BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) -Rodney Pierce tied his career high with 31 points to lead Buffalo to a 78-65 victory over Akron on Sunday as the Bulls started 3-0 in the Mid-American Conference for the first time.
Pierce, who entered second in the MAC in scoring (18.9 points), has scored 20 or more points in the past eight games as the Bulls (10-4, 3-0) won their fourth straight and seventh in their past eight.
Buffalo scored the final 13 points of the first half, breaking a 27-27 tie to take a 40-27 lead on Sean Smiley's layup with 33 seconds left.
Pierce opened the second half with a jumper for a 42-27 lead with 19:31 left.
Akron (12-5, 2-1) cut the deficit to 60-54 with 6:02 to play, but Buffalo scored the next seven points to regain control.
Smiley, who was 8-for-9 from the floor, had 21 and Max Boudreau added 10 for Buffalo.
Jimmy Conyers scored 17 and Steve McNees added 16 for Akron.
