Men's Basketball to Open Up MAC Road Play at Ohio on Tuesday Night

Tuesday, January 12

Athens, Ohio

7:00 p.m.

Bowling Green State University

Ohio

Photo by: Bianca Garza, BGSU Marketing and Communications

Men's Basketball to Open Up MAC Road Play at Ohio on Tuesday Night

January 11, 2016 | Men's Basketball

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

GAMEDAY CENTRAL

STARTING FIVE
(1) SHOOTING FOR THE SAME THINGS: Both BGSU and Ohio will be shooting for the same things on Tuesday night, Jan. 12, in the Convo Center. Both teams will be looking to pick up their 11th win overall on the season, as well as their second MAC win on the young conference season to improve to 2-1 in league play.

(2) COMMON WINS: The BGSU Falcons and the Ohio Bobcats have each posted two wins apiece over two common foes thus far this season in FGCU and Cleveland State. BGSU defeated FGCU 82-77 on Nov. 23 and then upended Cleveland State 62-47 on Dec. 23, both on the road. Ohio held off FGCU 85-75 at home on Nov. 14 in the season opener and then won at Cleveland State 76-67 on Dec. 12.

(3) USING A MIX OF NEW AND OLD: Both the Falcons and the Bobcats are using a mix of both new players and returnees to help lead them thus far this season. Returners Zack Denny (13.3) and Spencer Parker (13.1) are leading the Falcons in scoring this season, while newcomers Wes Alcegaire (9.1), Rasheed Worrell (8.1) and Antwon Lillard (8.1) are helping out offensively as well. For Ohio, transfers Jaaron Simmons (15.3) and Kenny Kaminski (12.1) are both averaging double digit points per game, while veteran returnees Antonio Campbell (15.3) and Treg Setty (11.1) are also both averaging over 11 points per game this season to lead the Bobcats.

(4) LAST TIME AT THE CONVO HISTORY WAS MADE: The last time that BGSU and Ohio met in the Convocation Center last season on Feb. 24, 2015, the Falcons saw history made as then senior Richaun Holmes scored his 1,000th career point to become just the 42nd player in BGSU history to reach that career milestone.

(5) CENTENNIAL GAME SET FOR JAN. 23: As part of the Centennial Season, the Bowling Green State University men's basketball program will host the "Centennial Game" on Jan. 23 at 4 p.m. versus Kent State.

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

SCOUTING THE OHIO BOBCATS
Second in the MAC in scoring this season with an average of 79.3 points per game, Ohio enters play on Tuesday at 10-4 overall, 1-1 in MAC play and a perfect 8-0 at home this season. Led by five players, who are all averaging over 10 points per game this season, the Bobcats are first in the MAC in free throw percentage (77.7 percent) and second in the league in field goal percentage (46.8 percent). Ohio is also doing work on the defensive end this season, as the Bobcats are first in the MAC in blocks with an average of 4.4 per game and are out-rebounding their opponents this season by an average of 5.2 boards per contest. Both Jaaron Simmons and Antonio Campbell are leading the Bobcats with an average of 15.3 points per game, which ranks tied for seventh overall in the MAC on the season, while Campbell is second in the MAC in rebounding with an average of 9.1 boards per game. Campbell is also ranked fourth in the conference with a field goal percentage of 58.1 on the year, while Simmons leads the league with 104 total assists, an average of 7.4 per game.

ALL-TIME SERIES BETWEEN BGSU AND OHIO
The Falcons trail the Ohio Bobcats 75-63 in the all-time series in men's basketball action. BGSU has won three of the last four meetings over the Bobcats, including each of the last two meetings with its sweep over Ohio last season with a 69-54 home win on Jan. 10, 2015 and a 76-65 road win on Feb. 24, 2015. The Falcons are just 27-40 all-time versus the Bobcats in Athens, Ohio, but have won each of the last two meetings in the Convocation Center.

TALL ROAD TASK FOR THE FALCONS
Tuesday night's road task for the Falcons will be a challenging one, as Ohio is a perfect 8-0 at home this season in the Convocation Center. The Bobcats are averaging 79.4 points per game over their eight home games this season.

