The University at Buffalo Bulls have built a reputation for being near the top of the MAC on an annual basis and they are favorites to win the conference again in 2021-22. Recently coaches across the league chose UB as the most likely team to win the MAC and for good reason as they return three starters to their roster who averaged at least 13 points per game.
Expectations are high amongst Bulls fans as accolades have come early with seniors Jeenathan Williams and Josh Mballa being selected to the Preseason All-MAC first team. Both Williams and Mballa showed flashes of superstar ability to dominate games and that is something mid-majors need to win consistently and threaten for upsets.
Last season, the Bulls lacked a true knock down shooter, but head coach Jim Whitesell seems to have addressed that in the transfer portal. George Washington transfer Maceo Jack and Fordham transfer Ty Perry will likely have solid roles for the Bulls as they look to remain as the team to beat in the MAC.
As the Bulls prepare to take on the No. 6 ranked Wolverines in Ann Arbor, let’s check out how the 2021-22 UB Bulls roster looks:
UB Roster Rundown
#0 Kuluel Mading
6-foot-9 Freshman Forward | 5th highest ranked recruit in UB history per 247sports
Three-star recruit Kuluel Mading is a 6-foot-9 stretch forward. Mading lacks the bulk to sit on the block all day, but even at his length, he possesses the shot and ball skills to make opponents pay. Although Mading isn’t the fastest player, he can beat guys off the perimeter with the dribble to get to the rim.
You’ll see Mading get his fair share of offensive putbacks since he is normally crashing rather than hanging out near the restricted zone. If Mading can add some size to his frame as his ages, he could be a very dominant MAC player. A big man that can shoot three-pointers consistently will always have a place and Mading has shown he has that in his arsenal as well.
It might take time with Mading, but when it fully clicks, there is a ton of upside to the player Mading can become. A potential diamond in the rough if he can play the up-and-down, three-and-D style of UB.
#1 LaQuill Hardnett
6-foot-8 Junior Forward | 6.5 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 1.24 apg
LaQuill Hardnett is now in his third season with the Bulls after redshirting his first year before transferring from Cincinnati. The 6-foot-8 forward can get hot and add some points off the bench for this roster, but his energy and defense are his key contribution to UB.
Hardnett led the Bulls in field goal percentage at 62.5% in the 2020-21 season. That saw his points per game rate increase from 2.8 to 6.5 including a 20 point and 10 rebound performance against Central Michigan.
#2 Kidtrell Blocker
6-foot-5 Freshman Guard | 26.6 ppg over 12 games in 2020-21
Freshman and Rochester native Kidtrell Blocker is a walking highlight reel on the court and will be a welcomed addition from fans to the UB roster. Over 12 games last season with Tennessee Prep Academy, Blocker averaged 26.6 points per game filled with highlight dunks and impressive finishes through contact. At times, Blocker looked like he was on a complete other level than his competitors just like he did during his time at Aquinas and Bishop Kearney.
Blocker wasn’t given a lot of time early in the Bulls’ exhibition against Medaille, so he may not have an immediate role with head coach Jim Whitesell electing to trust experienced transfers early. Watching Blocker play will tell you that he’s going to be hard to keep off the court. I’d expect him to work his way into the rotation after a few weeks if he can pick up things defensively.
#3 Curtis Jones
6-foot-5 Freshman Guard | 12.1 ppg, 6 rpg, 5.5 apg in 24 games played at Indian Hills CC
Curtis Jones comes to the Bulls after a year at Indian Hills Community College where he was an All-Region selection. The 6-foot-5 point guard will still have four years of eligibility and will likely be needed this year as the Bulls look for another primary ball handler to relieve Ronaldo Segu.
Jones flashes elite court vision and the ability to make passes through windows as they open. With the Bulls adding shooting depth, Jones could be leaned on to facilitate the ball when looking for secondary scoring. The youngster shows upside behind the arc after shooting 38.7% last season. Out of all the freshman, Jones could have the biggest early role due to experience and team need.
#4 Keishawn Brewton
6-foot-2 Senior Guard | 5.9 ppg, 1.2 rpg, 1.17 apg
After putting up 14.5 points per game during his junior season at Coastal Carolina, transfer Keishawn Brewton had a disappointing start to his Bulls career after battling an injury. Brewton spent two seasons at Chipola Junior College where he averaged 19.4 points per game before going to Coastal.
Brewton can shoot the three effectively as seen by his 37% average from beyond the arc at Coastal Carolina. If Brewton can find that shot again, that will add a shot that the Bulls are desperately missing.
#5 Zaakir Williamson
6-foot-7 Freshman Center | 15.0 ppg, 5.2 rpg last season for Neumann Goretti
Freshman Zaakir Williamson is a big boy, but he’s also very athletic. Williamson is able to take defenders off the dribble if needed and isn’t afraid to pull up from deep. There are solid flashes of what Williamson could do as a big man in the MAC and since the center position trends smaller than average, those flashes could lead to dominance.
Williamson is currently injured and did not play in the exhibition game versus Medaille. It’s not currently known whether the Bulls plan to use a year of eligibility for Williamson this year as some guys decided to stay an extra year as depth pieces.
#10 Ronaldo Sego
6-foot Senior Guard | 13.3 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 4.28 apg
Rondo Segu is a very effective point guard for the Bulls. UB does not like to play slowed-down half court offense, so Segu’s lower assist numbers are expected. The senior guard can run the point in transition and allows the Bulls to quickly counter to apply pressure directly back on their opponents. As Segu’s defensive game has improved, it improves his effectiveness in the style and has been seen in his improved statistics.
