Bowling Green State University Athletics
Men's Basketball Hosts Kent State
February 18, 2001 | Men's Basketball
Feb. 18, 2001
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Kent St. (18-7, 11-3) at BGSU (12-10, 8-5) 8 p.m., Tuesday, February 20 Anderson Arena (5,000) Series Record: BGSU leads 74-49 Last Meeting: at Kent State 81, BGSU 57 (1/27/01) Radio: WBVI (96.7) On the Web: www.bgsufalcons.com TV: Fox Sports Ohio
FALCONS READY FOR STRETCH RUN
The Falcons and junior Keith McLeod are playing their best basketball of the season. BGSU is in the midst of a six-game winning streak and McLeod, the league's second leading scorer in MAC play (19.1 ppg.), needs six points to become the 31st player in Falcon history to score 1,000 points. For the first time in his career, McLeod has scored 20 points or more in a game in four straight contests.
FALCONS IN FEBRUARY
Since 1999, the Falcons have posted a 19-3 record in the month of February.
DEFENSIVE EFFORT
After allowing an average of 81 points per game the first 14 games of the season, the Falcons have allowed just 59.7 points per game in the last five outings (a 21.3 ppg. swing). BGSU allowed a season-low 45 points at Eastern Michigan which equals their best defensive effort in MAC play (1993 at WMU, 1990 at Ball State) since 1987 (3pt./shot clock era).
TURN IT AROUND
In an effort to snap a four-game losing streak, Coach Dan Dakich had his players and staff turn their clothes around at practice and the Falcons have responded with a six-game win streak. Dakich enters the arena before each game with his sport coat on backwards.
SERIES HISTORY
This will be the 124th meeting in a series which began during the 1916-17 season. The Falcons have a 74-49 advantage. Kent State was the last team to defeat BGSU, 81-57 in Kent. The Falcons won last year's meeting in Anderson Arena, 71-61 and have won six straight in BG dating back to 1994.
STREAK FACTS
BGSU has won four straight MAC games by 10 points or more for the first time since 1964.
The Falcons are holding opponents to 59.7 points per game on 40.4 percent shooting from the field.
Falcon opponents have hit just 23 of their last 98 three-point field goal attempts (23.5).
BGSU has made 77.5 percent (100/129) of its free throw attempts.
The Falcons are outrebounding their opponents 34.0 to 31.5.
Junior Keith McLeod is averaging 21 points, 2.7 steals, and has hit 50 of 58 free throws (86.2).
Junior Len Matela is averaging 17.7 points and 8.3 rebounds. He also has made 28 of 34 free throws.
Senior Trent Jackson is averaging 8.8 points and sophomore Cory Ryan 8.0 points.
Junior Brandon Pardon has dished an average of 8.0 assists per game.
Pardon and Ryan have combined to hit 18 of 38 three-point field goal attempts (47.4).
Junior Brent Klassen is averaging seven points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.2 blocks
Four of the team's lowest point totals allowed have come during this streak and four of the last six opponents have failed to shoot above 38.6 percent from the floor.
MCLEOD AND MATELA
The junior duo of Keith McLeod and Len Matela have begun to assert themselves as possible All-MAC performers during this recent stretch of success for the Falcons.
McLeod is the second leading scorer during the conference season. He ranks among conference games only leaders in scoring, field goal percentage (13th), free throw percentage (5th), assists (12th) and steals (2nd). McLeod, an 81.0 percent marksman from the free throw line, has made more free throws (98) than any other MAC player has attempted in MAC action. He has made 98 of 117 attempts (83.8) in 13 league games. He has scored 20 points or more in four consecutive games for the first time in his career. His 28 points at Ohio was the best scoring effort for a Falcon this season and his best-ever against a conference foe. A clutch player, he made three free throws in the final 30 seconds against Miami to give BGSU a road overtime win.
Matela tied his season best with 25 points against Marshall. He earned MAC East Division Player of the Week, February 4, after averaging 17 points and 9 rebounds that week. He grabbed an offensive board and canned two free throws with eight seconds remaining in regulation to force overtime at Miami. In addition, his hustle under the basket allowed BGSU to maintain possession with a one-point lead with 16 seconds remaining in overtime. Matela followed up his award winning performance with 19 points and 15 rebounds against Ohio. He also had 17 points against Buffalo.
CAREER NOTES
Junior Len Matela is third on the BGSU all-time list in career field goal percentage (58.2). He leads active Falcon players in career starts with 55.
Junior Keith McLeod is second on the BGSU all-time list in career three-point field goal percentage (39.5). He has averaged 31.2 minutes per game during his career.
Senior Trent Jackson has moved into sixth place on the all-time BGSU list in career field goal percentage (51.5).
Junior Brent Klassen had a career-high 13 points against Marshall. He also had a career-high four steals at Eastern Michigan. He has shot 50 percent from the floor during the team's winning streak and is contributing 6.8 points per game in that span.
BGSU WINNING MAC ROAD RECORDS
With the win at Eastern, the Falcons will have posted back-to-back winning seasons in the MAC. The Falcons were 5-4 a year ago and are currently 5-3 on the road this season. This marks the first time since 1962 and 1963 that BGSU would have had a winning MAC road record in consecutive seasons.
FREE THROWS
The Falcons have the best free throw percentage in the MAC and ranks among national leaders entering this week. BGSU is 10-3 over the last two seasons when they shoot 80 percent or better from the line.
PARDON THIS
Junior point guard Brandon Pardon has had three turnovers or less in a game nine times this season. He is averaging 36.8 minutes per game and has played every minute of a game four times this season, including three of the last five games.
2000-2001 TEAM NOTES
The Falcons established season-best defensive efforts against Eastern Michigan for fewest points (45) and field goal percentage defense (.333).
The Falcons had a season-low seven turnovers against Marshall. The 10 free throw attempts taken by Marshall was the fewest a BGSU opponent has taken this season.
The Falcons have posted its third six-game winning streak in the last two years. BGSU won its first six regular season games last year and its final six regular season games.
The Falcons have outrebounded their opponents in seven of the last eight games.
The Falcons have won four straight games by 10 points or more.
With the exception of the Kent State game, BGSU has led late in the second half in each of its MAC losses.
BGSU leads the MAC in scoring (78.5), free throw percentage (76.4), steals (8.1), and assists (15.6).
Since February of 1999, the Falcons have a 41-20 record (.672). In that time, BGSU is 14-6 in games decided by 10 points or less.
One of the top shooting teams in the country last season (4th, 49.2%) BGSU eclipsed the 50 percent shooting mark, 15 times last season and has done so on nine occasions this year. The Falcons have a 21-3 record in the last two years when they make at least half of their field goal attempts.
During the last eight games, BGSU has held opponents under 69 points on seven occasions.
