Bowling Green State University Athletics
2006-07 Sweet Sixteen Team: BGSU Wins the MAC Regular-Season Crown, Again
January 25, 2018 | Women's Basketball
BGSU will recognize the '06-07 team as part of the program's Alumnae Day on Feb. 3
Just over a decade ago, the Bowling Green State University women's basketball program had a season for the ages.  The 2006-07 Falcons became the first Mid-American Conference team ever to advance to the Round of 16 in the NCAA Championships, and BGSU also became the first-ever MAC basketball team -- men or women -- to win more than 30 games.
The Falcons went 31-4 overall and 15-1 in MAC regular-season play. BG won the league's regular-season crown, then rolled through the conference tournament, downing Toledo, Eastern Michigan and Ball State on the way to the title.
CONFERENCE PLAY BEGINS
After going 10-2 in non-conference play, with the only losses coming to Notre Dame and Duke by a combined 13 points, the Falcons headed to Akron to begin the MAC schedule. BG was ranked 19th in the USA Today ESPN poll and 24th by the Associated Press at the time.
BGSUÂ handled Akron with little trouble, holding the Zips to just 32 points, the lowest by a Falcon opponent in nearly 32 years. Then, the Brown and Orange started fast and finished strong, racing past Buffalo in the conference home opener. Ali Mann scored 18 of her game-high 24 points in the first half, and singlehandedly outscored the Bulls in the first half. The win was BGSU's 27th in a row against MAC opposition, tying the school and league records.
No. 19/24Â BGSUÂ 61, Akron 32
No. 19/24 BGSUÂ 75, Buffalo 42
BGSUÂ moved into the top 20 in both polls, and the No. 18/18 Falcons continued their winning ways with a 22-point victory over Kent State at Anderson Arena. In addition to being the team's 28th-straight win over MAC foes, it also was BG's 25th consecutive victory at "The House That Roars."
The Falcons went on the road for the next two games, and BG was able to grind out a pair of victories in hostile conference venues. The Falcons picked up a nine-point victory at Ohio, possibly aided by a quick pregame meal at an Athens establishment (click on the link below if you are at all interested). Then, Mann had 18 points to pace a balanced BG scoring attack in an eight-point win at Miami.
No. 18/18 BGSUÂ 74, Kent State 52
No. 18/18Â BGSU 64, Ohio 55
No. 17/18Â BGSU 64, Miami 56
A balanced effort again was a recipe for success in the next game. A pair of 11-0 runs in the first half gave BG a 35-13 lead over Central Michigan, and the Falcons were never headed. Then, the Falcons headed to Kalamazoo and drubbed Western Michigan by nearly 30 points. Mann scored 21 points and moved into third place on the BG career list in the win at Western, while junior Kate Achter hit her first career three-point field goal vs. the Broncos.
Senior Carin Horne made a play in that WMU game which typified the team's effort and attitude during the entire magical season. Late in the first half, Horne knocked the ball away from a Bronco player, then made a headlong dive to save the ball before it went out of bounds. She indeed saved the ball, directing it toward a teammate before diving through the BG bench and leaving a chair and a pair of team managers in her wake.
Horne climbed back over the chairs and raced downcourt just in time to take a pass from Achter. Horne completed the sequence by drilling a trailing three-pointer.
No. 17/18Â BGSU 70, Central Michigan 50
No. 16/17Â BGSU 90, Western Michigan 62
BGSUÂ returned to the state of Michigan, picking up a victory over Eastern Michigan. Mann, a native of nearby Chelsea, Mich., surpassed both the 1,600-point and 800-rebound marks for her career, and also became the school's all-time leader in free throws made. The Falcons' first-ever victory at EMU's Convocation Center came with Mann's uncle, actor Jeff Daniels, in attendance.
After the win over the Eagles, the Falcons stepped outside of MAC play for a midweek matchup in the Windy City. For the second consecutive game, the Brown and Orange posted a win by a 72-55 score, with Chicago State providing the opposition.
BGSUÂ returned home to face Toledo, and Liz Honegger scored 20 points as the Falcons downed the Rockets on Super Bowl Sunday. BG trailed for the first three-quarters of the game, but Mann spearheaded a late BG run to give the Orange and Brown the win over the Gold and Blue. BGSU had a 21-0 advantage in points off turnovers in the second half alone, en route to an eighth consecutive victory over their rivals from just up the highway.
No. 16/16Â BGSU 72, Eastern Michigan 55
No. 16/17Â BGSU 72, Chicago State 55
No. 16/17Â BGSU 73, Toledo 62
West Division-leading Ball State came to Anderson Arena to face the East Division leaders, and senior Amber Flynn was the X Factor, scoring a then career-high 18 points and grabbing eight rebounds off the bench as BG posted a 10-point win. The Falcons shot nearly 53 percent from the floor, including 60% in the second half, to down the Cardinals.
In that win, Honegger tied the school record for career games started, and also made the 200th three-pointer of her Falcon tenure. Honegger, who already held the BG career record for triples made, was in the starting lineup for the 115th time as a Falcon.
