Buffalo vs. Marquette: 2018-19 College basketball game preview, TV schedule

Marquette and Buffalo are two of the hottest teams in the country. Can the Golden Eagles win their third straight game over a top-15 team at home?

TV Schedule: Friday, Dec. 21 at 8:30 p.m. EST (FS1)

Location: Fiserv Forum (Milwaukee, Wis.)

No. 14 Buffalo (11-0) heads to Milwaukee this weekend looking to become the first top-15 team in three tries to knock off no. 20 Marquette (9-2) at home this month. The Golden Eagles already took care of Kansas State and Wisconsin, who were both ranked No. 12 at game time.

Buffalo jumped into the AP Poll after winning at West Virginia on Nov. 9, and even though that Mountaineers victory has lost a bit of luster in the weeks since, the Bulls have aced every other test sent their way, including road wins at Southern Illinois, St. Bonaventure, and Syracuse earlier this week, and a pair of victories in Northern Ireland last month over Milwaukee and a quality San Francisco team. The Bulls are already 2-0 in each of NET’s first three quadrants.

However, while Buffalo may have snuck up on America before pounding Arizona in the first round of the NCAA tournament last year, Marquette will undoubtedly be on high alert in this one. The Bulls carry top-25 rankings in NET (10), the AP Poll (14), T-Rank (23), and KenPom (24), and they feature capable playmakers deep into their bench. Leading scorer CJ Massinburg is 1 of just 10 players in the country averaging at least 17 points, seven rebounds, three assists, and one steal per game this year.

Of course, Marquette will have some answers for Buffalo’s powerful offense (ranked 24th in adjusted offensive efficiency). Opponents are shooting only 29.3 percent from beyond the arc against the Golden Eagles this season (43rd in the nation), a massive jump from last season’s 35.9 percent mark (249th). That improvement is partially based on luck, as well as the other team’s playing style; MU hasn’t faced many good three-point shooting teams this year, and even the accurate ones tended not to structure their offense around the three-point line (the lone exception is Presbyterian – top 15 in both three-point percentage and attempts – who shot 12-29 from beyond the arc and pushed Marquette for the first 30 minutes of the game).

However, MU’s defensive gains on the perimeter are also built on the team’s improved length and defensive fortitude. Markus Howard is becoming something of a pesk for opposing point guards and the big men are doing a better job at corralling pick and rolls. Sometimes Marquette’s off-ball defenders are guilty of helping too much off of corner threes, but that is something that can be adjusted going forward.

The Golden Eagles are also cleaning up on the defensive boards (30th in defensive rebounding rate) – forcing contested three-point looks and limiting second chances are two key components of modern defense. Buffalo is only shooting 33.1 percent on threes this year, though they are 40th in the country in long-range attempts. MU may be able to bait the Bulls into bricking 20-plus threes on Friday.

Guards Howard and Massinburg will be billed as the stars to watch, and they tend to come to play when the lights shine brightest. Massinburg poured in 68 total points on just 38 shots in wins at WVU and Syracuse; Howard is averaging 29.8 points per game in four games this month, including 45 against K-State. If those two cancel each other out with high-level performances, look for one of Marquette’s Hauser brothers (junior Sam or freshman Joey) or Buffalo’s Jeremy Harris and Nick Perkins to swing the game.

This game features the immovable object – the Golden Eagles are 8-0 at their new home – vs. the unstoppable force – the Bulls have an outside chance to finish undefeated this year. Something has to give.