Basketball Interlude

We interrupt our non-stop obsessing over the start of football season to let everyone know that the basketball schedule is out. My first impression is that this is a pretty typical MAC schedule in that we have limited home games during the pre-conference season. In fact, we go from December 3 to January 2 without a home game at all.* (Normally, someone takes pity on us and comes in over the holidays). While I understand that scheduling is a difficult task, I always think it is a shame to not let our fans get acquainted with the team in December.

And, of course, five straight road games is a struggle for anyone.

There are two good home games. I like to see us play Horizon league teams like Wisconsin-Milwaukee (they were 17-14 last year), and they will be coming to AA. Also, we have an A-10 team coming into Bowling Green, and they were 18-14 last year. (LOOOoonnnng time Bowling Green fans might remember that St. Louis was an early rival of our hockey program back in the formative years of the CCHA. The Billikens and Falcons had some very spirited contests in both places).

And the bracketbuster will be at home, again.

Beyond that, some of the road games are certainly winnable. Fordham (also A-10, 3-25) was among the worst teams in D1 hoops last year. (Is the A-10 considered a mid-major conference? They are certainly a multi-bid conference).

One other thing is that AD Christopher talked about needing to add a money game to the hoops schedule as part of the overall budget woes he is facing. I don't know if Xavier counts, but there is no true money game, as I would think of it (Big 10, Big 12, SEC opponent, etc).

From the competitive viewpoint, we do have four of our last six conference games at home, and since we are a young team replacing four of our best players from last season, that has the chance to be very helpful for us. If Coach Orr can get the team to gel on the home stretch, we might be in a position to use that momentum heading into the tournament.

So, there's a basketball interlude. I'm looking forward to getting the ball in the air. Truth be told, I love basketball season as much as football season.


BOWLING GREEN MEN'S BASKETBALL
2009-10 SCHEDULE

Nov. 14 WAYNE STATE
Nov. 17 at Xavier
Nov. 21 WISCONSIN-MILWAUKEE
Dec. 3 SAVANNAH STATE*
Dec. 5 at Fordham
Dec. 12 at Canisius
Dec. 19 at Detroit
Dec. 28 at Temple
Dec. 30 at Towson
Jan. 2 ST. LOUIS
Jan. 9 at Akron
Jan. 14 BUFFALO
Jan. 17 at Kent State
Jan. 20 OHIO
Jan. 23 at Miami
Jan. 27 at Eastern Michigan
Jan. 30 CENTRAL MICHIGAN
Feb. 1 TOLEDO
Feb. 4 at Ball State
Feb. 6 at Western Michigan
Feb. 10 NORTHERN ILLINOIS
Feb. 14 MIAMI
Feb. 17 at Buffalo
Feb. 20 BRACKETBUSTERS (AT HOME)
Feb. 24 KENT STATE
Feb. 27 AKRON
March 4 at Ohio

* The game with Savannah State is tentatively scheduled for Dec. 3 but may be moved to a different date in December.