Falcons Rolling Into Cleveland For MAC Quarterfinals Thursday Against CMU

Thursday, March 14

Cleveland, Ohio

Approx. 1:30 p.m. (30 Minutes After Game 1 Conclusion)

Bowling Green State University

Central Michigan

Tickets

Photo by: Scott W. Grau

Falcons Rolling Into Cleveland For MAC Quarterfinals Thursday Against CMU

March 12, 2024 | Men's Basketball

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BGSU, CMU Set For Third Neutral Site Meeting All-Time

By: by Kyle Edmond, BGSU Athletics

CLEVELAND, Ohio - The Bowling Green State University men's basketball team will compete in the MAC Tournament, beginning in the Quarterfinals against Central Michigan on Thursday (March 14) inside Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in Cleveland. The Falcons and Chippewas will play the second game of the day, beginning 30 minutes after the day's first game which is scheduled for 11 a.m. Fans should plan for approximately a 1:30 p.m. start for BGSU and CMU. The first round will be broadcasted on ESPN+ with a radio stream available through WFRO Eagle 99.

Opening Tip
The Falcons and Chippewas will be playing for the 89th time in program history and third time this season. Bowling Green and Central Michigan went to overtime in both of their two meetings earlier this season. This will mark the fifth time BGSU and CMU have faced in the MAC Tournament and third time on a neutral site. CMU holds the advantage in the four previous games (3-1), but it's an even 1-1 split on a neutral floor.

BGSU Fan Zone
Links above will direct fans interested in purchasing tickets as well as information on the BGSU fan bus and the BGSU event at Harry Buffalo prior to the game.

A Bowling Green Win Would…

Mark the first MAC Tournament win for the Falcons since the 2018-19 season.
Grant Bowling Green a 20-win season for the first time since 2019-20.
Make Coach Simon the second coach in program history to record a 20-win season in his first season at the helm of the Falcons (Jans, 21 wins, 2014-15).
Result in Coach Simon becoming the fourth coach in program history to win a MAC Tournament game in their first season at the helm of the Falcons (Larranaga, Jans, Huger).

Scouting The Chippewas
Central Michigan closed out the regular season with a pair of wins, beating Northern Illinois, 69-63, and Eastern Michigan, 65-62 in overtime. In MAC play, the Chippewas went to overtime five times, including two double overtime games, posting a record of 4-1 in those five contests. On the year, Anthony Pritchard led CMU with 13.1 points per game as one of four CMU players averaging double digits joined by Brian Taylor (11.4), Derrick Butler (10.6) and Markus Harding (10.1).

BGSU v. Central Michigan, A History
BGSU and CMU played twice during the regular season, playing a combined total of three overtimes with a total margin of three in the scores. In the first game, Marcus Hill nearly had a triple-double with 22 points, seven rebounds and seven assists while Rashaun Agee posted 20 points and 14 rebounds in the double overtime contest. In the second game, Agee led the Falcons with 18 points and 11 rebounds while Sam Towns hauled in 11 boards and Da'Shawn Phillip added 10 with BGSU totaling a season-high 53 rebounds.

Simon's Strong Start
In his first season at the helm of the Falcons, Todd Simon has led Bowling Green to 19 wins, tied for the most regular season wins by a first-year head coach in program history. If Bowling Green can accomplish a 20-win season, it would mark the fourth straight for Simon dating back to his time at Southern Utah. The Falcons also tallied 12 wins at home this year, tied for the third-most in the history of the Stroh Center.

Hill Continues Record Book Climb
Marcus Hill has put together a historic first season with the Falcons, scoring 639 points in the Orange and Brown. The total has put Hill fifth in program history for points in a single season. He needs 68 points to move past James Darrow (706, 1959-60) for fourth all-time. Hill's point total currently leads the Mid-American Conference and is 22nd in the nation. Meanwhile, his 20.6 points per game are 26th in the country.

Agee Enters Record Book
Rashaun Agee entered the Bowling Green record book in the regular season finale for rebounds in a single season, bringing his mark to 303. The total moved Agee to 10th all-time in program history, needing 12 rebounds to pass Demajeo Wiggins (314, 2017-18) for ninth and 20 to pass Cornelius Cash (322, 1973-74) for eighth. Agee's 303 rebounds are currently second in the MAC and 23rd in the country. Additionally, his 3.74 offensive rebounds per game lead the conference and slot in at 12th in the nation.

Spurgin Eyes 1,000-Point Club
Jason Spurgin is closing in on reaching 1,000 career points, currently with 996. Entering the MAC Tournament, Spurgin needs just four more points to join the club. With Bowling Green, Spurgin has tallied 324 points this season. Before BGSU, he recorded 672 points over three seasons with Southern Utah. Spurgin is also 48 points away from setting a new career-high for points in a season.

Follow the Falcons
Be sure to follow the Falcons' men's basketball team on social media
Twitter - @BGSU_Athletics and @BGSUMBB
Instagram - 'bgfalcons' and 'bgsumhoops'
Facebook - 'BGSU Athletics'
YouTube - 'Falcon Athletics'