Chippewas Come to Town as BGSU Concludes January Schedule

Photo by: Larry Clapper

January 29, 2019 | Women's Basketball

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Falcons face the MAC West Division leader on Wednesday night

By: BOWLING GREEN, Ohio (BGSU Athletic Communications)

BGSU vs. CENTRAL MICHIGAN
Wednesday, January 30, 2018 • 7:00 p.m.
Stroh Center • Bowling Green, Ohio

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all audio, stats & video links can be found at BGSUFalcons.com on game day

UP NEXT FOR THE FALCONS...
The Bowling Green State University women's basketball team, after suffering a narrow loss against a Mid-American Conference East Division co-leader, now faces the team atop the MAC's West Division. Head coach Robyn Fralick and the Falcons meet Central Michigan University on Wednesday evening (Jan. 30), with tipoff set for 7:00 p.m. at the Stroh Center.

NEED-TO-KNOW INFORMATION
(We provide these three fascinating facts only on a need-to-know basis)
>> The Falcons trailed MAC East Division co-leader Ohio by 21 points on Saturday (Jan. 26), but battled back to within a single point before falling, 82-79. Senior Sydney Lambert had her first collegiate double-double vs. the Bobcats.

>> All seven of BGSU's MAC games to date have been within three points with under 12 minutes remaining. Six of those seven contests have been three-point games at some point in the fourth quarter, and no fewer than five have been one-possession games in the final minute.

>> Freshman Morgan McMillen is on pace to shatter the school single-season records for both three-point field goals made and attempted.

I AM IRON WOMAN
Senior Sydney Lambert played all 40 minutes on Saturday afternoon vs. Ohio. That came after she was on the floor for every second of the Eastern Michigan game ... and the Toledo game ... and the Northern Illinois game.

In fact, Lambert has played all 40 minutes in no fewer than eight games this season to date, including each of the last five. She leads the Mid-American Conference and is ranked 10th in the nation in minutes played per game (37.55).

The last time Lambert was not on the floor during a BGSU game was during the second quarter of the Jan. 9 contest at Ball State. She was on the bench for a total of 1:43 in Muncie, and has now been on the court for the last 225:32 of game time.

LENDING A HELPING HAND
Last season, the Falcons were close to last in the nation in both assists and assists per game. With a total of 277 assists and an average of 9.2 helpers per game, BGSU was ranked 343rd (out of 349 teams) in the former category and 345th in the latter.

This season, BGSU is 36th in the country – and first in the MAC – with 16.4 assists per game, having nearly doubled last year's total. The Falcons are second in the league and 60th in the land with a total of 296 assists.

In case you merely skimmed the last two paragraphs, allow us to rephrase ... with at least 12 games remaining on the 2018-19 schedule, the Falcons already have topped last season's assist total.

SEE THE THREE, BE THE THREE
For years, the Falcons have been proficient at sinking shots from beyond the arc, and this season has been no exception. BGSU is currently eighth in the nation in three-point field goals made per game, having hit 10.1 per contest.

The Falcons are 15th in the land in total three-pointers made (182) and 16th in triples attempted (512).

Individually, freshman Morgan McMillen is ninth in the country – and first in the MAC – in three-pointers made per game (3.50), and she is 11th nationally in total three-pointers made (63) and 14th in long-range shots attempted (169). McMillen has made at least four treys in a game 11 times this year.

Junior Andrea Cecil is 29th in the entire nation in three-point percentage, having made 43.3 percent of her long-range tries.

MCMILLEN ON PACE TO SHATTER SINGLE-SEASON LONG-DISTANCE MARKS
As we just mentioned, freshman Morgan McMillen is ranked among the national leaders in multiple three-point field-goal related categories. And, she has a chance to be ranked atop several school lists by season's end.

McMillen has made 63 long-range shots this season to date, and is six away from moving into the top 10 on the BGSU single-season list. Lauren Prochaska currently holds down the number-10 spot, with 69 successful triples in 2010-11.

