Bowling Green State University Athletics
Falcons Take On UW-Green Bay
December 30, 2006 | Men's Basketball
Dec. 30, 2006
Oneida Casino Holiday Classic December 30, 8:30 p.m. (Eastern) Championship Game: Bowling Green (9-3) at UW-Green Bay (7-6) Resch Center (9,705) Series Record: UWGB leads 3-1 Radio: BGSU Radio Network (Todd Walker) Internet Video: Horizonleague.org Up Next: Buffalo at BGSU, January 7, 2 p.m.
WATCH THE GAME
BGSU fans who can not attend this Saturday's men's basketball game featuring the Falcons at UWGB at 8:30 p.m., may view the game free via the internet.
The game may be accessed on the Horizon League website at www.horizonleague.org.
To view the game click here.
FALCONS AND PHOENIX MEET FOR CLASSIC TITLE
The BGSU men's basketball team will take on host UW-Green Bay for the championship of the Oneida Casino Holiday Classic. BGSU has won eight of nine and five straight and has defeated Michigan Tech, 58-46, and Jacksonville State, 77-69. The Phoenix are 6-0 at home this season and topped JSU, 90-67, and Michigan Tech, 62-50.
CHAMPIONSHIP EXPERIENCE
The Falcons will be playing in their first tournament championship game since advancing to the MAC Postseason Tournament and will be looking for their first in-season tournament title since winning the Nextell Challenge in Hawaii in November of 1999. BGSU has won the last two matchups against the host team in a tournament it has played in. BGSU won at Virginia Tech, 72-71, in the 2005 NABC Classic and won at Hawaii, 53-49, in the 1999 Nextell Challenge.
BGSU VS. UWGB
1998-99 (L, 64-58 at UWGB); 1997-98 (W, 65-51, at BGSU); 1994-95 (L, 69-62, at UWGB); 1993-94 (L, 52-49, at BGSU)
FALCONS FARE WELL IN HORIZON VENUES
Including the two neutral court wins this week in the Resch Center, BGSU has won five straight games in a Horizon League facility. BGSU won on the road at Detroit and Youngstown State in 2004 and won at Wright State two weeks ago.
DAKICH HAS 2ND BEST WINNING PCT. AT BGSU, NOW 10TH ALL-TIME IN WINS BY A MAC COACH
BGSU Coach Dan Dakich is in his 10th season with the Falcons and was the second fastest men's basketball coach in school history to win 100 games. He is 152-125 (55.0) overall (second-best in BGSU history) and is 86-76 (53.0) in the MAC. With the win against Jacksonville State, he surpassed Bob Donewald to move into 10th place in overall victories by a MAC coach. He ranks 12th all-time in MAC history in league wins. BGSU is 35-7 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 notched those in his first eight seasons after BGSU had posted just four 18+win seasons in the previous 14 seasons prior to his arrival. Since the 2001 season, BGSU is 32-3 when allowing 60 points or less, including 4-0 this season. With the defensive stop on the last play of the game at Marshall, BGSU is now 28-5 since the 2001-02 season when holding a one possession lead in the final minute of a game.
MOTEN'S 18 POINTS OFF THE BENCH FUELS FALCONS OVER JACKSONVILLE STATE
Sophomore Brian Moten scored a career-high 18 points, all in the second half, to spark BGSU to a 77-69 victory over Jacksonville State in the second round of the Oneida Casino Holiday Classic in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Moten erupted and hit six of seven field goal attempts. two of three from long distance, and four of five free throws. All were career highs for the Saginaw, Michigan native.
ABOUT THE PHOENIX
UWGB is led by senior guard Ryan Evanochko who is averaging 16.7 points per game and sophomore post player Mike Schachtner who is averaging 13.0 points. They defeated Central Michigan 89-71 earlier this season. Green Bay native Todd Kowalczyk is in his fifth year with the Phoenix. They were 15-16 a season ago and tied for third in the Horizon League last season.
FALCONS WILL RETURN HOME RIGHT AFTER THE GAME
After having their flight cancelled on Tuesday, the Falcons were able to charter a bus which brought them from Detroit to Green Bay. Rather than take a chance their flight would be cancelled again, the Falcons have decided to return home to Bowling Green via chartered bus Saturday evening after the game. They hope to arrive back home by 7 a.m. or so on
Sunday morning.
BENCH PRESS
One of the strengths of this Falcon squad is its versatility and depth. That was evident as the Falcons topped Wright State 22-4 with their reserves. BGSU also outmarked Northern Colorado, 31-5, with its reserves. BGSU also outscored Michigan Tech, 18-0 off the bench in the first half. For the season, BGSU is outscoring opponents off the bench, 23.5 to 15.0. Junior Ryne Hamblet is averaging 12.4 points as a reserve and sophomore Dusan Radivojevic is contributing 10.0 points off the bench.
ODDS AND TRENDS
This will be the fifth time in six games that BGSU has played away from home. The Falcons are 4-1 on the road and on a neutral court...the Falcons have won seven games in a month for the first time since February of 2000 when Coach Dakich led BGSU to the MAC regular season title... BGSU is 4-0 this season in games decided by three points or less... BGSU is shooting 41.3% from three-point range in the last nine games... senior Martin Samarco is averaging 23 points per game in that time frame... junior Ryne Hamblet is shooting 52.7% from three-point range in those games as well... sophomore Nate Miller is averaging 8.3 of his 10.5 points in the second half... the Falcons have three run-off wins (buzzer beaters) in the last two seasons... Virginia Tech on the road and South Alabama and Troy at home... BGSU is 86-25 at home since the 1998-99 season... BGSU has played seven one-point games since the 2004-05 season and is 5-2 in those contests... BGSU is 32-3 since the 2001 season when holding an opponent under 60 points.
