Halftime Report
Buffalo has overcome an early deficit to take the lead back in this one. They have a bit of a cushion as they currently lead Western Michigan 53-39.
Buffalo entered the game with seven straight defeats and they're well on their way to making it eight. Can they turn things around, or will Western Michigan hand them another loss? Only time will tell.
Who's Playing
Buffalo Bulls @ Western Michigan Broncos
Current Records: Buffalo 5-11, Western Michigan 4-12
How To WatchWhen: Saturday, January 18, 2025 at 1 p.m. ETWhere: University Arena -- Kalamazoo, MichiganTV: ESPN PlusFollow: CBS Sports AppOnline Streaming: Catch select College Basketball matches on Fubo (Try for free. Regional restrictions may apply.)Ticket Cost: $25.51What to Know
Buffalo is 8-2 against Western Michigan since February of 2018, and they'll have a chance to extend that success on Saturday. Both will face off in a Mid American battle at 1:00 p.m. ET at University Arena. The Bulls are no doubt hoping to put an end to an eight-game streak of away losses.
Last Tuesday, Buffalo lost to Bowling Green on the road by a decisive 79-61 margin.
Ben Michaels put forth a good effort for the losing side as he scored 13 points plus eight rebounds and two blocks. The dominant performance also gave him a new career-high in offensive rebounds (five).
Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask Western Michigan). They came out on top against Kent State by a score of 94-83 on Tuesday. The victory was a breath of fresh air for the Broncos as it put an end to their eight-game losing streak.
Western Michigan's win was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was JaVaughn Hannah, who went 8 for 9 en route to 17 points plus five rebounds. Donovan Williams was another key player, scoring 15 points along with six rebounds and three steals.
Western Michigan smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 14 offensive rebounds. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least 11 offensive rebounds in six consecutive matches.
Buffalo's defeat dropped their record down to 5-11. As for Western Michigan, their victory ended a five-game drought on the road and puts them at 4-12.
Buffalo is hoping to beat the odds on Saturday, as the experts think they're headed for a loss. This contest will be their eighth straight as the underdogs (so far over this stretch they are 2-5 against the spread).
Buffalo might still be hurting after the devastating 91-72 loss they got from Western Michigan in their previous meeting back in February of 2024. Can Buffalo avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
Odds
Western Michigan is a big 8.5-point favorite against Buffalo, according to the latest college basketball odds.
The oddsmakers were right in line with the betting community on this one, as the game opened as a 8.5-point spread, and stayed right there.
The over/under is 154.5 points.
See college basketball picks for every single game, including this one, from SportsLine's advanced computer model. Get picks now.
Series History
Buffalo has won 8 out of their last 10 games against Western Michigan.
Feb 24, 2024 - Western Michigan 91 vs. Buffalo 72Jan 06, 2024 - Western Michigan 82 vs. Buffalo 77Feb 04, 2023 - Buffalo 85 vs. Western Michigan 76Feb 19, 2022 - Buffalo 87 vs. Western Michigan 73Jan 11, 2022 - Buffalo 78 vs. Western Michigan 64Feb 12, 2021 - Buffalo 86 vs. Western Michigan 54Jan 12, 2021 - Buffalo 85 vs. Western Michigan 69Jan 21, 2020 - Buffalo 90 vs. Western Michigan 79Jan 15, 2019 - Buffalo 88 vs. Western Michigan 79Feb 02, 2018 - Buffalo 92 vs. Western Michigan 86