BGSU Men's Hoops Opens Up Three-Game Home Stand Versus Urbana on Sunday, Nov. 29

Sunday, November 29

Bowling Green, Ohio

2:00 p.m.

Bowling Green State University

Urbana

Tickets

Photo by: BGSU Strategic Communications

BGSU Men's Hoops Opens Up Three-Game Home Stand Versus Urbana on Sunday, Nov. 29

November 27, 2015 | Men's Basketball

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

GAMEDAY CENTRAL

STARTING FIVE
(1) BGSU enters Sunday afternoon's contest versus Urbana on a two-game winning streak having posted wins over Youngstown State, 79-72, on Nov. 22, and at FGCU, 82-77, on Nov. 23, at the 2015 Hilton Garden Inn FGCU Classic in Fort Myers, Fla.

(2) The Falcons are 3-0 this season when scoring 79 points or more. In fact, BGSU is 3-0 when recording a points total of 60 points on the game this season.

(3) In all three of the Falcons' wins this season, BGSU has had at least four players score in double figures for the contest. In the win over New Orleans in the season opener and in the road victory at FGCU, BGSU had four players in double digit points, while in the neutral site win in Florida over Youngstown State the Falcons had five players in double figures.

(4) Sunday's contest versus Urbana tips-off a three-game home stand for the Falcons, which is tied for the longest stretch of home contests for the Orange and Brown this season. After hosting Urbana on Nov. 29, BGSU will welcome UMBC to the Stroh Center on Wednesday, Dec. 2, and Drake three days later on Saturday, Dec. 5.

(5) The point guard duo of David "Pep" Joseph and Ismail "Ish" Ali have combined for 26 assists over the Falcons' five-games this year, which is an average of 5.2 assists per contest thus far this season for head coach Michael Huger's two floor generals.

(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 BLUE KNIGHTS OF URBANA
The Blue Knights of Urbana enter play this Thanksgiving weekend at 1-4 overall on the season and 0-2 in Mountain East Conference play. Urbana will host Davis and Elkins on Saturday, Nov. 28, at the Grimes Center before playing BGSU on Sunday, Nov. 29, which is what the Blue Knights are deeming an exhibition game. Urbana has dropped two straight conference contests with losses at Wheeling Jesuit and at home against West Liberty. Carlas Jackson has led the team in scoring in each of the last two games and leads the Blue Knights in scoring at 17.2 points per outing. Jahmere Howze has led the team in scoring in three other contests on the year and is second on the team in scoring at 16.8 points per game and first in rebounding at 5.2 boards per game. Urbana is allowing 93.2 points per game this season, while its opponents are shooting 52 percent from the floor overall.

FALCONS VERSUS URBANA ALL-TIME SERIES
The Falcons will face-off with Urbana for only the ninth time in the two program's history and for the first time since 2005 on Sunday afternoon at the Stroh Center. BGSU leads the overall series 6-2 and has won each of the last six contests between the two teams from 1998-2005. Urbana won the first two meetings between the two teams back in 1926. The Falcons are 6-1 all-time at home versus Urbana Blue Knights.

CONTEST PART OF THE 2015 HILTON GARDEN INN FGCU CLASSIC
BGSU's contest versus Urbana is part of the 2015 Hilton Garden Inn FGCU Classic multi-team tournament which the Falcons played North Dakota, Youngstown State and host FGCU on Nov. 21-23 in Fort Meyers, Fla. As part of the tournament, Youngstown State defeated Thiel on Wednesday, Nov. 25, while FGCU will host Ave Maria on Sunday at 5 p.m. and North Dakota will host Waldorf College on Dec. 1.

COACH'S CORNER
"I am proud of the way our team matured and began to play together over our three games in Florida. It was a tough challenge for us to go on the road and play competitive games on three consecutive days. After a couple of days off, we now have to get back to work and prepare for our upcoming slate of games this week. We will be ready to play Urbana on Sunday and are looking forward to being back in front of our home fans at the Stroh Center."

AUTOGRAPH DAY
The BGSU men's basketball team will host an autograph session in the concourse after the conclusion of the game on Sunday versus Urbana at 2 p.m. So make sure to stop by the Falcon Team Store to pick up an item to have signed by the Falcons!

