Bowling Green State University Athletics
Falcons Host Canisius In Non-Conference Tilt Saturday
February 20, 2009 | Men's Basketball
Feb. 20, 2009
Game #26
Bowling Green (15-10) vs. Canisius (8-18)
ESPNU BracketBusters Series
Feb. 21, 2009 • Bowling Green, Ohio (Anderson Arena) • 2:00 p.m.
Radio: Falcon Radio Network • Todd Walker/Kirk Cowen
Television: BCSN • Greg Franke/Kevin Brechmacher
Complete Game Notes in PDF Format 
SETTING THE STAGE
• The Bowling Green men's basketball team steps outside of the Mid-American Conference for the first time since Jan. 3 to host Canisius Saturday in the ESPNU BracketBusters series. The Falcons have won seven of their last eight games and Canisius is the second consecutive opponent from Buffalo after BGSU defeated MAC leader Buffalo on the road Wednesday night.
• With a win, BG would clinch a winning record for the first time since 2004-05. The Falcons are 8-3 at home this year but have lost three of their last five in Anderson Arena. Canisius is 4-11 on the road.
• Bowling Green holds an 8-4 advantage in the all-time series with Canisius but the two teams have not faced each other since a 56-53 Falcon win Dec. 30, 1986 in Anderson Arena.
THE OPENING TIP (STORYLINES)
• Bowling Green has been successful in BracketBuster games, defeating Detroit on the road 81-65 a year ago and beating Morehead State 90-72 in 2006-07. The Falcons are 4-2 all-time in BracketBuster games.
• Senior Nate Miller is just 11 points shy of becoming the 37th player in program history to reach 1,000 points in his career. When he gets to that mark, he will also become just the fourth player in program history to record 1,000 career points, 500 career rebounds and 125 career steals (joining Anthony Stacey, David Jenkins, and Joe Moore).
• Junior Otis Polk had one block against Eastern Michigan to give him 116 for his career. He is now one shy of tying the program record and two away from breaking it. His 35 blocked shots so far this year rank as the ninth best single-season total in program history.
• Canisius sophomore Robert Goldsberry is the brother of current Bowling Green women's basketball player Lindsey Goldsberry. Robert has started six games this year for the Griffins and is averaging over 19 minutes per game.
SCOUTING CANISIUS
• Canisius is just 8-18 on the year and has struggled in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference play, going 3-13. The Griffins have played two MAC teams, losing at Akron by 10 and losing at home to Buffalo by five. Canisius enters the contest coming off of a 69-67 win over Loyola that snapped a six-game losing streak.
• Canisius has been a strong half-court defense team, holding opponents to just 39.6 percent shooting and only 30.6 percent from three-point range. But the Griffins are turning the ball over almost three times more per game than their opponents and are also being outrebounded. Teams have marched to the free-throw line against Canisius, averaging 25.7 attempts per game, a grand total of 167 more attempts than the Griffins have.
• Three players are scoring in double-figures for Canisius, led by Frank Turner at 15.5 points per game. Julius Coles is scoring 11.3 points and Greg Logins is at 11.0 points per game and 6.9 rebounds. Turner is a strong playmaker, handing out 103 assists on the year, but he has also turned the ball over 103 times this year. Elton Frazier and Tomas Vazquez-Simmons are intimidators in the paint and have combined for 73 blocked shots on the year.
SCHEDULE CHANGES
• Bowling Green's home contest against Kent State has been moved to a 6:30 p.m. start to accomodate a Fox Sports Ohio television broadcast of the game.
• The Falcons' game at Akron on March 1 is now scheduled for a 12 p.m. start time for a Fox Sports Ohio television broadcast.
ROAD WARRIORS
Bowling Green has made an amazing transformation over the course of the 2008-09 season from a team that could not win on the road to one that has become tough to beat away from Anderson Arena. The Falcons have currently won five consecutive road games in Mid-American Conference play for the first time ever since joining the MAC for the 1953-54 season. Overall, the five straight road wins are the most since the 2001-02 team opened the season with five straight wins. BGSU will go for six consecutive road wins March 1 at Akron and that would be the longest road winning streak for the team since the 1948-49 season.
