BGSU Blasts Broncos To Move To 5-0 In MAC Play For First Time In 57 Years

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Box Score
Game Highlights: Western Michigan at Bowling Green
Post-Game Video: Huger | Frye
Post-Game Audio: Coach Huger With Todd Walker
Photo Gallery: BGSU Marketing / Communications
Photo Gallery: Larry Clapper

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – For the first time since 1961-62, the Bowling Green State University men's basketball team is 5-0 in Mid-American Conference play. Bowling Green, which has won nine-straight games, defeated Western Michigan on Saturday (Jan. 19) afternoon by a score of 79-48. Bowling Green is 10-0 inside the Stroh Center in 2018-19.

With the victory, BGSU improves to 13-5 on the campaign, while Western Michigan drops to 6-12 (0-5 MAC) with the loss. The Falcons led by a 30-17 margin at the break, and went on to extend that lead in the second half by shooting 48.7 percent (19-of-39) over the final 20 minutes of action. The Orange and Brown never trailed in the contest.

QUOTE OF THE GAME
"I thought our defense was extremely good today. The guys were able to focus, and lock in on the defensive end. Our defense created our offense, and the rest was history." – Head Coach Michael Huger

TODD WALKER RADIO CALLS
• Fields Three-Ball
• Plowden With The Huge Rejection
• Lillard Driving Layup
• Laster Off The Backboard To Lillard FOR THE FLUSH! #SCTop10
• #DeepFrye
• Frye Fantastic Pass To Turner For The Score
• Another #DeepFrye
• Mattos Reverse Scoop And Score
• Gadson For Two
• Kulackovskis Triple
• 3than Good Three-Ball
• BGSU WINS!!!

FALCON FACTS
• For the first time since the 1961-62 season, Bowling Green has gotten off to a 5-0 start in Mid-American Conference play. The 1961-62 Falcons won their first seven MAC games.
• Bowling Green has won five-straight MAC games for the first time in a decade. The Falcons won six-straight conference games during the 2008-09 championship season.
• The Orange and Brown have won nine-straight games for the first time since 2001-02. The 2001-02 Falcons won 12-straight games, but only three of the wins were MAC victories.
• The Falcons are 10-0 at home for the first time since the 1999-2000 BGSU squad went a perfect 12-0 at Anderson Arena. The Stroh Center record for home wins a single season for the men's basketball team is 12. During the venue's inaugural season, the Falcons went 12-4 at home.
• Over the Falcons' nine-game winning streak, BGSU is outscoring its opponents by an average of 19.1 points, and outrebounding its opponents by an average of 10.0 rebounds. BGSU is shooting 46.7 percent from the field, while holding its opponents to 38.6 percent shooting.
• The Falcons went 9-for-22 (40.9 percent) from downtown. Over its nine-game winning streak, Bowling Green is shooting 42.2 percent (87-of-206) from three-point range. BGSU has shot at least 40.0 percent from deep in eight of those nine ballgames. In MAC play, BGSU leads the league in three-point percentage (43.1) and three-point percentage defense (27.3).
• Inside the Stroh Center this season, Bowling Green is outscoring its opponents by an average of 20.4 points, and outrebounding its opponents by an average of 11.7 rebounds. BGSU is shooting 46.9 percent at home, while holding its opponents to 37.4 percent shooting.
• The 31-point win marks BGSU's largest margin of victory in a Mid-American Conference game since defeating Ohio by a score of 75-41 on March 8, 2009.
• Bowling Green's 31-point win marks the program's second-largest win ever over Western Michigan. In 1954, the Falcons beat Western Michigan, 95-62.
• With the victory, Bowling Green moves to 72-48 versus Western Michigan all-time. In games played against WMU in Bowling Green, Ohio, the Falcons are 43-16.
• The Falcons improved to 3-2 versus Western Michigan under head coach Michael Huger.
• Michael Huger improved his overall record as Bowling Green's head coach to 58-58.
• The Falcons limited Western Michigan to an ugly 28.1 percent (16-of-57) shooting clip on the afternoon, marking the program's best defensive effort since holding Cleveland State to 27.1 percent (16-of-59) shooting in a 62-47 Falcon win on Dec. 23, 2015. As far as MAC games go, that was BG's best effort since limiting Northern Illinois to 27.5 percent (14-of-51) shooting in a 57-41 BGSU win on Feb. 6, 2013.
• For the first time since March 1, 2009, no opposing player scored more than eight points against the Falcons. Seth Dugan led the Broncos on the afternoon with eight points on 4-of-11 shooting. In that 2009 contest, a 50-46 Bowling Green win at Akron, Darryl Roberts and Nikola Cvetinovic led the Zips with eight points apiece.
• Bowling Green has held its opponent under 40.0 percent shooting a total of nine times in 2018-19. Last season, the Falcons accomplished that feat just four times across the entire season.
• BGSU held Western Michigan to just three triple makes on the night, as the Broncos went 3-for-24 (12.5 percent) from downtown. The effort signals BG's best three-point defensive game since holding Ohio to an 11.7 percent (2-of-17) clip shooting the three-ball on Jan. 30, 2018. The Falcons won that game, 66-50.
• The top rebounding team in the country, Bowling Green won the battle on the glass for the 13th-consecutive game. BGSU collected 48 rebounds compared to WMU's 39. Bowling Green pushed its nation-leading rebound average up to 44.6.
• The Falcons racked up 13 offensive rebounds, marking the 14th time this season that the Orange and Brown have secured 10-plus offensive rebounds in a single game.
• The Falcons registered 10 steals. Bowling Green has posted 10-plus steals in three MAC games in 2018-19, and continue to lead the MAC in the category in league games (9.6/game).
• Bowling Green dominated the specialty statistics on the afternoon, as the Falcons racked up more paint points (34-20), while also recording more points off turnovers (14-4), fast-break points (22-5) and bench points (33-24).

