Is Undefeated Buffalo a Legit March Madness Contender?

• The 11-0 Buffalo Bulls are off to their best start since 1930.
• The Bulls are one of only nine undefeated teams in Division 1 basketball.
• Now ranked 14th in the AP Top-25, Buffalo is also climbing up the national title futures. 

There’s a new darling in college basketball and, believe it or not, they’re from Buffalo.

Should we change our name to Buffa11-0?

Asking for a friend…

— UB Men’s Basketball (@UBmenshoops) December 19, 2018

Fresh off a double-digit win in Syracuse, the Buffalo Bulls improved to 11-0 and sit inside the top-15 in the AP poll.

THE BULLS KEEP CLIMBING!!!
Buffalo checking in at #⃣1⃣4⃣in the latest @AP_Top25 Poll. That is the highest ranking by a @MACSports team in over 40 years#UBhornsUP | #UBLegendary pic.twitter.com/lhCK3QSI9L

— UB Men’s Basketball (@UBmenshoops) December 10, 2018

They’re off to their best start in 88 years and online sportsbooks have taken notice.  Buffalo’s odds to win the NCAA Tournament have been shortened to +7000, after being as long as +17500 around the industry just a month ago.

Odds to Win NCAAM National Championship

Buffalo’s Built for Success

Like most smaller programs that make noise, the reigning MAC champions are well coached and loaded with experience.  They’re top 40 in both offensive and defensive efficiency at Kenpom.com, and feature nine players that contributed to last year’s upset of Arizona in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

Congrats to @DeandreAyton on being selected #1 overall in the #NBADraft by the @Suns! We hope your @NBA career starts better than your college one ended ???#UpsetCity #UBhornsUP pic.twitter.com/6tspOkj9No

— UB Men’s Basketball (@UBmenshoops) June 21, 2018

They have three players that average double figures in points, led by CJ Massinburg who’s shooting 44% from behind the arc.

CJ Massinburg from WAY DOWNTOWN. Overtime here we come! pic.twitter.com/QsuYbUjgkj

— Lukas Harkins (@hardwiredsports) November 10, 2018

They protect the ball, rebound well, and play solid defense.  Through 11 games this season, Buffalo is holding opponents to under 30% from three.

Can the Bulls Compete with the Big Boys?

The Bulls have two top-25 wins on their resume this season and face no. 20 Marquette on the road on Friday night.  They certainly don’t have the same kind of talent as Duke, Kansas or Gonzaga, but they play with tenacity and they outwork the competition.

ESPN #SCtop10 is not going to want to miss this 360 slam from sophomore Jayvon Graves tonight!! #UBhornsUP pic.twitter.com/dFdOdlfMFp

— UB Men’s Basketball (@UBmenshoops) November 22, 2018

They’ve out rebounded their opponent in nine of 11 games this year and have lost the turnover battle just once.  They’ve proven they can succeed when the spotlight is on them, and while they probably don’t have enough talent to win it all, they certainly have the makeup of a team you wouldn’t want to face in March.

Don’t Sleep on Furman

Buffalo isn’t the only mid-major making noise early in the year. Say hello to the Furman Paladins.

They haven’t made the Big Dance since 1980, but Furman already has wins over two of last year’s Final Four teams, Loyola-Chicago and Villanova.  Sure, they haven’t played anyone else ranked inside KenPom’s top 200, but they’re 12-0 and ranked (no. 24) for the first time ever in school history.

?: 1️⃣2️⃣-0️⃣ ??? #AllDIN pic.twitter.com/k5jhPEr39k

— Furman Basketball (@FurmanHoops) December 17, 2018

They rank 5th in steals, 8th in assists, 11th in threes, and 28th in points per game. At +12500 they need to be on every college basketball fans radar. But, unlike Buffalo, they don’t really have the make-up of a team that’s poised for a deep March Madness run.