BG completed cross-divisional play with a win at Northern Illinois, as Mann and Achter combined for 45 points. Mann's 16 rebounds were 10 more than any other player on either team.
No. 16/18 BGSU 86, Ball State 76
No. 17/18Â BGSU 85, Northern Illinois 76
BGSUÂ had been ranked as high as 16th in the nation prior to the Ball State game, but despite a win against a 17-3 team, the Falcons inexplicably dropped in both polls. After the win over NIU, the Brown and Orange took no prisoners in the next two games, dismantling Akron and Buffalo by a combined 86 points.
The Zips were the first victim. BG scored the first 13 points of the game, and all 10 players on the roster scored at least five points in a systematic deconstruction of the opponents from Northeast Ohio. With the win, BGSUÂ clinched a tie for the East Division crown with four games to go.
The Falcons then headed to Western New York and clinched the East Division title outright. BG scored early and often in a lopsided win over Buffalo. Senior Megan Thorburn had a game-high 22 points, and the Falcons had won back-to-back games by over 40 points for the first time in program history.
No. 17/18Â BGSU 91, Akron 46
No. 17/18 BGSU 85, Buffalo 44
The Brown and Orange headed to Kent, looking to clinch the MAC's best overall regular-season record for the third consecutive season. Mission accomplished, as Flynn and the Falcons flew past the Flashes. The 23-point win marked KSU's worst home loss in over 16 years. Flynn was perfect from the field, going 8-for-8 on the way to a career-high 21 points.
On Feb. 24, Ohio became the first visiting team to win in Anderson Arena in over two years, with a 70-67 victory over the Falcons. The loss ended numerous BGSUÂ streaks, and put a damper on an impressive achievement by Achter. The point guard became the 22nd player in school history to reach the 1,000-point mark, and only the eighth to do so prior to her senior season.
The loss to the Bobcats snapped a number of lengthy BGSU streaks, including...
* An 18-game overall winning streak (since a Dec. 19 loss to No. 1-ranked Duke);
* a 39-game win streak against MAC opponents -- a school and conference record; and
* a 29-game winning streak at Anderson Arena; the longest streak in the nation entering the Ohio game.
No. 16/18 BGSU 89, Kent State 66
Ohio 70, No. 16/18 BGSU 67
Would the Falcons bounce back after the loss to the Bobcats? Yes. Yes they would.
On Senior Night at Anderson Arena, BGSUÂ shot 68% in the second half and downed Miami by 30 points. The Falcons' five active seniors combined for 73 of BG's 92 points in the win, with Horne and Mann scoring 23 and 22, respectively.
BG led by just four points at the half, but the Falcons scored six second-half points before the RedHawks were able to even take a shot. Mann scored in double digits for the 97th time in her storied career.
No. 18/19Â BGSU 92, Miami 62
The Falcons, as the top seed in the East, prepared for the MAC Tournament, where BGSU would face either Toledo or Buffalo in the quarterfinal round. Would BGSUÂ beat the Rockets and/or the Bulls on the way to a third consecutive conference tourney crown? (Spoiler alert: Yes.)
Would the Falcons then pick up dramatic wins over both Oklahoma State and Vanderbilt in the NCAA Championships? (Another spoiler upcoming: Yes.)
THE 2006-07 FALCONS
SENIORS (6)
Amber Flynn
Julie Gompers
Liz Honegger
Carin Horne
Ali Mann
Megan Thorburn
JUNIORS (2)
Kate Achter
Whitney Taylor
SOPHOMORES (1)
Lindsey Goldsberry
FRESHMEN (3)
Tara Breske
Laura Bugher
Sarah Clapper
STAFF
Curt Miller, Head Coach
Jennifer Roos, Associate Head Coach
Brandi Poole, Assistant Coach
Kevin Eckert, Assistant Coach
Heather Grine, Trainer
Amanda Gibson, Student Manager
Randall Clark, Student Manager
ALUMNAE DAY / 2006-07 TEAM RECOGNITION
The current edition of the Falcons will face Miami on Sat., Feb. 3, with tipoff set for 1:00 p.m. The Sweet Sixteen team will be recognized as part of BGSU Women's Basketball Alumnae Day festivities on that date. Ticket information follows.
General Ticketing Information
>> Will Call: Located at the Main Ticket Office (Entrance by the Falcon Statue)
>> Parking: Gameday Parking $5
>> Buy Tickets Today: CLICK HERE
(Note: Ticket prices increase by $2 on gameday)
More information on Alumnae Day and the 'Sweet Sixteen' Team recognition will be available right here at BGSUFalcons.com as the event date draws closer.
SWEET SIXTEEN TEAM RECOGNITION STORIES
Jan. 4 - Sweet Sixteen Team Recognition set for Feb. 3
Jan. 11 - Falcons Shatter School, MAC Win Records
Jan. 19 - BGSUÂ Rolls Along During Non-Conference Play