Bowling Green State University Athletics
Falcons Take on Illinois-Chicago on ESPN2
February 19, 2003 | Men's Basketball
Feb. 19, 2003
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ESPN BRACKET BUSTER Bowling Green (10-12) at Illinois-Chicago (16-7) 5 p.m. (EST), Saturday, February 22 UIC Pavilion (8,000) Series Record: Tied 1-1 Last Meeting: at BGSU 89, UIC 54 (11/28/98) Radio: WBVI-FM (96.7)/WLQR-AM (1470) Internet: bgsufalcons.com/wbvi.com TV: ESPN2 Dave Revsine, Play-by-play Bob Wenzel, Color
FALCONS READY FOR NATIONAL SPOTLIGHT
The Bowling Green State University men's basketball team, 10-12 overall and 6-8 in the MAC, will make its first regular season national television appearance since 1995 when it travels to Horizon League member Illinois-Chicago for the inaugural ESPN Bracket Buster Saturday. UIC is 16-7 overall and 9-4 in their league. The Falcons last played on ESPN2 in 1995 when it hosted Ohio. The Falcons did play on national television last year (ESPN) when it played in the MAC Tournament Championship game.
THE SERIES
This will be the third meeting in a series which began in 1997. Both teams own home victories with the Flames taking an 80-50 win in Chicago in 1997, while the Falcons prevailed 89-54 in Bowling Green in 1998.
WHY BOWLING GREEN?
As much as any school, the BGSU Falcons could serve as the poster child for the mid-major team that has been left on the outside looking in when it comes to invitations doled out by the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee. In 1999-2000, the Falcons captured the regular season MAC Championship but were upset in the MAC Tournament by Miami (Ohio) and did not receive an at-large selection despite a 22-7 record. Last year, BGSU posted wins over Mississippi, Michigan, UNC Wilmington, Indiana State and Ball State but found that its 24-8 record and a spot in the MAC Tournament Championship were not enough to overcome the prejudice of some from three hard-fought losses to a Kent State team which advanced to the Elite Eight. Since the 1998-99 season, the Falcons have the second best record in conference games (54-32) among the 13 MAC institutions.