There weren’t many times where Segu took over a game points wise, but was always consistent for a double-digit performance. Some more consistency from deep could take Rondo from a 13-point guy to a 16-plus point guy very easily. That jump could be what the Bulls need to avoid another March letdown.
UB Bulls Roster & Season Preview
#11 Jeenathan Williams
6-foot-5 Senior Forward | 17.6 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 2.44 apg, 1.12 spg
Last season, we saw Jeenathan Williams become the star of this Bulls team that everyone thought he could be when recruited. The Rochester native averaged over 17 points per game while also contributing heavily defensively adding over a steal per game. Coming in the 2020-21 season, many expected Jayvon Graves would be THE guy for UB, however Williams became THAT guy by seasons end.
When Jeenathan is taking over games offensively, it seems that it sparks his defensive intensity as well. Williams added 12 boards to his career-high 28 points against Towson as well as having 14 rebounds in a 25 point output at Western Michigan. If Williams can be THAT guy on a consistent basis to be able to put up 20 points and double-digit rebounds, then the Bulls are a legitamate threat come March Madness.
#20 Ty Perry
6-foot-3 Junior Guard | 7.5 ppg in 11 games played in 2020-21, 7.5 ppg in 30 games played in 2019-20
Ty Perry is another guy that should add some shooting depth to a UB roster that desperately needed it. The junior transfer appeared in just 11 games in 2020-21 before deciding to transfer. In 2019-20, Perry led the Fordham Rams in three-pointers made with 43 on a 37.1 shooting percentage. Perry should expect a similar role to start for UB with minutes to be gained especially for defensive effort.
#21 Dominic Johnson
6-foot-5 Senior Forward | 15 career games played for MBB, 29 receptions for 404 yards and two touchdowns in 2020-21
Graduate senior Dominic Johnson missed all of last season due to an injury he suffered during the football season. A transition from quarterback was expected to allow an easier transition to basketball season, however that has not been the case. Johnson has appeared in 15 games for the men’s basketball team, but only four of those have come since the start of the 2018-19 season. Johnson serves as a depth four option on this UB roster.
#22 Lucas Saleh
6-foot-6 Junior Forward | 6 games played in 20-21
#23 Jamon Bivens
6-foot-3 Senior Guard | 9 games played in 20-21
#24 Tra’von Fagan
6-foot-8 Senior Forward | 3.6 ppg, 2.6 rpg
Tra’von Fagan has been battling injuries the past two seasons, but has proven he can still ball. Fagan contributed 14 points against Miami(OH) which was one-of-three of his double-digit performances on the season.
#33 Maceo Jack
6-foot-5 Senior Guard | 7 games played in 20-21 before transferring, 11.7 ppg in 19-20, career-high 35 points
Maceo Jack is quite familiar with Alumni Arena as the Williamsville North graduate is the son of UB women’s basketball head coach Felisha Legette-Jack. Jack attended prep school for a year after high school, then decided to attend George Washington University. The 6-foot-5 guard saw action in 24 games as a freshman and saw his role increase each year thanks to his three-point prowess.
Maceo led GWU in three-pointers made in 2018-19 with 64, then finished second on his team and in the A-10 in 2019-20 with 83. Before transferring, Maceo appeared in just seven games last season and averaged just 6.9 points, however he did go 8-of-20 from three-point range. Maceo’s three-point prowess is just what the UB Bulls roster needed and he should find an immediate role in the rotation.
#34 Josh Mballa
6-foot-7 Senior Forward | 15.3 ppg, 10.8 rpg, 1.86 apg, 1.54 spg
Josh Mballa displayed why he is one of the best all-around basketball talents in the country in 2019-20 as he earned MAC Defensive Player of the Year and second team All-MAC honors. The former Texas Tech transfer was able to effect the game in so many ways for the Bulls including a career-high 27 points at Syracuse or a MAC record 50 rebounds during the conference tournament.
It seemed that Mballa’s game got even more dominate as the season wore on too. Mballa had a 20 rebound performance in the conference semifinals and 19 rebounds in the quarterfinals. Then he went on to put up another double-double in the championship, although it wasn’t enough. Could more consistent dominant performances in 2021-22 lead to March success?
#41 Brock Bertram
6-foot-11 Senior Center | 3.1 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 1.11 bpg
Fan-favorite and perennial All-MAC contender(In mine and the Wrench Convention’s opinion) Brock Bertram is back for a sixth-season on the UB Bulls roster due to some of the COVID rule changes. Bertram had his best season in 2020-21 as he averaged 16.2 minutes a night. Brock may not be a big scorer, but his physical presence defensively and his rebounding immensely help the Bulls counter-attack.
Brock averaged over a Block per game in just 16 minutes. That’s a solid impact defensively. Bertram had 41 offensive and 41 defensive rebounds last season as well which shows how his tenacity benefits the Bulls. That’s 41 extra possessions. Those possessions could be key to a tourney run.
#42 David Skogman
6-foot-10 Redshirt Sophomore Center | 2.7 ppg, 2.3 rpg in 15 games played in 20-21
After redshirting during the 2019-20 season, David Skogman debuted in a COVID-impacted 2020-21. Skogman appeared off the bench 15 times throughout the season for UB. In February, Skogman flashed his upside with a 16 point and 11 rebound game against Miami(OH).
Skogman also showed flashes of his deep game as he shot 43.8% from beyond the arc. During Skogman’s senior season in high school he shot 38.6% from three-point range while being named second-team All-State. A few years have done Skogman well as he is filling into his 6-foot-10 body weighing in at 228 pounds. Expect Skogman to carve a larger role and potentially eat up minutes from Brock.
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