Bowling Green State University Athletics
Men's Basketball Visits Buffalo
January 10, 2002 | Men's Basketball
Jan. 10, 2002
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BGSU (12-1, 2-0) at Buffalo (8-6, 3-1) 7 p.m., Saturday, January 12 Alumni Arena (8,500) Series Record: BGSU leads 6-0 Last Year: at BGSU 90, UB 75, BGSU 70, at UB 52 Radio: WBVI-FM (96.7) Internet: bgsufalcons.com
FALCONS OFF TO BEST START UNDER DAN DAKICH
With its 91-61 win against Northern Illinois, the Bowling Green State University men's basketball team continued its best start in the five-year tenure of BGSU Coach Dan Dakich with an 12-1 record. BGSU has their longest winning streak (11) since the Falcons won 11 in a row in January-February, 1963. The best start to a season at BGSU was set by the 1943-44 squad which began the year 19-1.
THIS YEAR'S FALCON SQUAD IN RARE COMPANY
The 2001-2002 edition of the the BGSU men's basketball team has given the program its 12th winning streak of 10 games or better. A victory over UB would give the Falcons its longest winning streak in 58 years (12 games, 1943-44).
FALCONS ARE RATED FIRST IN MID-MAJOR POLL
BGSU is currently rated first in the collegeinsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 poll.
1. Bowling Green (12-1) 2. Gonzaga (13-2) 3. Butler (14-1) 4. Southern Illinois (12-2) 5. Western Kentucky (12-3)FALCONS FACE KEY MAC ROAD TEST AT BUFFALO
The Falcons will face perhaps the most most improved program in the country and definitely in the MAC when they visit Buffalo. The Bulls are coming off a 66-65 win at home over Kent State and their three MAC wins surpasses their two league victories of last season. The Falcons have won in each of their three trips to Alumni Arena and have captured eight of its last nine road games since last season.
FALCONS ARE 37th (RPI), 40th (COACHES), 40th (AP)
The Falcons are the 37th-highest rated team in the most recent NCAA I ratings percentage index (RPI), the highest ranking for any MAC program. For the sixth time this season, BGSU received votes in the ESPN Coaches Poll. The nine votes for the Falcons ranks them 40th this week. BGSU also received seven votes in the AP poll for the second straight week, and move to 40th from 42nd.
DAN DAKICH
Coach Dakich is 77-49 and is second in BGSU men's basketball history in winning percentage (61.1) and fifth in victories. In addition, he has seen seven of nine seniors earn their degrees and had five players sign professional contracts. Dakich has the highest conference winning percentage (60.8) among active MAC coaches and has guided the Falcons to three straight winning seasons in the league averaging 18 wins during the last three years. The Falcons have posted back-to-back winning seasons in the conference on the road for the first time since 1962 and 1963. Since February 1999, BGSU is 56-25 (69.1). BGSU won the 2000 MAC regular season title and was invited to the NIT that same year.
MAKING THE MOST OF THEIR OPPORTUNITIES
After two MAC games, BGSU is shooting 56.1 from the field and 54.1 from three-point range. The Falcons enter Saturday's game as the second-best shooting team in the MAC (50.1), and are ranked second in the nation in three-point field goal percentage (45.5). The Falcons also are the top free throw shooting team in the MAC making 75 percent of its charity tosses.