COACH'S CORNER
"We weren't pleased with our effort on Saturday in front of a terrific home crowd. Central Michigan played a great game and exposed some areas that need improvement. We have made our adjustments and will now go on the road to take on a talented Ohio squad. In order to walk away with a victory, it will be important for or guys to stick together and remained focused for a full 40 minutes."

UP NEXT FOR THE FALCONS
BGSU will remain on the road to face off with the Eastern Michigan Eagles on Saturday, Jan. 16, at 2 p.m. ET in Ypsilanti, Mich. The game will be broadcast live by Time Warner Cable Sports, BCSN and ESPN3.

A FALCON WIN WOULD ...
* Put the Falcons at 12-4 overall on the season for the second straight year.
* Mean that BGSU started the MAC season off at 2-1 for the second straight year.
* Place Bowling Green at 4-2 overall in true road contests this season.
* Hand the Falcons a 3-1 record for the month of January.
* Give BGSU a three-game winning streak over Ohio for the first time since 2009-10.
* Extend BGSU's current road game winning streak at two straight games.
* Give BGSU three straight victories at the Convocation Center in Athens, Ohio.
* Be the first MAC road win of the season for the Falcons in 2015-16.

LAST TIME OUT - CMU 79, BGSU 67 (JAN. 9)
The Falcons had two players in double figures and outscored Central Michigan 34-18 in points in the paint, however, it wasn't enough as the Chippewas drained 10 three-pointers, including going 7-of-11 from long range in the second half, to defeat BGSU 79-67 on Saturday afternoon in a cross-divisional Mid-American Conference contest inside the Stroh Center. The loss snaps BGSU's home winning streak at five games and puts the Falcons at 10-5 overall and 1-1 in MAC play. CMU, the 2014 defending MAC Champions and 2015-16 MAC preseason favorites, improved to 8-7 overall and 1-1 in the MAC with the win. Bowling Green was 24-of-57 (42.1 percent) from the field overall, but was just 5-of-14 (35.7 percent) from behind the three-point line and just 14-of-21 (66.7 percent) from the free throw line. CMU was 24-of-47 (51.1 percent) from the floor, 10-of-25 (40 percent) from long distance and 21-of-27 (77.8 percent) from the charity stripe. In the second half, Central Michigan connected on 13-of-20 shot attempts, a clip of 65 percent, including going 7-of-11 from behind the three-point line, to outscore the Falcons 46-37 over the final 20 minutes of play.

FALCONS PICKED AS A WILDCARD SELECTION VERSUS EMU ON JAN. 16
The Mid-American Conference office has announced that Buckeye Cable Sports Network (BCSN) has selected the cross-divisional contest between Bowling Green State University and Eastern Michigan on Saturday, Jan. 16, as its MAC Wildcard selection. The game time will now be 2 p.m. ET at the Convocation Center in Ypsilanti, Mich. The MAC clash on Jan. 16 will be broadcast live by BCSN, Time Warner Cable Sports and ESPN3.

STROLL DOWN THE MAC MEMORY LANE
Last season in 2014-15, BGSU went 11-7 in MAC play and finished in third-place overall in the East Division. Since winning the MAC East in 2008-09 with an 11-5 conference record, the Falcons have been over .500 in MAC play just twice, going 11-7 last season and then posting an 9-7 overall record in league play in 2011-12. Since 2009-10, including this year, Bowling Green has gone 48-54 in MAC play overall.

NON-CONFERENCE WINS
The Falcons finished their non-conference regular season slate with a 9-4 record this season. The nine non-conference wins, not including postseason play, are the most by a Falcons' team in a single season since posting 10 non-conference wins in 2006-07. BGSU won eight non-conference games, not counting postseason wins in the MAC Tournament or the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament (CIT), last year.

CONSISTENCY ACROSS THE STARTING FIVE
BGSU head coach Michael Huger has sent out the lineup of David "Pep" Joseph, Zack Denny, Wes Alcegaire, Spencer Parker and Rasheed Worrell to start all 15 games thus far this season for the Falcons.

SOLID START A NECESSITY
BGSU has relied on solid starts this season, as the Falcons are 9-0 on the season when leading at the halftime break. Bowling Green is just 1-5 on the season when going into the locker room trailing at the halftime intermission.

