Falcons to Host Cincinnati in the Bill Frack Challenge, Wed., at 7 p.m.

Wednesday, November 18

Bowling Green, Ohio

7:00 p.m.

Bowling Green State University

Cincinnati

Tickets

2016 Bill Frack Challenge - White Out story shot

Falcons to Host Cincinnati in the Bill Frack Challenge, Wed., at 7 p.m.

November 17, 2015 | Men's Basketball

By: by Kevin Davis, BGSU Assistant Director for Athletic Communications

GAMEDAY CENTRAL

STARTING FIVE
(1) The Falcons and Bearcats will meet for only the ninth time in the two teams' history and for the first time since Nov. 2007 in the second annual Bill Frack Challenge. Both teams enter the contest unbeaten thus far in the 2015-16 season with BGSU 1-0 and UC at 2-0 on the year.

(2) Both teams enter Wednesday night's contest shooting over 71 percent from the free throw line and have made more foul shots than their opponents have taken. BGSU has made 23 free throws, while its lone opponent on the year shot just 21. Cincinnati has knocked down 38 foul shots and have sent its two foes to the charity stripe only a combined 31 times.

(3) The battle on the backboard will be one to watch, as both teams are averaging over 42.0 rebounds per game and are out-rebounding their opponents on the season. BGSU hauled in 42 rebounds versus New Orleans and posted a +4.0 rebounding margin, while the Bearcats are averaging 43.5 boards per contest and have a rebounding margin of +18.0 on the young season.

(4) The Falcons and the Bearcats each have multiple players averaging double figures in scoring thus far this season. BGSU has four players averaging over 11.0 points per game in Rasheed Worrell (15.0), Wes Alcegaire (14.0), Antwon Lillard (13.0) and Zack Denny. UC has six players with a scoring average over 10 points per game in Octavius Ellis (13.5), Farad Cobb (13.0), Gary Clark (12.5), Coreontae DeBerry (12.0), Shaq Thomas (11.0) and Kevin Johnson (10.0).

(5) Bowling Green is 0-3 versus the Bearcats all-time at home in Bowling Green, Ohio with losses in 1971-72, 1974-75 and 1976-77.

(6th man) The 2015-16 is the Centennial Season for the BGSU men's basketball program, which began playing basketball in 1915-16.

SCOUTING THE BEARCATS OF CINCINNATI
The Bearcats are 2-0 on the young season with home wins over Western Carolina and Robert Morris last weekend. UC is averaging 101.5 points per game over its first two contests and are shooting at a stellar clip of 56.9 percent overall as a team. The Bearcats have six players averaging double digit figures this season and are sharing the ball well with an average of 25.5 assists per game. Cincy is shooting almost 50 percent from behind the three-point line on the year at 44.7 percent overall and are averaging 19 free throw attempts per contest. Defensively, UC is holding its opponents to 58.0 points on 33.3 percent shooting and only 26.9 percent shooting from behind the three-point line. UC head coach Mick Cronin's team has forced its opponents into 40 turnovers over the first two games, an average of 20.0 per contest which has fueled the Bearcats offense.

UC KNOCKING ON THE DOOR OF THE TOP-25
Cincinnati received votes in both the AP Top-25 Poll (72) and in the USA Today Coaches Top-25 Poll (45) this week.

FALCONS VERSUS CINCINNATI ALL-TIME SERIES
BGSU is 1-7 all-time versus Cincinnati in men's hoops action. The Bearcats won the first seven match ups between these two teams from 1970-90, with the 75-60 win over the Falcons in 1990 coming in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT). BGSU picked up its first win over UC on the hardwood on Nov. 11, 2007 with a 69-67 win in Cincinnati. This will be the first meeting between the two teams in eight years.

COACHING AT THEIR ALMA MATERS
Both head coaches in the BGSU versus UC match up are coaching at their respective alma maters. BG head coach Michael Huger is in his first year on the sidelines at his alma mater as he played for the Falcons from 1989-93 and graduated from Bowling Green in 1994. While completing his undergraduate degree at UC, the Bearcats' head coach Mick Cronin served as assistant varsity coach and head junior varsity coach at Woodward High School in Cincinnati. Cronin made the jump from high school to college coaching during the 1996-97 season joining former UC Coach Bob Huggins as video coordinator at UC. A year later, Cronin was elevated to an assistant coach for the Bearcats where he served until 2000-01 before returning as the head coach in 2006-07.

COACH'S CORNER
"We are looking forward to hosting the second annual Bill Frack Challenge in honor of such a great Falcon supporter. It was Mr. Frack's wish to host high level of opponents in the Stroh Center like they did in the days of Anderson Arena. To have a quality opponent such as Cincinnati coming to the Stroh Center for this special contest is a testament to how big of a game this is for our program and our entire athletics department. Cincinnati is a very explosive team that can score in bunches and likes to put a lot of defensive pressure on you for the full 40 minutes of play. We will have to be strong with the ball, rebound on both ends of the floor and defend well at all five positions on Wednesday night."