McMillen is 29 three-pointers away from matching the school record of 92, which was set by Prochaska in 2009-10.

McMillen has attempted 169 long-range shots this season, just 40 shy of the school single-season record of 209, currently held by Tracy Pontius (2010-11).

THE FALCONS: A QUICK OVERVIEW
BGSU enters the CMU game with a record of 7-11, and the Falcons are 0-7 in MAC play, having lost five of those seven games by seven points or fewer.

BG saw a four-game winning streak snapped with a narrow 84-82 loss to Western Michigan in the league opener at the Stroh Center, one of three MAC games decided by three-points or fewer. Five of the seven conference contests have been one-possession games in the final minute of the fourth quarter.

Last week, BG dropped an 81-74 decision to the Eagles on Wednesday, before falling to East Division co-leader Ohio, 82-79. The latter game saw BG rally from 21 points down to get within a single point before succumbing.

The Falcons are 5-4 at home, 2-6 on the road and 0-1 in neutral-site contests.

Head coach Robyn Fralick is in her first season on the BGSU bench. Her staff includes associate head coach Kim Cameron, assistant coach/recruiting coordinator Karmen Graham, assistant coach Joel Whymer, director of operations Monique Rosati and video coordinator Amanda Cutcher.

Four Falcons are averaging over 12 points per game. Freshman Morgan McMillen leads the way with 15.5 points per contest, and has scored in double digits in 15 of her first 18 career outings.

McMillen tied the school single-game record with eight triples vs. Marshall (in her second collegiate game). She is ranked 11th in the nation in three-pointers made per game, and has a total of 63 on the year.

Junior Andrea Cecil has 14.9 ppg and is second on the Falcons in rebounding as well as scoring, with 5.0 boards per game. Cecil has had 19 or more points eight times this season, and had an epic 33-point, 10-rebound outing at EMU last week. The junior is shooting 43.3% from three-point land, good for 29th in the country.

Sophomore Angela Perry has 13.1 ppg and is shooting 55.1% from the floor, good for 35th in the nation in field-goal pct. Perry, who has seen action in 14 games, has already more than doubled her point total for all of last season. She had 24 points, including 20 in the second half, vs. Akron, and has three 20-point games this year to date.

Senior Sydney Lambert is averaging 12.1 ppg, along with 4.3 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game. She is second on the team in assists and third in both boards and three-pointers made (26). Lambert had her first career double-double on Saturday, with 23 points and 10 rebounds vs. Ohio.

Freshman Kadie Hempfling and sophomore Madisen Parker have 5.6 and 5.0 ppg, respectively. Hempfling averages a BG-best 9.2 rebounds per game, and she also has dished out 4.3 assists per game to lead the Falcons in that category as well. Hempfling has 77 total assists to Lambert's 76.

In MAC games only, four Falcons are averaging between 13 and 14 points per game. Cecil leads the team with 14.0 ppg, while Lambert has 13.6 ppg, Perry 13.3 and McMillen 13.0. Senior Maddie Cole has 5.6 ppg in conference contests, and is shooting 65.4% (17-of-26) from the floor in the seven games. Hempfling has 4.6 ppg and team-leading averages of 9.3 rebounds and 4.0 assists.

BGSU returned a total of 10 letterwinners, including three starters, from last year's team that finished with an 11-19 overall record and a 3-15 mark in MAC play.

A total of nine different Falcons have made at least one start this season. Cecil and Lambert are the only two players to have started all 18 games.

LAMBERT'S LEGACY: 1,000-POINT SCORER NOW RESIDES IN BGSU'S TOP 25
Senior Sydney Lambert scored her 1,000th career point on Dec. 30, becoming the 28th player in school history to reach that milestone. Lambert's 1,000th career point came in her 100th career game at BG. She has averaged at least 9.4 points per game in all four seasons, and is averaging 12.1 ppg this season and 10.2 ppg in her BGSU career.