UP NEXT FOR THE FALCONS
The Falcons will host University of Maryland-Baltimore County in non-conference play on Wednesday, Dec. 2, as the second game of a doubleheader with the women's basketball team. Opening tip-off is set for 8 p.m. ET or 30 minutes after the conclusion of the women's basketball contest.

A FALCON WIN WOULD MEAN ....
* The Falcons would improve to 4-2 overall on the season.
* Give BGSU a three-game winning streak, its longest of the season.
* Put the Falcons at 2-1 at home this season in the Stroh Center.
* BGSU would finish the month of November at 4-2 overall in Huger's first season.
* Bowling Green would improve to 7-2 all-time over Urbana.
* BGSU would extend their current winning streak to seven straight wins over Urbana.

LAST TIME OUT - BGSU 82, FGCU 77 (NOV. 23)
The BGSU Falcons scored a season-high 82 points to ground the Florida Gulf Coast University Eagles on Monday night, 82-77, on the final day of the 2015 Hilton Garden Inn FGCU Classic hosted by the Eagles at Alico Arena in Fort Myers, Fla. BGSU scored a season-high 82 points on a season-best 49.2 field goal percent (29-of-59) highlighted by Spencer Parker's 22 points and 10 rebounds, his second career double-double, and Zack Denny's 18 points and 11 rebounds, his second double-double over the last two games. The Falcons also controlled the paint, as BGSU out-rebounded the high-flying Eagles 40-28 and outscored FGCU 44-39 in points in the paint and 9-2 in second chance points.

SHARING THE WEALTH
The Falcons have shared the wealth in all three of their wins this season in terms of the scoring load. BGSU has had four players or more score in double figures in all three wins for the Falcons this season. BGSU had four players score in double digit points in the home win over New Orleans on Nov. 14 and in road win at FGCU on Nov. 23. The Falcons also had five different players score in double figures in the neutral site win over Youngstown State on Nov. 22 in Fort Myers, Fla.

DOUBLE-DOUBLE TROUBLE
The duo of Spencer Parker and Zack Denny have each tallied two double-doubles thus far on the young season for the Falcons. Parker registered 16 points and 12 rebounds versus North Dakota and a season-high 22 points and 10 boards in the win at FGCU. Denny has posted two straight double-doubles with 17 points and 11 rebounds in the win over YSU, followed by 18 points and 11 rebounds in the win over the FGCU Eagles.

79 - THE MAGIC NUMBER
The Falcons have reached 79 or more points in all three wins this season. BGSU had 79 points in the season opening win over New Orleans on Nov. 14 and then poured in 79 points again in the victory over Youngstown State in Florida on Nov. 22. Coach Huger's squad then surpassed the 79-point mark with 82 points in the road win at FGCU in Alico Arena on Nov. 23.

MINUTES, MINUTES, EVERYONE GETS MINUTES!
A total of nine players are averaging double digit minutes of playing time on the court thus far this season for the Falcons. In fact, nine different players notched 14 minutes or more of playing time over the 40 minute contest versus New Orleans (11/14), while nine different Falcons logged 13 minutes or more against Cincinnati (11/18). Nine different players also played 10 minutes or more versus North Dakota (11/21) and in the win over Youngstown State (11/22).

FALCONTASTIC DEBUTS
A number of Falcons have turned in strong BGSU debuts this year. Head coach Michael Huger picked up the 79-61 win versus New Orleans in his head coaching debut in the season opener. Redshirt-freshman Rasheed Worrell had a team-high 15 points and seven rebounds in his Falcon debut versus UNO, while junior transfer Wes Alcegaire finished with 14 points in his BGSU debut in the opener. Freshman Antwon Lillard added 13 points in his Falcon and intercollegiate debut on Nov. 14, while freshman Demajeo Wiggins finished with five points and five boards in 16 minutes of play in his debut against Cincinnati.

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 42-24 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 1-1 start this season at home in the Stroh with a win over New Orleans and a loss to Cincinnati.

3,411 TAKE PART IN THE SECOND ANNUAL BILL FRACK CHALLENGE
A total of 3,411 fans were in attendance at the second annual Bill Frack Challenge on Nov. 18 versus Cincinnati. The crowd is the fifth largest announced attendance to watch a BGSU men's basketball game inside the Stroh Center in the buildings five-year history.

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).

#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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.