I GOT 10 NEXT
The Falcons have had four different players grab 10 rebounds or more this season. Zack Denny has pulled down 10 rebounds or more five times this season, while Spencer Parker has hauled in 10 rebounds or more three times. Newcomers Ismail Ali tallied 10 rebounds versus Oakland City (Ind.) on Jan. 8, while Demajeo Wiggins snatched 11 rebounds in the Falcons' home game against Miami (Ohio) on Jan. 6. In fact, BGSU has had a player tally double digit rebounds in each three of their last four games.

BENCH HELP
The BGSU bench has been big for the Falcons in 2016, as the Falcons reserves have totaled 105 points over the last three games. BGSU bench scored 51 points in the 87-56 win over Oakland City (Ind.) on Jan. 2, which is a season-high. The Falcon subs then poured in 33 points in the 73-62 MAC win over Miami (Ohio) on Jan. 6 and followed that game up with 21 points in the home loss to Central Michigan on Jan. 9.

MR. ENERGY
Freshman Antwon Lillard is off to a strong start in the New Year, as he tipped off the year with career high point totals with 14 versus Oakland City (Ind.) on Jan. 2 and then 16 points versus Miami (Ohio) on Jan. 6. In 2016, Lillard had totaled 39 points in three games off the bench for the Falcons, an average of 13.0 points per contest.

PARKER APPROACHING 1,000
Senior Spencer Parker is quietly approaching the 1,000 career points mark in his final year at BGSU. Parker enters Tuesday's contest with 880 career points, 120 points away from the career milestone. Parker, who is averaging 13.1 points per game this season, would need to average 7.5 points per game over the rest of the regular season to reach the mark and become the 43rd player in BGSU history to score over 1,000 career points.

#DENNYMCBUCKETS
Junior guard Zack Denny has knocked down at least one three-ball in all 14 of the Falcons' 15 games thus far this season. The lone game that Denny did not hit a three-pointer in was in the Falcons' home loss to Central Michigan on Jan. 9, 2016.

SHARP SHOOTING FALCONS
The Falcons have shot over 44 percent from the floor as a team in each of their 10 wins thus far this season, including shooting a season-high 55.7 percent overall from the field in the blowout win over Urbana on Nov. 29. The Falcons are also a perfect 10-0 on the season when shooting better than their opponents from the field as a team overall.

KEY IS CLEANING THE GLASS
BGSU has done well this season when out-rebounding its opponents for the game. In fact, the Falcons are a perfect 9-0 when grabbing the same number or more rebounds than their foes in a game this season. The Falcons are just 1-5 on the year when losing the battle of the boards with the lone win coming versus Miami (Ohio) at home on Jan. 6, 2016.

GETTING TO THE CHARITY STRIPE
Bowling Green has made it a habit to get to the free throw line this year, as the Falcons have shot more foul shots than their opponent in 11 of their 15 games this season. BGSU has attempted 20 or more free throws in 10 games on the year, including a season-high 35 attempts at Detroit on Dec. 12. The Falcons have made more free throws than their opponents have even attempted in five different contests this season.

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, at least nine different players have notched 10 minutes or more of playing time in 10 different games for the Falcons this season. Seven different Falcons are averaging 20 minutes or more of playing time on the year.

DOUBLE-DOUBLE TROUBLE
The duo of Zack Denny and Spencer Parker have each tallied multiple double-doubles this season and have combined for seven double-doubles on the year overall. Denny recorded his four 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. He then tallied 13 points and 10 rebounds in the road win at Cleveland State to close out the month of December and then totaled 15 points and 10 rebounds in the very next game versus Oakland City (Ind.). Parker has registered three double-doubles this season with 16 points and 12 rebounds versus North Dakota, 22 points and 10 boards in the win at FGCU and a career-high 33 points and 11 rebounds at Detroit.

GRABBING 50
For the first time in eight years, the Falcons as a team reached the 50 mark in rebounds in a single game. BGSU pulled down a season-high 50 rebounds in the win over Oakland City (Ind.) on Jan. 2, 2016. The last time a Falcons' squad totaled 50 rebounds or more was back in the 2008-09 season, when BGSU hauled in 50 boards versus Detroit on Dec. 14, 2008.

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.

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) as well as the Time Warner Cable Sports Channel on Jan. 12 at Ohio, Jan. 16 at EMU, Jan. 19 vs. Toledo and Mar. 1 at Kent State. A number of other BGSU games could be chosen for TV by either 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.