Bowling Green State University Athletics
Men's Basketball Hosts Akron On Sunday
January 12, 2007 | Men's Basketball
Jan. 12, 2007
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Akron (10-4, 1-1) at Bowling Green (10-5, 1-1) Sunday, January 14, 2 p.m. Anderson Arena (4,700) Series Record: BGSU leads 23-14 Radio: BGSU Radio Network (Todd Walker and Kirk Cowan) TV: BCSN-Delayed (Dave Horger and Fran Voll) Up Next: BGSU at Miami, January 17, 7:30 p.m.
FALCONS AND ZIPS MEET IN KEY MAC EAST CONTEST
Bowling Green and Akron will battle for the 38th time as both teams hope to keep pace atop the MAC East Standings. BGSU is 10-5 and 1-1 and is coming off a 67-49 loss at Ohio on Thursday. Akron is 10-4 and 1-1 and is the preseason division favorite. They defeated Miami at home, 54-52, on Thursday. When the two meet, it usually has taken last minute heroics to come out on top. Four of the last five games between the two teams since the end of the 2001-02 season have been decided by five points or less.
MARSCHALL BACK FROM BROKEN FOOT
Sophomore Erik Marschall should give the Falcons a boost inside. He played 12 minutes against Ohio and had two points, five rebounds (four offensive), and a blocked shot. He has been out since December 4 with a broken foot that he suffered in the first half against Arkansas State. He is averaging 10.4 points and 4.6 rebounds.
DAKICH HAS SECOND BEST WINNING PERCENTAGE 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 153-127 (54.8) overall (second-best in BGSU history) and is 87-77 (53.0) in the MAC. With the win against Jacksonville State, he surpassed Western Michigan's 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. 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 against Buffalo, BGSU is now 29-5 since the 2001-02 season when holding a one possession lead in the final minute of a game.
A former player at Indiana (1981-85), Dakich spent 11 seasons on the staff of the Hoosiers under the NCAA's all-time leader in victories, Coach Bob Knight. Dakich was an assistant coach for 262 of Knight's record setting 880+ collegiate wins.
DEFENSE HAS IMPROVED
A big reason for the early season success for BGSU has been the improved defensive effort of the Falcons. Last year, BGSU allowed 71.4 points per game on 45.7% shooting from the field. This year, BGSU leads the MAC in field goal percentage defense (38.8%) and is fourth in scoring defense allowing 64.2 points per game.
SAMARCO IS THE MAC'S TOP SCORER, 7TH IN THE NATION
BGSU senior Martin Samarco was named MAC East Player of the Week for the second time this season after his 43-point scoring outburst against Buffalo. He made a career-high 16 field goals and tied his career-best with seven three-point field goals. He is averaging 22.6 points per game. He was honored earlier this season (12/18) and has been chosen for the award four times in his career. He is the top returning scorer in the MAC after he finished second in the league averaging 18.9 points per game. He also is fourth all-time in three-point field goals made at BGSU with 143. He had a school record 100 last season.
GUERIN AND POLK EMERGING
BGSU sophomore walk-on Brian Guerin has tied his career-best with 29 minutes in each of the last two games. He is averaging 9.0 points and a MAC Games Only-best 6.0 assists in the last week. Overall, he has hit nine of 12 three-pointers this season. Freshman center Otis Polk played a career-high 18 minutes against Ohio. He had two points and two blocks after having a career-high three blocks against Buffalo. He is eighth in the league in blocked shots with 11.
ANOTHER EXPERIENCED MAC EAST SQUAD
The Zips have four starters and nine lettermen back from last year's team which finished 23-10 and advanced to the NIT. Senior All-District performer Romeo Travis is averaging 13.9 points and 5.2 rebounds. Junior Cedrick Middleton is averaging 9.6 points, junior Jeremiah Wood and senior Dru Joyce are contributing 9.3 points and junior Nick Dials is averaging 9.2 points.
