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Bowling Green State University Athletics
Men's Basketball Travels To Western Michigan
January 29, 2002 | Men's Basketball
Jan. 29, 2002
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Bowling Green (14-4, 4-3) at Western Michigan (10-9, 3-5) 7 p.m., Wednesday, January 30 University Arena (5,800) Series Record: BGSU leads 64-32 Last Meeting: at BGSU 74, WMU 68 (3-5-01) Radio: WBVI-FM (96.7) Internet: bgsufalcons.com
TOUGH STRETCH AHEAD FOR THE FALCONS
Wednesday's game at Western Michigan begins a stretch for BGSU which will see them play four games in seven days. Following the game with the Broncos, BGSU will host Miami (February 2), visit Kent State (February 4) and host Ohio (February 6).
ANYBODY CAN BEAT ANYBODY
Overall this season, five of the East schools (BGSU, Kent State, Ohio, Miami, Buffalo) boast .500 or better records, while the West side has two teams at .500 or above (Ball State, Toledo). Over the last three-plus years, BGSU has the league's second best winning percentage in MAC games (40-21, 65.6%).
THE FALCONS AND THE BRONCOS
This will be the 97th meeting between the two schools with BGSU holding a 64-32 advantage. Last year, BGSU claimed two hard-fought triumphs over the Broncos at Anderson Arena. The Falcons won the first meeting, 77-61, and the second contest, 74-68, in the first round of the 2001 MAC Tournament. In the second meeting, BGSU rallied from a 14-point halftime deficit.
IN KALAMAZOO
Since the 1994-95 season, Western Michigan has won four of the five meetings in Kalamazoo. In the Falcons last trip to Western, the hosts captured a 91-82 victory in 2000. The last Falcon win in Kalamazoo came in 1997 when BGSU took home a 71-69 decision.
HOT AGAINST OHIO The Broncos tied a MAC record by hitting 17 three-point field goal attempts in a 95-65 victory over Ohio. BGSU (1989 vs. Siena), Ohio (2000 vs. Central Michigan) and Marshall (1999 vs. Western Michigan) also share in that record.
NCAA LEADERS
Senior Keith McLeod is sixth in the nation in scoring (23.5) and Brandon Pardon is 15th in the country in assists (6.3).
THE FALCONS UNDER DAN DAKICH
Coach Dakich is 79-52 and is second in BGSU men's basketball history in winning percentage (60.3) 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 (59.5) 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 also 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 58-28 (67.4). BGSU won the 2000 MAC regular season title and was invited to the NIT that same year.
FALCONS AT ANDERSON ARENA
Since the 1998-99 season, the Falcons have a 41-7 record in "The House That Roars", Anderson Arena, including a 24-5 ledger against the MAC.
KEITH MCLEOD ENJOYS THE ROAD
Senior All-American candidate Keith McLeod has been explosive on the road averaging 28.9 points per game with six games of 30 points or more. He had 30 points at Akron on Wednesday night and had a career-best 11 field goals in a game for the third straight road game. Against Buffalo, McLeod scored a career-high 42 points in leading the Falcons to an 85-73 road win. For his efforts, he was named MAC East Division Player of the Week for the third time this season. At Ball State, he had 36 points and a career-high eight rebounds.
LEADERS OF THE MAC
Last season, McLeod (19.4) and teammate Len Matela (14.8) formed the top scoring duo in MAC games averaging 34.2 points per game. This year the duo is averaging a combined 44.7 points per game in league games, the highest of any teammates in the conference. McLeod is averaging 25.1 points, while Matela is contributing 19.6 points per game through six contests.
DOUBLE-DOUBLE
Senior Len Matela has had four double-double's in the last five games, including a 19-point, 12-rebound effort against Kent State. He is averaging 19.6 points and 9.9 rebounds in league play.
MOVING UP THE BGSU CHARTS
With 19 points against Kent State, McLeod moved within four points of Colin Irish who scored 1,567 points and is in seventh place on the BGSU all-time scoring list with 1,563 points. With 19 points against KSU, Matela is now tied for 17th with Keith Taylor with 1,283 points. With his 12 rebounds, Matela moved past Al Dixon into sixth place on the BGSU all-time list with 776 boards.
PARDON WITH THE ASSIST
Senior Brandon Pardon leads the conference in assists (6.39) and is looking to become the third Falcon to lead the MAC in that category in consecutive years. Last year, Pardon finished fourth in the country averaging 7.0 assists. He had his 11th career double-digit assist game with 11 against Akron. Antonio Daniels (1996 and 1997) and David Greer (1981, 1982, and 1983) also led the MAC in dishes for more than one season. Pardon is third on the BGSU all-time assist list with 431. Greer is BGSU's all-time leader with 768, while Daniels is second at 563. Pardon is perhaps the most underrated player in the MAC. He averages 35.4 minutes per game and leads the MAC in assist/turnover ratio with 115 assists and just 53 turnovers. He dished out a career-high 14 assists against Northern Illinois and had the sixth double-double of his career with 10 points. The Falcons are 21-5 in his career and 7-1 this year when he hits two or more three-point baskets. Since Pardon joined the Falcons midway through his sophomore year, BGSU has gone 43-25 (63.2). Against Kent State, Pardon saw 40 minutes of action for the 10th time in his career.
