Sunday, March 17, 2024

Now there are 8

 

Now 56 elapsed years since BG has been in the NCAA tournament.  Here is the company we live with now.  There are 8 now, as St. Francis (NY) left this list by eliminating their athletics program. They are the 2nd to voluntarily and permanently exit...Centenary dropped to DIII a while back.

Columbia: Last appeared in 1968
Tennessee Tech: Last appeared in 1963
Maine: Division I since 1962
New Hampshire: Division I since 1962
Dartmouth: Last appeared in 1959
Army: Division I since 1948
Citadel: Division I since 1948
William & Mary: Division I since 1948

Saturday, March 16, 2024

Sadness Accrues

I said in the preview that Kent was unlikely to hit 50% from 3FG again, like they did in the first game between the two teams.

Sadly, I was right. They made 67% and that was largely the difference.

Since 1999, the kenpom era, BG has only allowed a higher 3FG% once, and that was an early Huger game against Evansville in 2017 when the Purple Aces made 80%.  The most BG has allowed and won was 64% vs UT in 2012 at the Stroh.

So, that's a problem.  Even worse, the 3FGs were just daggers, late in shot clocks, stopping BG runs.

As Coach said, "it was their night."

Kent led for 30 minutes.  BG never led by more than 5 and that was early.  Kent was in control of the game most of the way.  They showed in both of the games in Cleveland that they are very difficult to come back against.

BG battled foul trouble in the first half, with Thomas and Agee both with 2. Agee played 8 first half minutes and had 0 rebounds.  Yet, BG was only down 6, so going into the locker room you had to believe we had a shot.  And Kent can't keep making 3s like that, can they?

The lead stayed in the 6-8 range for the first 7 minutes of the second half.  BG made a little mini-run to get it to 3, but Rollins converted an offensive rebound, BG missed a shot and a second chance, and Davis came down for an old-school 3-point play and it was back to 8.  BG knocked it back to 6 and then Santiago nailed a 3FG to make it 9 with 11 left. 

BG got it to 6 with 7 left, but Kent scored the next 5 to go up 11, and the fat lady was singing.

Kent ended up at 1.19 points per possession, BG's 4th worst MAC game.  BG ended up at .98 points per possession, their 5th worst MAC game.

BG shot 49% from 2FG and 20% from 3FG, which is really tough.  Kent also kept BG off the offensive boards--partly with Agee on the bench and partly with Hornbeak getting 8 defensive boards.  BG made 16 of 17 at the line, ended up +7, but it wasn't enough to make up for the shooting disparity.



Marcus Hill had a solid 22 for BG, shooting 7 of 13 and 2 of 5. He added 6 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 turnovers.  Agee and 15 and 7 in 28 minutes. Made all 7 FTs.

So, from here.  First, BG could end up in one of those ancillary post-season tournaments. Beyond that, it's the next steps for modern college basketball....roster retention and construction.  

People were focused on the senior day guys, but anyone can leave.  Last year, of the 15 guys on the top 3 All-MAC teams, only 3 came back.

SUU's AD said that Todd Simon's players don't leave...we shall see.  But even people who have already transferred can now do so.

I'll do a season review.  In total, it was a good season.  As they used to say on midmajority.com, it always ends with a loss.  I'm optimistic about the coaches.  What we need is clear (shooters), but I'm on board and counting the days to when we are back at The Stroh.

Friday, March 15, 2024

CMU Recap/KS Preview (MBB)

Well, now.  What a time that was.  I'm telling you...you follow a team...there are good times, they are bad times.  And then a night like today.  So proud of our guys.  I know.  One game.  A quarterfinal.  A big win in a hard fought game.  CANNOT WAIT for the next one.

And Toledo....we WON'T see you at the game.

It was a competitive, if low-scoring game.  CMU led for 18 minutes, but never by more than 6.  BG's biggest lead was at the end.  Neither team had a scoring run more than 8 and there were 9 lead changes and 10 ties.  Both teams were in touch the entire way.

Fittingly, it was tied with 3:35 left.

Then, BG closed with the run that decided the game and sent their fans home happy.  BG finished the game on a 11-1 streak.  Actually, that's not exactly right.  It was Trey Thomas 11....CMU 1.

And 3 rebounds.

It started with 3:01 left when he pulled an offensive rebound down and BG reset before Thomas hit a floater in the paint.  2:50 left, BG took :45 off the clock and scored and were up 2.

BG gets a stop on a missed 3FG, Thomas clears the board. BG runs offense, and with 2:01 left Thomas nails a 3FG to put the Falcons up 5.

CMU calls time.  Butler gets to the rim, Spurgin fouls him and Butler, a 76% FT shooter, splits the pair.  BG up 4 with 1:55 left.  BG ran the shot clock all the way down before Thomas was fouled going to the rim.  He made both free throws, BG up 6 with 1:25 left.