TRACKING FALCON MILESTONES
A number of BGSU players are closing in on career milestones or have recently reached them:
• Darryl Clements played in his 100th career game against Toledo. With classmate Brian Moten, the pair is the first Falcon teammates to have played in 100 games since Brent Klassen, Len Matela and Keith McLeod all reached the mark in the 2001-02 season. With four assists in that game, Clements reached 200 for his career and became the first Falcon with 500 career points, 250 career rebounds and 200 career assists since Steven Wright (2003-06). He had three steals against Buffalo to go over 100 for his career.
• Joe Jakubowski picked up his 50th career steal against Toledo and is 62 points shy of 500.
• Chris Knight picked up his 300th career rebound against Western Michigan and is 48 points shy of 500.
• Nate Miller went over 900 career points in the team's win over Ball State and currently sits at 989. With 12 rebounds against Central Michigan, he reached 500 for his career. He also moved into the top 10 in program history with five steals against Eastern Michigan, sliding in at No. 9. With two steals against Buffalo, he went over 40 for the season -- the third time in his career he has had that many.
• Brian Moten became the 10th player in program history to make 100 career three-pointers with the first of two against Northern Illinois. With his action against Eastern Michigan, he played in his 106th career game, the most since Cory Eyink played in 112 from 2001-05. Moten scored 22 points against Buffalo to go over 750 for his career.
• Otis Polk moved into a tie for second place in career blocks at Bowling Green against Eastern Michigan and currently sits at 116. He needs two more to break BGSU's all-time record of 117. He also reached 300 career rebounds against Western Michigan.
MILLER'S SURGE TO 1,000
As Nate Miller gets closer and closer to 1,000 career points, he keeps increasing his production. He has scored seven or more points in 15 straight games and has scored 15 or more in six of the past 10 contests. He had his 50th career double-digit scoring game against Ohio and went over 900 career points against Ball State, currently sitting at 989. If he reaches his season average of 12.3 points per game, he would become the 37th player in BG history to reach 1,000 career points in the game against Canisius.
BLOCK PARTY, HOSTED BY OTIS
Junior Otis Polk blocked two shots against Duquesne to become just the fifth player in program history with 100 career blocked shots and moved into a tie for second place with a block against Eastern Michigan. He is just one behind all-time leader Tom Hall, with 117 from 1989-92. This year alone, he has 35 blocks, ranking as the ninth highest total in program history. Cornelius Cash set the mark with 59 blocks in 1973-74.
THE TOURNEY LOOMS
With just five Mid-American Conference games remaining, Bowling Green is positioning itself for a run at the MAC Tournament. The top seed for the MAC Tourney will go to the division winner with the best record and the No. 2 seed will go to the other division winner. From there, seeds are determined based on conference record with no regard to divisions. The top four seeds all get a bye to the quarterfinals. Currently, the Falcons are tied with Akron, Kent State and Miami for the No. 3 seed, but would receive the No. 6 seed if the tournament were to start today based on tiebreak procedures. As the No. 6 seed, Bowling Green would face the No. 11 seed (currently Toledo) in the opening round for the right to play the No. 3 seed in the quarterfinals.
DEEP THINKING
Bowling Green's depth has been critical to success in 2008-09 and the Falcons' bench has contributed in a big way this year. BGSU's bench has scored in double-figures in 23 consecutive games, scoring at least 40 points twice (in wins over Wayne State and Buffalo). The Falcons are averaging 23.7 points per game from their bench this year, compared to just 16.9 points per game for opponents. The Bowling Green bench outscored its opponent in 15 consecutive games at one point this year and 19-of-25 contests overall.
QUADRUPLE THREAT
Bowling Green has four active players who have scored at least 500 points in their career, the most on a BG team at one time since the 2003-04 team also had four. Nate Miller, Brian Moten, Darryl Clements, and Erik Marschall have all scored 500 career points with Marschall reaching the mark against Northern Illinois. BG has two other players -- Chris Knight and Joe Jakubowski -- who have passed 400 career points. The last time Falcon fans watched four players with 500 career points all play in the same game came March 11, 2004 against Kent State when Ron Lewis, Kevin Netter, John Reimold, and Josh Almanson all saw action.
