Buffalo will play for MAC title

CLEVELAND (AP) — As the pep band blared the school’s fight song and Buffalo’s fans screamed, Bulls guard Calvin Betts walked over to teammate Rodney Pierce to deliver a message.

“One more, bro,” Betts yelled.

And it’s a big one.

Max Boudreau scored a career-high 21 points and Pierce added 18 as Buffalo moved into just its second Mid-American Conference tournament final with a 64-52 win over Ball State on Friday night.

The Bulls (21-10), who have never made the NCAA tournament and were picked to finish last in a preseason poll, will play for a spot in the 65-team field on Saturday. They’ll face the winner of the second semifinal between top-seeded Bowling Green (19-12) and fifth-seeded Akron (21-12) for the MAC’s automatic berth. The Bowling Green-Akron game wasn’t completed in time for today’s edition.

Buffalo’s only previous appearance in the MAC final ended in bitter disappointment. In 2005, the Bulls blew a 19-point lead in the second half and lost to Ohio when Bobcats center Leon Williams tipped in a miss in the final second. With its NCAA dreams denied, Buffalo had to settle for a consolation trip to the NIT.