WHITE OUT FOR #PACK4FRACK
The BGSU athletics department will be hosting a "White Out" for Wednesday night's contest which is the second annual Bill Frack Challenge. The first 500 fans will receive commemorative Bill Frack bobble head. The first 1,000 fans will receive a white men's basketball Bill Frack Challenge t-shirt, while the first 4,000 fans in attendance will get a rally towel.

UP NEXT FOR THE FALCONS
The Falcons will hit the road for three games in three days at the Hilton Garden Inn FGCU Classic in Fort Myers, Fla. on Nov. 21-23. BGSU will take on North Dakota (Nov. 21, 4 p.m.), Youngstown State ( Nov. 22, 4 p.m.) and host Florida Gulf Coast (Nov. 23, 7 p.m.) over the three-day span.

A FALCON WIN WOULD MEAN ....
* Make BGSU 2-0 to start the season for the second straight year and only the second time since the 2003-04 season.
* Put first year head coach Michael Huger only the second coach in BGSU history to start his career off at 2-0 joining Chris Jans (2014-15) and John Weinert (1976-77).
* Give the Falcons a two-game winning streak over the Bearcats having defeated UC 69-67 in the two teams' last meeting back in 2007.
* Move the Falcons to 2-0 all-time in Bill Frack Challenge contests.

SECOND ANNUAL BILL FRACK CHALLENGE
The contest on Nov. 18 will be the second annual Bill Frack Challenge, named after BGSU supporter and Findlay native William Frack, who followed BGSU basketball for more than six decades and remained a devoted fan until his passing in the summer of 2014. The inaugural Bill Frack Challenge which took place on Saturday, Dec. 13, 2014, was a success both on and off the Bill Frack Court, as the Falcons defeated Cleveland State 67-57 in front of 2,045 fans in the Stroh Center.

LAST TIME OUT - BGSU 79, NEW ORLEANS 61 (NOV. 14)
In the Falcons' last contest, BGSU defeated New Orleans 79-61 on Saturday, Nov. 14, at the Stroh Center. BGSU used a 14-0 run four minutes into the first half of play to pull away and lead by as much as 24 late in the second half in the win. The Falcons had four players in double figures, led by Rasheed Worrell's 15 points, and shot 45.5 percent (25-of-55) from the field overall, including knocking down 12-of-24 shots (50 percent) in the second half. The Falcons made 23 free throws (23-of-32), which was two more free throws than the Privateers' had on the game (13-of-21).

TOTAL TEAM EFFORT
In BGSU's lone contest thus far this season, the Falcons used a team effort in a 79-61 home win over the UNO Privateers. BGSU had four players in double figures scoring - Rasheed Worrell - 15, Wes Alcegaire - 14, Antwon Lillard - 13, and Zack Denny - 11 - while a total of 10 different Falcons scored two points or more in the win.

MINUTES, MINUTES, EVERYONE GETS MINUTES!
A total of 12 players saw the court for the Falcons in BGSU's season opening win over New Orleans on Nov. 14. In fact, nine different players notched 14 minutes or more of playing time over the 40 minute contest.

#MAKEHISTORYNOW
Falcons' head coach Michael Huger recorded his first career win as a head coach in the 79-61 win over New Orleans in the season opener.

FALCONTASTIC DEBUTS
A number of Falcons had strong BGSU debuts in the season opener on Nov. 14. Head coach Michael Huger picked up the 79-61 win in his head coaching debut. Redshirt-freshman Rasheed Worrell had a team-high 15 points and seven rebounds in his Falcon debut, while junior transfer Wes Alcegaire finished with 14 points in his BGSU debut. Freshman Antwon Lillard added 13 points in his Falcon and intercollegiate debut.

GETTING TO THE CHARITY STRIPE
Bowling Green got to the free throw line 32 times in the win over New Orleans, knocking down 23 of those free throws and shooting 71.9 percent overall. Six different Falcons made multiple foul shots for the game. BGSU's 23 made free throws was two more free throws than the Privateers attempted for the entire game (13-of-21).

THAT 70'S STROH
BGSU is an impressive 20-1 at the Stroh Center when scoring 70 points or more in a contest. BGSU is 1-0 at the Stroh this season when scoring 70 points or more.

HOME SWEET STROH
BGSU has called the Stroh Center home since the 2011-12 season and has posted an overall record of 42-23 at the venue. The Falcons have won seven or more games at home every season since the Stroh's opening for the 2011-12 season and have recorded double digit home wins at the Stroh in three of the last four years. BGSU is off to a 1-0 start this season at home in the Stroh Center with its 79-61 win over New Orleans on Nov. 14.