DEFENSE WINS
• Bowling Green has buckled down defensively in 2008-09, holding 19-of-25 opponents to less than 45 percent shooting, allowing less than 70 points 20 times. It is a critical stat because the Falcons are just 3-11 under head coach Louis Orr when an opponent shoots 45 percent or better. BG leads the MAC in blocked shots and ranks second in field goal percentage defense.
• Bowling Green is on pace to post a historically significant season defensively. The Falcons' .397 field goal percentage defense allowed is the best total since the 1963-64 team held opponents to a .390 clip for the year. As well, the team's 62.0 points per game allowed is the best average since the 1961-62 team allowed 61.4 points per contest.
• Bowling Green's defensive prowess has not been more apparent than in the Falcons' win over Detroit. The Titans scored just 38 points, the lowest point total for a BGSU opponent since an 87-37 Bowling Green win over Western Ontario on Feb. 1, 1964. As well, the Titans shot just 22.7 percent from the field and had just two assists. Both of those stats were the lowest BG opponent totals since game-by-game boxscores have been archived (1987-88 season).
RISING STOCK
Bowling Green's returners worked hard in the offseason to develop their games. That work has paid off in three visible areas -- scoring, rebounding, and free-throw percentage. The Falcons are averaging 1.4 points per game more than a year ago and are shooting .699 from the free-throw line, as opposed to .633 in 2007-08. Finally, BG was outrebounded by 2.6 boards per game last year, but has flipped that stat and is now outrebounding opponents by 2.2 in 2008-09.
PLAYING FROM BEHIND
Prior to the past eight games, BG had lost 32 consecutive games when it trailed with 10 minutes to play dating back to a win over Buffalo Jan. 7, 2007 when it was able to overcome a deficit. But twice in the past month, the Falcons have made up a deficit with 10 minutes left. Against Ohio, the Falcons won 52-51 despite trailing by one with 10 minutes left. As well, BGSU came back from a 46-41 deficit against Central Michigan with 10 minutes to play to pick up a 67-61 win.
MAKING THINGS INTERESTING
Bowling Green is 8-5 in games decided by seven points or less this year with numerous games coming down to the final few possessions. Three of the most exciting of those were a 77-76 overtime win over Georgia State, a 52-51 win on road in front of 10,988 fans over Ohio, and a 62-58 home win over Ball State. Darryl Clements and Brian Moten made three-pointers in the final 15 seconds of regulation to force overtime against Georgia State and Joe Jakubowski knocked down a 25-foot three-pointer as the buzzer sounded in the extra session for the win. Against Ohio, the Bobcats had three possessions in the final 15 seconds but missed three shots, including a blocked shot from Chris Knight with less than four seconds remaining. Clements scored the Falcons' final five points of that game, helping the team overcome a late 47-44 deficit. Knight came up with a critical block for the second game in a row against Ball State, swatting away a fastbreak lay-up late in a 62-58 win.
BLOCKING OUT
The Falcons lead the MAC in blocked shots this year, averaging 4.2 per game. BGSU's 3.6 blocks per game in conference competition also ranks as the best in the league. The team had a season-high 11 blocks at Illinois State and the team has recorded six blocks or more four times.
WE MUST PROTECT THIS HOUSE (THAT ROARS)
Anderson Arena has always been a difficult place for opponents and the Falcons are 8-3 at home in 2008-09, beating teams by an average of 7.7 points per game. BG is off to its best start at home since the 2004-05 team went 9-2 in its first 11 games in "The House That Roars" and finished 11-3. The Falcons are 445-179 (.713) all-time in Anderson Arena and 159-53 (.750) in the past 16 years.
THE TOP OF THE MAC
• A Bowling Green player has been named Mid-American Conference East Division Player of the Week three times this year. Sophomore Chris Knight won the award twice in a three-week stretch earlier this year and senior Nate Miller most recently won the award Feb. 9.
• Knight won the award after averaging 14.5 points and 6.5 rebounds per game in leading the Falcons to a pair of wins over Towson and Eastern Illinois.
• Knight was awarded again two weeks later after scoring 22 points, including 17 in the first half, in BGSU's 86-82 win over Buffalo in the team's MAC opener.
