| Year: | 2004–05 |
| Team: | Buffalo Bulls |
| Sport: | basketball |
| Conference: | Mid-American Conference |
| Division: | East |
| Short Conf: | MAC |
| Record: | 23–10 |
| Conf Record: | 11–7 |
| Head Coach: | Reggie Witherspoon |
| Hc Year: | 6th |
| Asst Coach1: | Jim Kwitchoff |
| Ac1 Year: | 6th |
| Asst Coach2: | Michael Mennenga |
| Ac2 Year: | 5th |
| Asst Coach3: | Chris Hawkins |
| Ac3 Year: | 5th |
| Stadium: | Alumni Arena |
| Tourney: | NIT |
| Tourney Result: | First Round |
The 2004–05 Buffalo Bulls men's basketball team represented the University at Buffalo during the 2004–05 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Bulls, led by sixth-year head coach Reggie Witherspoon, played their home games at Alumni Arena in Amherst, New York as members of the Mid-American Conference (MAC). They finished the season 23–10, 11–7 in MAC play to finish in fifth place in the MAC East. It was the first 20-win season in the school's NCAA Division I history.[1]
They reached the finals of the MAC men's basketball tournament for the first time in school history and at one point held a 19-point lead but ultimately lost to Ohio after a last-second tip-in in overtime.[2] [3] They were also invited to the National Invitation Tournament for the first time in program history and won their opening-round game against Drexel.
Writing for the Associated Press, Tom Withers described it as "Buffalo's dream season."[4]
Following the season, Buffalo guard Turner Battle became the first Bull in program history to be named an Academic All-American, an Honorable Mention All-American, the MAC Men's Basketball Player of the Year and to the All-MAC First Team. Battle and Yassin Idbihi became the first Bulls in program history to be named to the MAC All-Tournament Team. Mark Bortz became the first Bull in program history to be named the MAC Sixth Man of the Year.[5]
The Bulls finished the 2003–04 season with an overall record of 17–12 and a record of 11–7 in conference play. It was their first winning season since having joined the MAC for the 1998–99 season.[1] In spite of that, they lost in the second round of the 2004 MAC tournament.[6] Eleven of the thirteen players from the 2003–04 season, including the eleven who appeared in the most games for the 2003–04 team, returned for the 2004–05 season.[7] [8]
| Name | Number | Pos. | Height | Weight | Year | Hometown | Notes | |
| 0 | F | 6'9" | 245 | Sophomore | Cincinnati, OH | Transferred to Garden City Community College[9] | ||
| 4 | G | 5'8" | 165 | Freshman | Niagara Falls, NY | Declared academically ineligible[10] |
|-!colspan=6 style=| Regular season|-!colspan=6 style=| 2005 MAC Men's Basketball Tournament|-!colspan=6 style=| 2005 National Invitation Tournament