their home games at Alumni Arena in Amherst, New York as members of the Mid-American Conference. Starting this season, the MAC announced the removal of divisions. They finished the season 16–9, 12–5 in MAC play to finish in second place. They defeated Miami (OH) and Akron to advance to the championship game of the MAC tournament where they lost to Ohio. They were invited to the National Invitation Tournament where they lost in the first round to Colorado State.

## Previous season

The Bulls finished the 2019–20 season 20–12, 11–7 in MAC play to finish in third place in the MAC East division. They were upset in the first round of the MAC tournament by Miami (OH).

## Schedule and results

| Date time, TV | Rank$^#$ | Opponent$^#$ | Result | Record | High points | High rebounds | High assists | Site (attendance) city, state |
| Regular season |||||||||
| November 25, 2020* 4:00 pm | | Gannon | Canceled | Canceled | Canceled | Canceled | Canceled | Alumni Arena Amherst, NY |
| November 27, 2020* 4:30 pm | | vs. Towson Bubbleville | W 74–65 | 1–0 | 28 – Williams | 12 – 2 Tied | 5 – 2 Tied | Mohegan Sun Arena Uncasville, CT |
| November 28, 2020* 3:00 pm | | vs. Army Bubbleville | L 74–78 | 1–1 | 18 – Segu | 7 – Williams | 5 – Williams | Mohegan Sun Arena Uncasville, CT |
| December 6, 2020 6:00 pm, ESPN3 | | at Bowling Green | L 78–86 | 1–2 (0–1) | 23 – Graves | 8 – Fagan | 1 – 5 Tied | Stroh Center (300) Bowling Green, OH |
| December 10, 2020* 4:00 pm, ESPN3 | | Mercyhurst | W 81–64 | 2–2 | 17 – Williams | 12 – Williams | 9 – Graves | Alumni Arena Amherst, NY |
| December 15, 2020 5:30 pm, ESPN+ | | at Miami (OH) | W 90–62 | 3–2 (1–1) | 21 – Williams | 7 – Graves | 4 – Williams | Millett Hall Oxford, OH |
| December 19, 2020* 6:00 pm, ACCN | | at Syracuse | L 96–107 $^{OT}$ | 3–3 | 27 – Mballa | 8 – Graves | 7 – Graves | Carrier Dome Syracuse, NY |
| December 22, 2020* 4:00 pm | | at St. Bonaventure | Canceled | Canceled | Canceled | Canceled | Canceled | Reilly Center St. Bonaventure, NY |
| December 29, 2020* 2:00 pm, Big 12 Now | | at No. 9 West Virginia | Canceled | Canceled | Canceled | Canceled | Canceled | WVU Coliseum Morgantown, WV |
| January 1, 2021 7:00 pm, CBSSN | | at Akron | Postponed | Postponed | Postponed | Postponed | Postponed | James A. Rhodes Arena Akron, OH |
| January 9, 2021 5:00 pm, ESPN3 | | Ball State | W 86–69 | 4–3 (2–1) | 19 – Mballa | 19 – Mballa | 6 – Mballa | Alumni Arena Amherst, NY |
| January 12, 2021 2:00 pm, ESPN+ | | at Western Michigan | W 85–69 | 5–3 (3–1) | 25 – Williams | 14 – Williams | 4 – Brewton | University Arena Kalamazoo, MI |
| January 15, 2021 7:00 pm, CBSSN | | Bowling Green | L 69–76 | 5–4 (3–2) | 17 – 2 Tied | 15 – Mballa | 4 – Segu | Alumni Arena Amherst, NY |
| January 19, 2021 5:00 pm, ESPN+ | | at Kent State | L 81–84 | 5–5 (3–3) | 22 – Mballa | 8 – 2 Tied | 6 – Graves | MAC Center Kent, Ohio |
| January 21, 2021 2:00 pm, ESPN+ | | Eastern Michigan | W 92–77 | 6–5 (4–3) | 24 – Williams | 7 – Mballa | 5 – 2 Tied | Alumni Arena Amherst, NY |