• Miller won the award after posting a pair of double-doubles in wins over Western Michigan and Central Michigan. He had 21 points, 13 rebounds, three assists, two steals and two blocked shots in the win over WMU and the added 10 points, 12 rebounds, six assists, two steals and two blocks against CMU.
JAKUBOWSKI AND LARSON HONORED FOR ACADEMICS
Junior center Marc Larson and sophomore point guard Joe Jakubowski were both named to the ESPN The Magazine CoSIDA Academic All-District Team. Among the eight University (NCAA Division I) all-district teams around the country, Bowling Green was one of only four schools to have more than one player listed. To be eligible for the award, athletes must have at least a 3.3 grade point average, be at least a sophomore and have been at their current school for at least a year. Both players will now be placed on the ballot for Academic All-American.
MILLER TABBED TO SOAR
Bowling Green senior Nate Miller was selected to the Preseason All-Mid-American Conference Team, by vote of the MAC News Media Association, as well as the league's 12 head men's basketball coaches. Miller was joined on the East preseason team by Akron's Nate Linhart, Kent State's Al Fisher, Miami's Michael Bramos, and Ohio's Jerome Tillman. A transfer from UNC Wilmington, Miller has 989 points in his BG career.
HITTIN' THE BOOKS
Sophomore point guard Joe Jakubowski was named the Mid-American Conference's Male Scholar Athlete of the Week Dec. 18. He had 13 points, nine rebounds and seven assists in the team's 58-38 win over Detroit and has maintained a 3.56 grade point average entering the fall semester. The MAC Scholar Athlete of the Week is presented to a male and female student-athlete who has a cumulative gpa of 3.0 or better and performed well during the previous week's competition.
CLEMENTS' CAREER WEEKEND
Senior guard Darryl Clements was named to the NABC Classic All-Tournament team after setting his new career scoring high not just one time, but twice during the season's opening weekend. Clements made a crucial three-pointer with 15 seconds remaining in regulation that helped pushed the season opener against Georgia State to overtime -- a game the Falcons eventually won. He then scored a career-high 19 points in the team's loss to Minnesota, before pumping home 22 in BGSU's win over Concordia St. Paul. He also led Bowling Green in assists, steals and field goal percentage during the weekend.
FRESH FACES
Head coach Louis Orr announced the signing of two players for the 2009-10 season during the early signing period. Luke Kraus, of Findlay, Ohio (Findlay HS), and Danny McElroy, of Cincinnati, Ohio (La Salle HS), will join the Falcons next year. Kraus is a two-time player of the year in the Greater Buckeye Conference and McElroy is a tenacious defender who averaged 14.2 points and seven rebounds per game as a junior. Those two will join transfers Darion Goins and Adrion Graves, both of which are sitting out the 2008-09 season due to transfer rules.
CATCH THE FALCONS
• Bowling Green's men's basketball games can be listened to through the Falcon Sports Radio Network with Todd Walker, the voice of the Falcons, handling the play-by-play duties. Former Bowling Green basketball player Kirk Cowan does the color commentary at all BGSU home games as well. Games can be heard in Bowling Green on WFRO 99.1 FM. As well, all games can be heard on WCSM 1350 AM/96.7 FM in Celina, WONW 1280 AM in Defiance, and WCWA 1230 AM in Toledo.
• BGSU men's basketball coach Louis Orr appears on the Falcons' Nest Coaches Show on select Monday evenings, hosted by Todd Walker. The show runs from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m., and is scheduled for live broadcast from Fricker's in Bowling Green (1720 E. Wooster Street).
• All game broadcasts and the Falcons Nest Coaches Show can also be heard via live stream on the official site of Falcon athletics, www.BGSUfalcons.com. Shortly after broadcasts are complete, an archived stream is available to listen to as well.
• BGSU men's basketball coach Louis Orr will talk live on 1470 WLQR "The Ticket" throughout the year. He is scheduled to be on host Norm Wamer's show Tuesday afternoons at 4:30 p.m. to discuss the season.
• Live statistics for all BGSU home men's basketball games are available on the web via Gametracker. Gametracker allows fans to view in-game stats as they occur, and may be accessed by going to www.BGSUFalcons.com. Falcon fans can utilize Gametracker for home events in numerous BGSU sports, including football, men's and women's basketball, hockey, men's and women's soccer, volleyball, baseball and softball.