The teams traded empty possessions and with :52 left Markus Harding was barelling to the rim, but Agee blocked his shot--one of the plays of the game--and Hill grabbed the board.  BG was not in the bonus yet, so it took CMU 3 fouls to get BG to the line with :37 left.  Everyone in our section remembered the game at Mt. Pleasant where BG was up 4 with :19 left and lost in OT, so we were all riding it out.  

BG got two more stops, and Thomas added 2 more FTs and 1 more rebound and it was over.

Sweet victory.

Here's how it worked out.  Yes, BG struggled to shoot against CMU again.  As noted, they are hard to shoot against.  BG was 38% from 2FG....but 35% from 3FG, which was enough to make the difference.  Just as importantly, BG held CMU to just 44% overall, 40% on 2FG and 33% on 3FG.  BG lost the turnover battle, too.

But, like the games in which BG has succeeded, they won on the boards and got to the line. That rebound number is impressive.  It was BG's 2nd best offensive rebounding game of the year and their 4th best defensive rebounding game.   Finally, BG won the FT battle.  BG held CMU to 40% on 2FG and committed only 10 fouls and only 4 in the second half. BG made 79% from the line, with 15 of 19 while CMU was 4 of 6.  Yes, sir.


Trey Thomas started the season injured and hasn't always seemed to be on track.  But he was all of it in this one.  He scored 20, shooting 1 of 2 from 2FG, 4 of 8 from 3FG, 6-6 at the line, all in crunch time, 6 rebounds and 1 steal.  If something like that interests you.

Rashaun Agee.  What can you say? A career high 17 rebounds.  He's as good a rebounder we have had since Nate.  He has 320 rebounds this year. Wiggins had 362 in his senior year and then you're back to Cornelius Cash before you get a higher number.  He added 13 points and a monster crunch time block.

They held Marcus Hill to 11 on 3 of 14 and 1 or 2 shooting.  He also had 6 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 turnovers.  Coach said after the game that he does more for us than score.  He never left the floor.

So, Kent is next.  BG played them once and lost in OT at the Stroh.  Here's the way it looked for that game.  Look familiar?  The only difference was that BG can't let Kent shoot like that.  They were 50% on 2FG and 47% on 3FG.

In fact, there's a good chance they don't shoot that well tonight, even as the #2 3FG shooting team in the conference. 


They are big and physical.  For my money, the most consistently physical team in the MAC.  They seem to be willing to commit 10 fouls on every possession and dare the ref to call them.  Also, they blocked 5 shots against UT and held them to 44% on 2FG. 

In general, they have not been great on defense....#10 in the MAC, which is what had them in 8th place.  They are good on turnovers and defensive rebounding, but give up a ton of FTs and have been easy to make 2FGs against.  They certainly were not last night. (Not to rag on UT, which I already did, but they just seemed flat the entire time.)

I kind of see a similar game to last night and the first meeting.  Kent is favored, 58% chance of winning on kempom, 64% on ESPN and 1.5 points in Vegas.  

Kent is also tournament tough.  They are used to playing in the tournament and succeeding.  For me, the key will be for BG to get more stops than we did the first time.  Here we go!!!!!

Wednesday, March 13, 2024

BG/CM MBB Preview

 OK, here we go.

BG makes their first MAC tourney appearance since 2021, when they played with a badly hobbled Justin Turner and still had a shot to win until Jermaine Marshall, logging less than 10 minutes a game, nailed 2 of his 4 career 3FGs in the closing minutes to beat the Falcons.  At the time, I said you could kind of feel a window closing and that was, in fact, what happened.

This year's team is facing CMU...a team BG lost at home in 2OT and in Mt. Pleasant in OT.  BG struggled to shoot against them in both games...2 of their 4 worst shooting games for the season.  (Worst and 4th worst).  The fact that either game went into OT was a miracle. BG shot 35% and 43% from 2FG and 6% and 21% from 3FG.

So, there's a reason for that.  To start with, BG is the #10 shooting team in the MAC.  Add to it that CMU is the hardest team in the MAC to shoot against.  (They are the best defensive team overall, as well).

So why were those games close?  In the first game, BG was +11 at the line and had 3 turnovers to CMU's 16. Also, note that CMU played without Anthony Pritchard and Markus Harding in this one.

In the second game, BG was +17 at the line, double the offensive rebounding while having 6 more turnovers.  BG was up 4 with :19 left to play in this one.

CMU doesn't usually foul as much as they did to BG in the first two games--two of their 5 worst MAC games in free throw rate.  That can also impact BG's FG%, because you are getting fouled every time you have an open shot.  While struggling much of the year, BG finished #7 in the MAC in FT%,

So, look, BG nearly beat these guys both times...but didn't.  In a sense, the road OT game against a fully stocked CMU lineup is actually the bigger accomplishment.