| January 23, 2021 6:00 pm, ESPN3 | | at Northern Illinois | Postponed | Postponed | Postponed | Postponed | Postponed | Convocation Center DeKalb, IL |
| January 26, 2021 5:00 pm | | Central Michigan | Postponed | Postponed | Postponed | Postponed | Postponed | Alumni Arena Amherst, NY |
| January 29, 2021 7:00 pm, ESPNU | | Ohio | L 75–76 | 6–6 (4–4) | 18 – Graves | 12 – Mballa | 4 – 2 Tied | Alumni Arena Amherst, NY |
| February 2, 2021 6:00 pm, ESPN+ | | at Ball State | W 78–58 | 7–6 (5–4) | 22 – Mballa | 16 – Mballa | 4 – 2 Tied | Worthen Arena (235) Muncie, IN |
| February 6, 2021 2:00 pm, ESPN3 | | Miami (OH) | W 88–64 | 8–6 (6–4) | 16 – 2 Tied | 11 – Skogman | 9 – Segu | Alumni Arena Amherst, NY |
| February 12, 2021 8:00 pm, ESPN3 | | at Central Michigan | Postponed | Postponed | Postponed | Postponed | Postponed | McGuirk Arena Mount Pleasant, MI |
| February 12, 2021 8:00 pm, CBSSN | | Western Michigan | W 86–54 | 9–6 (7–4) | 16 – Graves | 12 – Mballa | 5 – Segu | Alumni Arena Amherst, NY |
| February 16, 2021 5:00 pm, ESPN3 | | at Eastern Michigan | Postponed | Postponed | Postponed | Postponed | Postponed | Convocation Center Ypsilanti, MI |
| February 19, 2021 9:00 pm, ESPN2 | | Toledo | L 70–80 | 9–7 (7–5) | 19 – Williams | 13 – Mballa | 5 – Segu | Alumni Arena Amherst, NY |
| February 23, 2021 5:00 pm, ESPN3 | | at Northern Illinois | W 102–74 | 10–7 (8–5) | 21 – Mballa | 12 – Mballa | 4 – 2 Tied | Convocation Center (26) DeKalb, IL |
| February 25, 2021 2:00 pm, ESPN+ | | Central Michigan | W 85–73 | 11–7 (9–5) | 20 – Hardnett | 10 – Hardnett | 11 – Segu | Alumni Arena Amherst, NY |
| February 27, 2021 2:00 pm, ESPN+ | | at Ohio | W 86–66 | 12–7 (10–5) | 23 – Mballa | 9 – Mballa | 7 – Graves | Convocation Center Athens, OH |
| March 2, 2021 2:00 pm | | Akron | W 80–78 | 13–7 (11–5) | 15 – Mballa | 10 – Graves | 11 – Graves | Alumni Arena Amherst, NY |
| March 5, 2021 6:00 pm, ESPNU | | Kent State | W 81–67 | 14–7 (12–5) | 21 – Williams | 9 – Graves | 7 – Graves | Alumni Arena Amherst, NY |
| MAC Tournament |||||||||
| March 11, 2021 4:00 pm, ESPN+ | (2) | vs. (7) Miami (OH) Quarterfinals | W 74–63 | 15–7 | 23 – Mballa | 19 – Mballa | 6 – Segu | Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse Cleveland, OH |
| March 12, 2021 7:30 pm, CBSSN | (2) | vs. (3) Akron Semifinals | W 81–74 $^{OT}$ | 16–7 | 26 – Williams | 20 – Mballa | 4 – Tied | Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse Cleveland, OH |
| March 13, 2021 7:30 pm, ESPN2 | (2) | vs. (5) Ohio Championship | L 69–84 | 16–8 | 24 – Segu | 11 – Mballa | 3 – Graves | Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse Cleveland, OH |
| NIT |||||||||
| March 19, 2021 7:00 pm, ESPN2 | (4) | vs. (1) Colorado State First Round – Colorado State bracket | L 73–75 | 16–9 | 21 – Williams | 9 – Mballa | 4 – Williams | The Super Pit Denton, TX |
| *Non-conference game. $^#$Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses. All times are in Eastern. |||||||||
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