STREAKING SINCE 1992-93 IN HOME OPENERS
With BGSU's home opening 79-61 win over New Orleans on Nov. 14, the Falcons have now won 24 straight home openers. The Falcons last dropped their home opener back in 1991-92 against Findlay, 68-79, when Coach Huger was a junior guard on the team.

SEASON OPENERS FOR THE FALCONS
The Falcons have fared well in season openers since starting basketball in 1915-16, as BGSU has posted a record of 74-27 in their 101 season openers. BGSU has won each of its last five season openers and seven of their last eight regular season opening contests with their 79-61 win over New Orleans on Nov. 14.

HISTORY IN HOME OPENERS
BGSU has been almost unbeatable in their home openers over the program's 100 year history. With their win over New Orleans in the home opener on Nov. 14, the Falcons have posted an overall record of 88-13 in home openers since tipping-off the inaugural season in 1915-16.

EXAMINING THE EXHIBITION WIN
With a new coach and a total of six new players taking the court when counting redshirt-freshman Rasheed Worrell, the Falcons were able to outscore the Notre Dame College Falcons 17-8 in the overtime period to come away with the 74-65 exhibition win. BGSU had 12 different Falcons step on the court for game action with 11 of those players getting into the scoring column. The Falcons got to the free throw line often, as BGSU shot 57 free throws overall. In fact, BGSU made more free throws (34) than NDC attempted (29) for the game. Three players scored in double figures led by freshman Antwon Lillard's 20 points, while junior guard Zack Denny registered a double-double of 12 points and 16 rebounds.

A FALCON NOW LEADING THE FALCONS
It seems fitting that a former Falcon would lead the program during its Centennial Season, as former BGSU standout and 1994 graduate Michael Huger returns to his alma-mater as the head coach in 2015-16. Huger, who returns to his alma mater where he was a standout player for the Falcons from 1989-93. While a player at BGSU, Huger helped the Falcons to a pair of NIT appearances. Tabbed the BGSU Team MVP in 1992-93, he earned all-conference honors in his final two seasons, and was a Naismith Award nominee and the runner-up for MAC Player of the Year his senior year.

SCORING OPPORTUNITIES ABOUND
Scoring opportunities will be abound in 2015-16, as the Falcons lost 64 percent of their scoring from last year's 2014-15 team that averaged 66.5 points per game overall, highlighted by the graduation of three of their top four scorers in Richaun Holmes, Jehvon Clarke and Anthony Henderson.

DENNY DIALING IN FROM LONG DISTANCE
Entering his junior season this year in 2015-16, guard Zack Denny has been lights out behind the three-point line over his first two years at BGSU. Denny, who made a team-high 50 three-pointers last season, enters the year ranked fifth on BGSU's career three-point field goal percentage list shooting at a clip of 40.2 percent overall. He is 53-for-132 overall from long range over his short Falcon career.

WATCH ME: BGSU ON ESPN3, BCSN AND THE TWC SPORTS CHANNEL
Every Falcons' home game over the 2015-16 season will broadcast live on ESPN3. A number of road contests will also be video steamed live over the ESPN3 network, while the Falcons will also appear locally on the Buckeye Cable Sports Network (BCSN) on Jan. 6 vs. Miami (Ohio) and Jan. 19 vs. Toledo. BGSU will also be on the TWC Sports Channel on Jan. 12 at Ohio and Mar. 1 at Kent State. A number of BGSU games could be chosen for TV by eight ESPN or the CBS Sports Network throughout the season as wildcard selections.

CAPTAINS NAMED FOR 2015-16
The Falcons have three team captains for the 2015-16 season in junior JD Tisdale, junior Wes Alcegaire and redshirt-sophomore Garrett Mayleben.

PICKED TO FINISH SIXTH IN THE MAC EAST IN PRESEASON POLL
With the loss of its top three scorers from last season in Richaun Holmes to the NBA, and both Jehvon Clarke and Anthony Henderson due to graduation, the Falcons were picked to finish sixth in the MAC East Division in the 2015-16 MAC Men's Basketball Preseason Poll, which was determined by a 23-member MAC News Media Panel. The Falcons garnered 42 points overall.

FALCONS INK TWO DURING EARLY SIGNING PERIOD
On Nov. 11, Bowling Green State University head men's basketball coach Michael Huger announced the signing of Dylan Frye (Pembroke Pines, Fla./Mater Academy) and Rodrick Caldwell (Dayton, Ohio/Wayne H.S.) to National Letters of Intent to continue both their academic and athletic careers at Bowling Green State University in 2016.