Buffalo to take on Syracuse at Carrier Dome in December

Remember that whole “New York’s college team” thing that the Buffalo Bulls were marketing a while back? They’ve got a chance to prove it on the hardwood this coming season when the Bulls travel to the Carrier Dome to take on the Syracuse Orange.

Per the Bulls’ press release on the schedule:

The University at Buffalo men's basketball team will rekindle one of their oldest rivalries this season as the Bulls will make the two hour trip to Syracuse University on Dec. 19 for a non-conference game at the Carrier Dome. This will be the first meeting between these two schools since Dec. 30, 2001.

"This is an outstanding opportunity for our team to go down the road and play a program with the pedigree of Syracuse. We hope that some of our fans will make the trip and watch a high-level basketball game inside the Carrier Dome."

Syracuse leads 27-5 all-time in a series that goes all the way back to the 1917-18 season. Buffalo scored its first win over Syracuse in the final game of the 1918-19 season, 25-21. Buffalo's last win over Syracuse came in overtime during the 1962-63 season. Syracuse and Buffalo played every year from 1965-66 until 1977-78. The two teams have played twice since then, on Dec. 18, 1997 and again on Dec. 30, 2001.

This year's meeting with Syracuse will mark the third straight year that the Bulls travel to an ACC school as last season Buffalo faced Pittsburgh and two years ago the Bulls played Duke at Cameron Indoor Stadium.

Syracuse went 19-15 last season. Including 17-4 in home games. They advanced to the second round of the National Invitation Tournament (NIT).

This adds to a challenging non-conference schedule as last week it was announced that the Bulls would be facing Cincinnati in the first round of the Cayman Islands Classic.

It’s always a good thing when a MAC program schedules up. It prepares the team for their MAC schedule and makes them a more experienced team going forward. Throw in the rivalry with an in-state program and it’s even more exciting. Give it to our MAC brothers in the northeast for taking an aggressive tack when it comes to scheduling. That’s the kind of thing that can elevate the conference as a whole with a well-timed road win.

December 19th we’re all Bulls. 35 years is a long time to wait for a Bulls win, but there’s no time like now.