Bowling Green State University Athletics
Back To The MAC, Falcons Visit Ball State
February 24, 2003 | Men's Basketball
Feb. 24, 2003
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Bowling Green (10-13, 6-8) at Ball State (12-13, 7-7) 7 p.m., Wednesday, February 26 Worthen Arena (11,500) Series Record: BGSU leads 33-28 Last Meeting: at BGSU 61, BSU 57 (1/7/03) Radio: WBVI-FM (96.7)/WLQR-AM (1470) Internet: bgsufalcons.com/wbvi.com
BACK TO THE MAC
The Bowling Green State University men's basketball team, 10-13 overall and 6-8 in the MAC, will return to action in league play after a 10-day break from the league race and a trip to Illinois-Chicago to play in the inaugural ESPN Bracket Buster. The game at Ball State will be the Falcons final road game of the season as they end league play with three straight home games (Miami, Eastern Michigan and Toledo.). Since Bowling Green and Ball State last met, the Falcons have played eight of its last 12 games on the road, while the Cardinals, 12-13 and 7-7 in the MAC, have played seven home league games in that same stretch, winning their last five at Worthen Arena.
THE SERIES
The Falcons have won the last two meetings in a series which began during the 1965-66 season and hold a 33-28 all-time advantage. BGSU won the previous meeting this season, a 61-57 triumph on January 7 in Bowling Green. In that game, junior Kevin Netter scored 17 points and freshman Ron Lewis added 14 for the Falcons, while Chris Williams led BSU with 26 points. The Falcons will be looking for their first win in Muncie since the 1993-94 season (7 games).
MATTOX IS THIRD STARTER TO SUFFER SEASON-ENDING INJURY
BGSU lost all five starters from last year and currently has a roster of seven scholarship players, two football players and one other walk-on. With sophomore Germain Fitch (knee) and junior Josh Almanson (ankle) out for the season after surgery, the Falcons replaced them with two players from the football team, wide receiver Cole Magner and defensive back Keon Newson. This week, junior point guard Jabari Mattox suffered a torn ACL in his right knee and will undergo season-ending knee surgery today.
COMING OUT OF THE BRACKET BUSTER
With the season-ending injury to Mattox, BGSU effectively started the season again when it played in the ESPN Bracket Buster against Illinois-Chicago. Despite the 83-72 loss, BGSU did come away with several positives. Without a true primary point guard, the Falcons distributed a season-high 19 assists. Junior John Reimold made his final five three-point field goal attempts. Freshman Raheem Moss had a career-high 11 points, made all four of his field goal attempts and added six rebounds. Freshman Ron Lewis (6) and senior Cory Ryan (5) established career-bests for assists.