SHOWTIME FALCONS‼️@mikelaster_ off the backboard to @Lillard22_CCC for the flush!!!!#SCTop10 @ESPNAssignDesk @MACSports pic.twitter.com/gbJk9N60eb
— BoWWWWWWWWWling Green MBB 🏀 (@BGSUMHoops) January 19, 2019

PLAYER NOTES
• Junior guard Dylan Frye led the Falcons with 14 points, while tying a career high with seven rebounds. In 26 minutes, Frye posted five assists compared to zero turnovers. Frye has now scored in double figures in all five conference games in 2018-19.
• Frye went 4-for-8 from #DeepFrye territory, marking the fourth time this season that he's made at least four triples in one game. Frye has made multiple three-pointers in 40 career games. He's now made 142 triples for his career, and is four treys shy of moving past Zack Denny (2013-17) for seventh all-time in school history.
• Redshirt-sophomore guard Justin Turner finished with 13 points, five rebounds and four assists. He was a team-high +37 in 28 minutes on the court. Turner has scored in double figures in all 18 games in 2018-19.
• Turner is averaging 20.6 points per game in league contests, which leads the Mid-American Conference.
• Senior guard Antwon Lillard scored 10-plus points for the seventh-consecutive game. Lillard also recorded six rebounds. The senior is just 88 points shy of becoming the 46th player in program history to score 1,000 career points. To hit the 1,000-point plateau during the regular season, he needs to average 6.7 points over the next 13 ballgames.
• Freshman guard Caleb Fields went 2-for-3 from deep, posting MAC career highs in points (10), rebounds (4), field goals made (4), and three-pointers made (2).
• Senior forward Demajeo Wiggins collected six points and four rebounds. He also had one assist, and zero turnovers. Wiggins is just 82 rebounds shy of becoming the third player in program history to record 1,000 career rebounds.
• Redshirt-freshman forward Matiss Kulackovskis contributed with seven points and three rebounds, while junior forward Marlon Sierra added two points and four rebounds. Sierra has scored in nine-straight games.
• In 17 minutes of action, sophomore forward Daeqwon Plowden had three points, two steals and one rebound.
• Junior guard Ethan Good drilled his first-career triple to finish with three points. Good's three-ball was a deep bomb over two defenders from the far wing opposite of the BGSU bench.
• Sophomore center Joniya Gadson, in four minutes, added three points and three rebounds.

UP NEXT
• Bowling Green hits the road for a pair of road games next week at Eastern Michigan (Jan. 22) and Miami (Jan. 26). The EMU game is scheduled for a 7 p.m. tip, while the Miami contest will start at 3:30 p.m.
• Both ballgames will be streamed live on ESPN3.

BGSU BASKETBALL ON NATIONAL TV!
• Bowling Green's home game versus Buffalo, originally scheduled for Feb. 2, has been moved to an 8 p.m. start on Feb. 1. The game was flexed due to being picked up by national television. • The game will be aired live on CBS Sports Network.
• FLASH SALE: Tickets for GA seating for the Buffalo game are just $9. Use promo code "BeatUB" to save. BUY YOUR TICKETS TODAY!!!

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