NCAA basketball: 2018-19 Mid-major awards (week 1)

NCAA Basketball: 2018-19 Mid-major awards (week 1)

By Logan Butts | Nov 13, 2018

BOISE, ID - MARCH 17: CJ Massinburg #5 of the Buffalo Bulls reacts during the first half against the Kentucky Wildcats in the second round of the 2018 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Taco Bell Arena on March 17, 2018 in Boise, Idaho. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /

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BOISE, ID – MARCH 15: Montell McRae #1 of the Buffalo Bulls reacts in the second half against the Arizona Wildcats during the first round of the 2018 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Taco Bell Arena on March 15, 2018 in Boise, Idaho. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /

Best Team Performance – Buffalo Bulls

Who else could it be? The Bulls came into the season with a lot of hype for a true mid-major (meaning not a perennial powerhouse like Gonzaga or a stacked mid-major all-star team like Nevada).

Usually, one of two true mid-major programs a year come into the season with the hype that Buffalo had heading into this season. That will happen when you return four of the five starters from a team that beat No. 4 seed Arizona 89-68 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

How did the Bulls respond? After beating a solid St. Francis (Pa.) squad by 15 in the season opener, Buffalo took down No. 13 West Virginia ON THE ROAD 99-94 in overtime.

Junior C.J. Massinburg was the hero for the Bulls. He scored 43 points on 12-22 shooting (9-15 from three-point range) and 10-12 from the free throw line to go along with 14 rebounds, three assists, and one block. But, Jeremy Harris (16), Jayvon Graves (14), and Nick Perkins (10) all chipped in double-figures.

After the massive win, the Bulls ended up ranked in the AP Poll (No. 25) for the first time in program history.

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