BG's game plan is normally below average shooting, low turnovers, good offensive rebounding and getting to the line.  Based on the first two games, they have a long way to go to get to below average.  That's also going to include making some 3FGs, because I expect CMU to pack it in and guard the paint, which is the percentage play against the Falcons.

Even so, this is an entirely winnable game for BG.  Kenpom gives BG a 56% chance of winning, though their formula penalizes CMU for a dreadful 2023 portion of the schedule.  They are better than that now. Vegas has BG -2.5 and a 67% chance of winning.

I'm really looking forward to this game.  Somebody is going to win 3 games this weekend.  Maybe it's us. With a win, based on UT's history, we get Kent in the final and who knows?

Two Falcons Make All-MAC

Below are the All-MAC awards as selected by the coaches---they can't vote for their own guys.  As you can see, Freeman and Simmons were unanimous choices.  I don't have any problem with the guys you see here...Barbee's team was picked last and finished #4.

BG has two guys honored.  Marcus Hill is first-team All-MAC, certainly well deserved.  And Rashaun Agee was second-team, also well deserved.  In fact, he had a first-team All-MAC season, but you can't argue with any of the guys who made it ahead of him.  You could say the same for Jihad. That's how it goes sometimes.  

Really proud of these guys.  Marcus and Rashaun carried this team on their shoulders most of the way.  Rashaun might have shown more improvement in one year than any player since Richaun Holmes.  Both of them play unbelievably hard on every possession.  I thank them for helping to make this an enjoyable year and for being Falcons.

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2023-24 MAC Men’s Basketball All-MAC Teams & Specialty Award Winners

Coach of the Year: Tony Barbee, Central Michigan

Player of the Year: Enrique Freeman, Senior, Forward, Akron*

Co-Defensive Player of the Year: Anthony Pritchard, Junior, Guard, Central Michigan

Co-Defensive Player of the Year: Tyler Cochran, Junior, Guard, Toledo

Freshman of the Year: Javan Simmons, Forward, Toledo*

Sixth Man of the Year: JaVaughn Hannah, Sophomore, Guard, Western Michigan

* - unanimous selection by 11 opposing head coaches


All-MAC First Team 

Ali Ali, Senior, Guard, Akron

Enrique Freeman, Senior, Forward, Akron

Marcus Hill, Junior, Guard, Bowling Green

Anthony Pritchard, Junior, Guard, Central Michigan

Ra’Heim Moss, Junior, Guard, Toledo

 

All-MAC Second Team 

Basheer Jihad, Junior, Forward, Ball State

Rashaun Agee, Senior, Forward, Bowling Green

Jaylin Hunter, Senior, Guard, Ohio

Dante Maddox Jr., Junior, Guard, Toledo

Tyler Cochran, Junior, Guard, Toledo


All-MAC Third Team 

Brian Taylor, Graduate Student, Guard, Central Michigan

Tyson Acuff, Junior, Guard, Eastern Michigan

Jalen Sullinger, Junior, Guard, Kent State

David Coit, Junior, Guard, Northern Illinois

AJ Clayton, Junior, Forward, Ohio


All-MAC Honorable Mention

Greg Tribble, Senior, Guard, Akron

VonCameron Davis, R-Junior, Forward, Kent State

Anderson Mirambeaux, Senior, Center, Miami

Darweshi Hunter, Graduate Student, Guard, Miami

B. Artis White, R-Junior, Guard, Western Michigan

 

MAC All-Freshman Team

Arne Osojnik, Guard, Eastern Michigan

Eian Elmer, Wing, Miami

Will Lovings-Watts, Guard, Northern Illinois

Javan Simmons, Forward, Toledo

Sonny Wilson, Guard, Toledo

 

MAC All-Defensive Team

Greg Tribble, Senior, Guard, Akron

Enrique Freeman, Senior, Forward, Akron

Anthony Pritchard, Junior, Guard, Central Michigan

Tyler Cochran, Junior, Guard, Toledo

Ra’Heim Moss, Junior, Guard, Toledo

Tuesday, March 12, 2024

BG Adds Cornell Brown to Staff

 BG lined up a new defensive line coach, and this guy has a long history of coaching and playing at the highest levels.  His name is familiar--Cornell Brown.

He is still from the Loeffler-verse.  He was an assistant at Virginia Tech with Scot.  He also graduated from Virginia Tech, was a two-time  All-American, and played for 7-years in the NFL and won a Super Bowl with the Ravens.

Last year he was with the New Orleans Breakers and the year before that the Calgary Stampeders. In college, it was Tarleton State, Marshall, Virginia Tech and Norfolk State.

You can see the details about the record at all these places here.

This was a key hire. The D-line is critical to any team's success and I think BG has done an excellent job developing talent at that position.  It might be the area that most contributed to our 10-6 record in MAC play the last two years.  Certainly, Brown has the credentials...love to see the results this year.

