Bowling Green State University Athletics
Men's Basketball Hosts Buffalo In MAC Opener
January 04, 2007 | Men's Basketball
Jan. 4, 2007
Complete Game Notes in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader
BUFFALO (8-5) AT BOWLING GREEN (9-4) January 7, 2 p.m. Anderson Arena (4,700) Series Record: BGSU leads 10-3 Radio: BGSU Radio Network (Todd Walker and Kirk Cowan) TV: BCSN (Dave Horger and Fran Voll) Up Next: Bowling Green at Ohio, January 11, 7 p.m.
FALCONS AND BULLS OPEN 2007 MAC SEASON
The BGSU men's basketball team, 9-4, will take on Buffalo, 8-5, in the 2007 MAC opener for both teams. BGSU has won eight of its last 10 games, but is coming off a 65-62 loss to host UW-Green Bay in the championship game of the Oneida Casino Holiday Classic. Buffalo has not played since December 23 when it defeated Siena, 69-64, at home. This is the first road game for the Bulls since December 6 when it played at Tulane.
MAC OPENERS
The Falcons are 7-2 in MAC openers under Dan Dakich and 8-1 in their first game at home in the league during his tenure. This will be the third time in four years that the two teams will square off in the first game of the conference season. In December of 2003, Buffalo won at home against the Falcons, 84-62, while in January of 2005, BGSU defeated the Bulls at home, 95-88.
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 152-126 (54.8) overall (second-best in BGSU history) and is 86-76 (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 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.
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 FUELED FALCON SUCCESS
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 (38.6%) and is third in scoring defense allowing 63.3 points per game (3rd in the MAC).
SAMARCO IS THE MAC'S TOP SCORER, 15TH IN THE NATION
BGSU senior Martin Samarco was MAC East Player of the Week (12/18) and is the top scorer in the MAC and 15th in the country averaging 21.1 points per game. He had 24 points and six assists against Marshall, including 16 points in the first half. He had 22 points, 17 in the second half, against UNC. He had 22 points, eight rebounds and five assists at Wright State. 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 134. He had a school record 100 last season.
MOTEN NAMED ALL-TOURNAMENT IN GREEN BAY
Sophomore Brian Moten was named to the All-Tournament team of the Oneida Casino Holiday Classic in Green Bay, Wisconsin. He had a career-high 18 points, all in the second half against Jacksonville State and added 16 against UWGB in the championship game. For the tournament, he shot 14 of 19 from the field (73.6%) and was five of seven from long distance (71.4%).
BULLS HAVE EXPERIENCE UP FRONT
Buffalo relies heavily on its experienced frontcourt. Senior All-MAC performer Yassin Idbihi leads the way averaging 14.7 points and 9.0 rebounds. He has missed the last three games though due to injury. Sophomore Eric Moore is averaging 12.8 points and senior forward Parnell Smith is averaging 12.3 points and 5.6 rebounds. Coach Reggie Witherspoon is 91-125 in his seventh year of guiding the Bulls.
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. Junior Ryne Hamblet is averaging 12.4 points as a reserve and sophomore Dusan Radivojevic is contributing 10.0 points off the bench. For the season, BGSU is outscoring opponents off the bench, 23.5 to 15.0.
ODDS AND TRENDS
The Falcons just concluded a stretch that saw BGSU play five of six away from home... Falcon starters have missed 15 1/2 games this season (Erik Marschall- 7/1/2 and Nate Miller-8)... the Falcons are 4-2 on the road and on a neutral court... in December, the Falcons 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... Akron (4), BGSU (2), and Buffalo (2) are the only MAC teams with two or more victories on an opponents home floor this season... BGSU is 4-1 this season in games decided by three points or less... senior Martin Samarco is averaging 23.4 points at home this season... sophomore Nate Miller is averaging 8.3 of his 10.2 points in the second half... sophomore Darryl Clements made four free throws in the final seconds in the 59-56 win on the road at Wright State... 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... junior Ryne Hamblet hit a runner for the win against USA, while Samarco hit an 18-footer from the near corner against Troy in those last second wins... Hamblet also hit a go-ahead three-pointer with 1:08 to go against WSU... freshmen centers Otis Polk and Marc Larson are a combined nine of 17 from the field in games BGSU has won... sophomore Brian Moten is shooting 54.9% from the field and sophomore Brian Guerin is hitting on 57.1% of his tries... freshman Ryan Sims is fourth on the team with 10 three-point field goals... sophomore Dusan Radivojevic has made eight of his last 21 three-pointers in the last four games... senior Matt Lefeld has made five of his last 10 shots in the last four games... freshman Brandon Bland does not have a turnover in 28 minutes of play... 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.
