Getty Buffalo Bulls guard CJ Massinburg
The Buffalo Bulls have been one of the most intriguing and exciting teams this season, and college basketball fans will see them on the biggest stage soon enough. With the final stretch of regular season play along with the conference tournament ahead, Buffalo has a chance to surpass the 30-win mark.
But far more important than winning 30 games is a spot in the dance. The Bulls, who enter the homestretch of the season with 26-3 record, are ranked No. 19 in the nation, and a spot in the 2019 NCAA Tournament is all but a foregone conclusion. Behind a well-rounded group featuring guards CJ Massinburg and Jeremy Harris, as well as forward Nick Perkins, Buffalo could be a team to watch in postseason play.
We’re going to take a look at the latest bracketology outlook for the talented group, as well as what seeding they’re currently projected to land and potential opening-round matchups.
Latest Predictions on Buffalo’s NCAA Tournament Seeding
The most recent bracketology breakdown from ESPN’s Joe Lunardi has the Bulls in the East region and receiving a No. 6 seed. They’re set up with a potential first-round matchup against the St. John’s Red Storm, which would set up an interesting game for general college basketball fans.
Beyond that, a victory in the opening round according to Lunardi’s bracketology would lead to a date with either the No. 3 Houston Cougars or No. 14 Yale Bulldogs. A few other teams to note in this bracket include the Virginia Cavaliers and Michigan State Spartans as the No. 1 and 2 seeds, as well as the LSU Tigers (No. 4).
It seems a No. 6 seed is the common theme among bracketologists at this point, as Jerry Palm of CBS Sports offered the same outlook for Buffalo. A number key differences jump out on his breakdown, as the team is projected in the West region with a first-round matchup against the Temple Owls. He also has Michigan State in the same bracket, but places them as No. 3 seed, setting up the Bulls and Spartans to possibly meet in the round of 32.
The Gonzaga Bulldogs hold the No. 1 seed in this bracket while LSU is bumped to No. 2. Beyond that, the Florida State Seminoles earned a strong No. 4 seed in the top half of the West Region for Palm.
Buffalo Bulls’ NCAA Tournament Resume
The Bulls boast a strong 14-2 record in MAC play this year, with one of their two losses coming against a 20-win Bowling Green team who currently holds a 12-4 conference record. They did fall to Northern Illinois, who sits at 13-16 on the season, which qualifies as their one “bad” loss. Buffalo’s only other loss came in a road game against No. 16 ranked Marquette and their two conference losses were by a combined six points.
Although one or two of Buffalo’s non-conference wins look slightly less impressive now, they still knocked off West Virginia on the road when the Mountaineers were ranked. Beyond that, they also went into the Carrier Dome and handed the Syracuse Orange a 12-point loss.
The Bulls are the real deal and will be a tough out come tournament time, regardless of who they draw in the opening round.
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Buffalo Basketball March Madness: Updated NCAA Tournament Predictions