AMHERST, NY (AP) -- Three years ago, Reggie Witherspoon was the head coach of an inexperienced group of freshmen and sophomores that raised his anxiety and exasperation levels to new heights. Not anymore.

After a share of the 2008-09 Mid-American Conference East Division regular season crown, Witherspoon's senior-laden Buffalo Bulls are loaded for another shot at the conference title that eluded them in a loss to Akron last March in the MAC championship game. Buffalo returns four starters among seven seniors from a team that finished 21-12 (11-5, MAC), the school's best record since 2004-05 when they lost in the MAC title game after going 23-10.

Last year's fruits came after a laborious two-year stretch starting in 2006, when the Bulls went a combined 22-39 (7-25 MAC).

"They understand a little bit better now," Witherspoon said about the maturation process. "The guys have been through several hundred college practices, so they can execute things instinctively. The issue was that we were all young all at once. So it's difficult to sustain success year after year because it requires a great deal of balance."

Following a 5-4 start, the Bulls started to roll after winning the in-season Rainbow Classic tournament in Hawaii in December. Their one-point overtime win over Pepperdine in the tourney's first game sparked a nine-game winning streak that lifted the Bulls into the upper echelon of the MAC.

Buffalo will be counting heavily on senior shooting guard Rodney Pierce, who was named to the All-MAC Preseason team after earning All-MAC First Team honors by posting a career-best 14.3 points per game last year.

He's only the second player to ever be named to the first team, and the first to return the following season. Turner Battle was named to the first team as a senior in 2005.

Pierce's partner in the backcourt will likely be senior John Boyer, who played in all 33 games last season as a backup to point guard Greg Gamble, who graduated.

Seniors Calvin Betts and Max Boudreau will anchor a frontcourt that will be rounded out by the rotating sophomore duo of Mitchell Watt and Titus Robinson.

Betts led the team in rebounding last year with an average of 6.3 boards per game, while Boudreau emerged in the MAC tournament by averaging 14 points.

The Bulls will open their season on Nov. 15 when they host Vermont. In December they will take part in the UCF Holiday Classic tournament in Orlando.

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