With 23 points vs. Ohio, Lambert moved past Judit Lendvay (1,078 points from 1989-93) into 23rd place on the BGSU career scoring list. Lambert now has 1,096 career points, and needs just three points to tie Stefanie Wenzel (1,099 points from 2000-04) for 22nd place.

LAMBERT'S LEGACY II: START ME UP
Senior Sydney Lambert has started every game since coming to BG, and has made 107 career starts – good for a tie for seventh in program history – entering the CMU game. If she is in the lineup on Wednesday, she would move past Miriam Justinger (2012-16) into sole possession of seventh on that list.

BG has at least 12 games left on the 2018-19 schedule, meaning Lambert has a realistic chance to finish her career as high as fifth in school history in games started. BGSU Hall-of-Famers Kate Achter (124 from 2004-08) and Jackie Motycka (115 from 1985-89) rank fourth and fifth, respectively, on the BG list for career starts.

LAMBERT'S LEGACY III: SYD-THREE LAMBERT
Senior Sydney Lambert enters the CMU game having made a total of 223 three-point field goals in her career. With a triple vs. Northern Illinois (Jan. 16), she moved past BGSU Hall-of-Famer Liz Honegger (216 three-pointers from 2003-07) into sole possession of third place on that list.

Lambert is averaging just over two treys per game in her career, and if she keeps up that pace, she will also pass Tracy Pontius (235 from 2007-11), to finish her career in second place on the BGSU list. Lauren Prochaska (also 2007-11) holds the school record with 310 career triples made.

20-20 VISION
Senior Sydney Lambert scored a game-high 23 points, with freshman Morgan McMillen adding 20 against Ohio on Saturday. BGSU players have scored 20 or more points in a game 18 times this season, after doing so 10 times during all of last season.

For McMillen, the Ohio contest was the sixth time she has reached the 20-point mark in a game this season, tying her with junior Andrea Cecil for the team lead. Lambert and sophomore Angela Perry each have had three such games this season.

A year ago, no BG player had more than three 20-point games.

A QUICK LOOK AT THE CHIPPEWAS
Central Michigan is 14-5 this season, and the Chippewas lead the MAC's West Division with a 5-2 league ledger. Central began conference play with three-straight wins, then lost two of the next three games before downing Eastern Michigan, 71-61, on Saturday. The Chippewas are 5-3 at home, 8-1 on the road and 1-1 in neutral-site games this season to date. Presley Hudson is averaging 20.4 points and 5.8 assists per game, and has hit 65 three-pointers. Reyna Frost has 19.0 ppg and 12.2 rebounds per contest. Hudson holds the school career records for points, assists, three-pointers made and free-throw percentage, while Frost is the CMU career rebounding leader. Head coach Sue Guevara welcomed back seven letterwinners, including four starters, from last year's team. The 2017-18 Chippewas went 30-5 overall and 15-3 in the MAC, winning the league title and advancing to the NCAA's Sweet Sixteen.

THE SERIES
The Falcons lead Central Michigan, 47-20, in the all-time series between the teams, but the Chippewas have captured the last four meetings, including a 90-54 blowout in Mount Pleasant last year (Jan. 10, 2018). In the last meeting at the Stroh Center (Jan. 14, 2017), Presley Hudson scored 11 of her 34 points in overtime, as Central downed BG, 76-65. BGSU's last series win came on Feb. 19, 2014, a 67-55 victory in a battle of MAC divisional leaders at the Stroh. BGSU is 25-6 in home games, 18-10 on the road and 4-4 in neutral-site contests vs. the Chippewas over the years.

DOWN THE ROAD
Following the CMU game, the Falcons will begin the month of February with road trips to Toledo Saturday (Feb. 2) and Northern Illinois next Wednesday (Feb. 6). Saturday's UT contest will begin at 2:00 p.m. at Savage Arena in the Glass City.

The NIU game is BGSU's final cross-divisional contest of the year, as the Falcons then end the regular season with eight-straight matchups vs. MAC East Division foes.

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