Bowling Green State University Athletics
Falcons Host Western Michigan
February 13, 2003 | Men's Basketball
Feb. 13, 2003
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W. Michigan (13-7, 5-6) at Bowling Green (10-11, 6-7) 2 p.m., Saturday, February 15 Anderson Arena (4,700) Series Record: BGSU leads 65-33 Last Meeting: at WMU 76, BGSU 58 (1/22/03) Radio: WBVI-FM (96.7)/WLQR-AM (1470) Internet: bgsufalcons.com/wbvi.com TV: Fox Sports Ohio
FALCONS CLOSE OUT MAC WITH FOUR OF FIVE AT HOME
The Bowling Green State University men's basketball team, 10-11 overall and 6-7 in the MAC, will begin a stretch today against Western Michigan, 13-7 and 5-6, which has the Falcons closing out the MAC season with four of five games at Anderson Arena. With four weeks remaining in the regular season, the Falcons have just one more conference road trip (Feb. 26 at Ball State). BGSU closes the MAC season with three straight home games (Miami, Eastern Michigan, Toledo).
THE SERIES
This will be the 99th meeting between the two teams with the Falcons holding a 65-33 edge in the series. This will be the first visit forWMU to Anderson Arena since the first round of the MAC Tournament in March, 2001. In that game, WMU built a 14-point halftime lead, before the Falcons rallied for a 74-68 victory. Earlier this season, the Broncos scored the first 14 points of the game enroute to a 76-58 win over BGSU on January 22 in Kalamazoo.
HOME COURT
As the conference races begin to heat up, it appears home court advantage is becoming more important. Since the week began (on Sunday), home teams have posted a 7-0 record. Entering Saturday, only four teams (BGSU, Northern Illinois, Kent State and Central Michigan) have notched three or more wins on the road. Incidentally, BGSU is the only team in the MAC to post road wins against both division leaders (Kent State and Northern Illinois). Six teams in the conference have one or fewer league wins this season.
RYAN, LEWIS ARE PLAYING A BIGGER ROLE
Two players to keep an eye on in the final weeks of the season are starting to step to the forefront. Senior Cory Ryan is the lone remaining member of the Falcons' 2000 MAC Championship team and has averaged 14.7 points in the last three games. He had a career-high 22 points at Toledo. Freshman Ron Lewis, who has started 17 games, has averaged 11.7 points and 8.0 rebounds per game in the last three games. Lewis had a MAC season-high 18 points at Marshall and had a career-best 12 rebounds against Kent State.
TOUGH AT HOME
Since the 1998-99 season, BGSU is 53-9 at home. The Falcons have posted 18 straight wins against non-league foes and have won 21 of its last 24 home games dating back to the end of the 2001 season.
DEFENSE IS STILL STRONG
In the last two games, BGSU has held Marshall and Toledo to a combined 36.8% shooting effort from the floor (39/106). This season, the Falcons have rallied from a 24-point deficit at Kent State, a 16-point disadvantage at Ohio and an 11-point deficit to Cleveland State, to post victories.
