Bowling Green State University Athletics
Falcons Host UNC Wilmington
December 07, 2001 | Men's Basketball
Dec. 7, 2001
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UNC WILMINGTON (3-3) AT BOWLING GREEN (6-1) 7 p.m., Monday, December 10 Anderson Arena (4,600) Series Record: UNCW leads 1-0. Last Meeting: at UNCW 91, BGSU 76 (11-27-00) Radio: WBVI-FM (96.7) Internet: bgsufalcons.com
FALCONS LOOK FOR HOME COURT ADVANTAGE
The Falcons will host UNC Wilmington of the Colonial Athletic Association and will be looking to avenge last year's 91-76 loss to the Seahawks in Wilmington. The Falcons will be looking to post their third home-court triumph over a team which handed them a road loss last season (Michigan, Marist). BGSU also has equaled the team's best start under Coach Dakich. The 1999-2000 squad also was 6-1 and went on to win a MAC championship and finish with a 22-8 ledger.
UNC WILMINGTON FAMILIAR WITH THE ROAD
The Seahawks will be playing their sixth road game of the season against the Falcons. In their last road contest, UNCW defeated Minnesota, 58-50. UNCW also lost at Ohio State, 80-54, and defeated Miami at home, 50-42. They will play Duquesne on Saturday.
FALCONS ARE EIGHTH IN THE RPI
The Falcons are the 8th highest rated team in the most recent NCAA I ratings percentage index (RPI). Following the win at Duquesne, BGSU has tied its best start under Dan Dakich with a 6-1 record.
BGSU will play its sixth top-100 team when it hosts UNC Wilmington. The only Division I team BGSU has faced that is not a top-100 program in the ratings is Michigan (165).
1 Arizona (6-1) 2 Duke (7-0) 3 Kansas (4-1) 4 Massachusetts (4-1) 5 Wake Forest (5-2) 6 Missouri (9-0) 7 Ball State (6-1) 8 Bowling Green (6-1) 9 Georgia (5-1) 10 Florida (5-1)
FALCONS GET ROAD WIN AT DUQUESNE
The Falcons won their road opener for the second time in three years. They won at Hawaii, 53-49 in 1999-2000.
In the last two games, the Falcon defense has held opponents to 6 of 21 shooting from three-point range (28.6).
In the last three games, BGSU is allowing just 59.6 points on 38.9 percent shooting (60-154).
The Falcons won for the second time this season after trailing at halftime (Michigan). BGSU won just three games all of last year in which they trailed at intermission.
KEITH MCLUTCH
Senior Keith McLeod is emerging as the most clutch performer in the MAC thus far. Against Duquesne, he scored 13 of the Falcons final 17 points and his jumper with 1:55 left and his two free throws with 2.8 seconds sealed the win. From the five minute mark until the end of a game, McLeod is averaging 6.3 points, shooting 64.2 from the field (9/14), 72.0 from the line (18/25), and has eight assists in the six games (excluding Defiance) that have gone down to the wire. McLeod earned All-Tournament honors for the Falcons at the Top of the World Classic. He averaged 23 points on 51.4 percent shooting from the floor and 50.0 percent from beyond three-point range. Despite being the second leading scorer in MAC play a year ago, McLeod was not chosen as a member of the Preseason All-MAC team. His 33 points (second-highest in TOTWC history) against Ole Miss was a career-high and his 27 free throw attempts set a BGSU and MAC record. His 20 free throws made was one shy of the BGSU mark of 21 established by Howard Komives in 1964. He had a team-high 28 points against Washington and made the go-ahead basket against Delaware. He was named a mid-major preseason All-American by collegeinsider.com.
McLeod is currently 5th in the league in scoring (20.3), second in assists (4.86), and fifth in steals (2.0) in the MAC.
BENCH PLAY
The inside trio of Josh Almanson (9 points, 7 boards, 3 blocks), Cory Eyink (4 points) and Kevin Netter (2 points) combined for 15 points and 7 rebounds and made all seven of their field goal attempts. With his perfect four-for-four performance from the field against Duquesne, Almanson now leads the MAC in field goal percentage (66.7).
SURE SHOT
Senior Brandon Pardon ignited a 25-8 second half run with three second-half three-pointers. He is currently shooting 56.7 from beyond three-point range (17 of 30). With his three-for-five effort from beyond the arc, the Falcons improved to 4-0 this season when he makes two or more three pointers and 17-4 during his career when he achieves that feat.
