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UB Battles Kentucky With Spot in Sweet 16 On the Line

The UB Bulls are one win away from the Sweet 16. Standing in their way, the Kentucky Wildcats.
Credit: Kyle Terada
Mar 15, 2018; Boise, ID, USA; Buffalo Bulls forward Nick Perkins (33) reacts in the second half against the Arizona Wildcats during the first round of the 2018 NCAA Tournament at Taco Bell Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

BOISE, Idaho (AP) - No. 13 seed Buffalo (27-8) vs. No. 5 Kentucky (25-10)

Second round, South Region; Boise, Idaho, Saturday, 5:15 p.m. ET.

BOTTOM LINE: Buffalo took down one of college basketball's biggest programs and gets another shot in the second round against Kentucky. The Bulls used pressure defense to fluster Arizona in an opening 89-68 win and is hoping to do the same thing against Kentucky's youngest-ever roster.

MAKE A 3: Kentucky won its opener 78-73, but ended a long streak in doing so. The Wildcats went 0 for 6 from 3-point range, marking the first time since the 1988 Great Alaska Shootout that they had not made a 3, a span of 1,047 games. Buffalo coach Nate Oats created a game plan that would force Arizona to shoot 3s because the Wildcats aren't very good at it. He'll likely try to do the same thing against Kentucky, which was worse than Arizona at making 3s, ranking 344th of 351 Division I schools.

UB TRIO: Buffalo's trio of Wes Clark, Jeremy Harris and CJ Massinburg are the guards who make the Bulls go. They are Buffalo's top three scorers and combined for 67 points in the opening round, one less than the Wildcats scored as a team.

DID YOU KNOW: Buffalo's 21-point win over Arizona is the second-highest margin of victory by a No. 13 seed, matching Siena in its win over Vanderbilt in 2008. The Bulls are trying to become the first MAC school to reach the Sweet 16 since Ohio in 2012.

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