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Bowling Green State University Athletics
Falcons Host South Alabama on Saturday
November 23, 2006 | Men's Basketball
Nov. 23, 2006
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South Alabama(4-1) at Bowling Green (1-2) Saturday, November 25, 2 P.M. Anderson Arena (4,500) Series Record: First Meeting Radio: BGSU Radio Network (Todd Walker and Kirk Cowan) TV: BCSN (Live-Dave Horger and Fran Voll) Up Next: BGSU hosts Troy, Saturday, December 2 at 2 p.m.
FALCONS HOST DEFENDING SUN BELT CHAMPIONS
The Bowling Green State University men's basketball team (1-2) will host defending Sun Belt Conference Tournament champion, South Alabama (4-1) at 2 p.m., Saturday, November 25 in Anderson Arena.
BGSU is coming off a tough 63-59 loss at home to Furman, while the Jaguars defeated West Florida, 91-71, on Wednesday night.
Last year, South Alabama won the Sun Belt West Division title and lost to eventual NCAA champion Florida, 76-50, in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. While, BGSU has never played South Alabama, this is a return game for BGSU playing last year in the Coors Classic in Mobile where the Falcons faced Florida State.
DEFENSE STANDS OUT
The Falcons are fourth in the MAC in scoring defense (59.7), third in field goal percentage defense (39.1%) and lead the league in steals (12.0). BGSU has two players among the top 10 in steals with junior guard Ryne Hamblet ranking third (2.67) and sophomore forward Dusan Radivojevic at sixth (2.33). Senior guard Martin Samarco is seventh in the league in defensive rebounds (4.67).
MORE MAC NUMBERS
Samarco is coming off a season-high 27 point performance against Furman and now ranks third in the league in scoring (19.3). he also is ninth in the league in three-point field goals made (2.0). Hamblet is fourth in the league in assists (5.3) and freshman guard Ryan Sims is fourth in the league in three-point field goal percentage (60.0).
COMEBACK POTENTIAL
The Falcons tied the score late in the game against Furman after trailing by 12 points in the second half against the Paladins. BGSU had a chance to send the game into overtime with eight seconds left, but Samarco was unable to complete a conventional three-point play which would have tied the game at 59-59. BGSU cut a 20-point deficit at Arkansas State to two points and whittled a late 10-point advantage by the Indians to three in Jonesboro.
FALCON FACTS
BGSU Coach Dan Dakich begins his 10th season with the Falcons and was the second fastest men's basketball coach in school history to win 100 games. He is 144-124 (53.7) overall and is 86-76 (53.0) in the MAC. He ranks 12th all-time in MAC history in wins and 13th in overall victories by a league coach. The Falcons are now 6-4 in season openers under Coach Dakich and 10-0 in home openers. BGSU is 31-6 at home against non-conference foes under Coach Dakich. His four 18+win seasons are tied for second most by a Falcon coach as he posted those in his first eight seasons after BGSU had posted just four 18+win seasons in the previous 14 seasons prior to his arrival.
SCOUTING THE JAGUARS
This will be just the second true road game for the Jaguars who fell in their only other road contest this season, 73-63 at Fresno State. USA is coached by former Kentucky standout John Pelphrey who is in his fourth year with a 64-56 record. He came to USA after serving as an assistant to Billy Donovan at Florida and Marshall. South Alabama has four players averaging in double figures. Junior Demetric Bennett leads the way averaging 15.6 points. Junior guard Daon Merritt is averaging 13.0 points per game, senior Carlos Smith is averaging 11.2 points and senior Leandra Buboltz is averaging 10.6 points and 5.6 rebounds. USA is riding a three-game winning streak entering Saturday's game.