Saturday, March 09, 2024

Falcons Close With Home Win, Finish #5

BG beat Ball State last night and finished 5th in the MAC.  The Falcons were picked 8th and with the new guys and the new staff, this was a favorable result.  In the 22 years since WVU, this is only our 8th winning record in MAC play.

The Falcons will play CMU at 1:30 on Thursday.  This is a much more favorable matchup than one of the top 3...BG took CMU to overtime twice and you have to believe we have a shot in this one.  And some motivation?

The sobering news of the night was senior night.  Jason Spurgin, Trey Thomas, DJ Phillips, Rashaun Agee and Sam Towns each were honored, received their commemorative framed jersey, etc. 

That's sobering because, with the exception of Phillips, all of these guys have eligibility remaining.

This is a space to watch.  We've had guys go through senior day and decide to return, and that's always a possibility. As far as that goes, anyone on the roster could leave.  BG has two players signed...Preston Squire and Jaxon Pardon.

On the bigger picture, this is the world we live in now.  Last season, of the 15 players on the All-MAC team, only 2 returned.  Eight were out of eligibility and the remainder transferred.

Last year, we had to recruit ten new guys...this year, maybe five or more.  Every one of those guys played significant minutes.

The actual game was a solid performance for BG.  Coach says guys are healthy again, the energy is back, and the shot making is coming back.

BG led by 9 at the half and had the lead up to 12 with 10 minutes left to play in the game.

Ball State played hard, cut the lead to 3 with about 7 left and to 1 with 4:29 left.  

What happened next is what makes basketball such a great sport.  With 4 left, Hill was under pressure and found Humphrey, who nailed a 3FG dagger and was fouled.  Missed the FT, but BG up 4.  BSU threw the ball away on the fast break, BG came up and--after replay--it was determined the Jihad had flagrantly fouled Spurgin.

Jason hit both FTs and then on the possession took an absolute dime from Hill and nailed the 3FG, giving BG a 9-point lead.  Two possessions, less than one minute, and the game went from in the balance to over.  Humphrey nailed another key 3FG with 1:15 left.

BG led for 36 minutes of the game, which is a good sign you are on the right track.  They outshot BSU, and only were -2 at the line after making 15 of 18.

So, onto Cleveland we go.  Proud of our guys. It has been a very good season.  See everyone in Cleveland.

Thursday, March 07, 2024

This is it. It's the last game (MBB)

 So, here we go.  The last game of the regular season....hard to believe, seems like yesterday we were tracking whether the Bewley twins were going to play.

If BG wins and Miami loses, the Falcons finish 5th.

If BG wins and Miami wins, then it depends on who wins the #1 spot.  If it is UT, than BG is 5th.  If it is UA, then Miami is #5.  UT wins the tiebreaker over Akron.  Also applies to a two-way tie at 9-9 with BG and Miami.

If BG, Miami and Kent tie at 9-9, BG is 6th.

If BG, Miami, and WMU tie at 9-9, BG is 5th.

If BG, Kent and WMU tie at 9-9, BG is 6th.

If BG, Kent, Miami and WMU tie at 9-9, BG is 6th.

At 5th, BG plays CMU.  At 6th it is OU.

The opponent is Ball State, who are trying to get into the tournament.

BG and Ball State played earlier this year, with the Falcons picking up the road win.  The Falcons had a multi-possession lead for the last 8 minutes of the game.  Ball State got the lead to 4 with 3 minutes left, but BG blasted the lead back out again and won by 9.

It was BG's best shooting game of the MAC season.  They made 53% on 2G and 50% on 3FGs.  They had an OK day with turnovers but was great on the offensive boards. BG was 15 of 20 at the line, but -3 for the game.  BG had 1.21 points per possession, their second best MAC game.  Ball State had 1.08.


Hill had 28 in his best offensive game of the season. He was 11 of 16 from 2FG and 2-2 from 3FG. Spurgin had 17 and 7, Agee had 14 and 10.

Ball State leads the MAC in getting to the line, FT% and the percentage of points coming from FTs. Beyond that they are average in FG shooting and turnovers, and slightly less than average on the offensive boards. They are #5 with the 3FG.

On defense, they are pretty much average across the board, although they are #3 in keeping their opponents off the line.  They are somewhat vulnerable to the 2FG.

They are led by Basheer Jihad, who is #4 in the MAC in scoring. He makes 40% on 3FGs. He also leads the team with 8.4 RPG, which is #3 in the MAC.  He's clearly first-team material. 

Jalin Anderson scores 15 PPG and is #4 in the MAC in assists, Davion Bailey and Mickey Pearson score 13 PPG. 

They have 4 MAC wins on the road.

Last chance to see BG at home...and a chance to finish strong and head to Cleveland looking to shock the world.