Time to change the Zips Narrative

So here we are.  The Big Game, Part II.  The winner will have the inside track for the MAC regular season title.  The Stroh should be hopping, right up with the Buffalo game last year.  BG won last year over Akron at the Stroh, is very tough to beat at home.

Here's why this game is important.  After the last ten years, BG needed to begin to change some narratives.

UT is a good example.  This year's sweep is a start.

Falcon fans know that Akron has dominated us in a way that no other team has.  Going back 15 years, Akron is 29-3 against Bowling Green.  It's just incredible.  The Falcons have won 2 of the last 6 against the Zips. 

If we're going to be where we want to be, as a program and I'm talking over multiple seasons, not just the next three weeks, we have to change this narrative.

And not to put too fine a point on it, but this might not be the last time we play Akron this year and we might need to beat them to get where we want to go.

The game in Akron wasn't as one-sided as it might appear.  BG was down 1 with 12 minutes left and there was a period inside 8 minutes when BG got 4 straight stops and couldn't convert layups on the offensive end.  I'm not trying to minimize it--Akron was clearly the better team--but it wasn't as bad as it might have appeared on the scoresheet.

Akron is the highest-ranked team in the MAC.  They came into the first BG game in a bit of a shooting slump, but that seems to have reversed itself.  They have won three straight since the BG game--part of a five-game winning streak--and have scored well in 2 of those 3 games.

They are the best offensive team in the MAC and the #3 defensive team. This is a more typical route for a first-place team than the one BG had followed, but to each his own.  They lead the MAC in shooting overall and in 3FG% and they are #2 in 2FG%.  They are also first in FT shooting and they are 5th in turnovers and offensive rebounding.

In the first game (see below), BG worked hard to stop the 3FG...holding AK to 29%.  Problem was, they just adapted, shot their lowest 3FG rate of the MAC season and made 54% of their 2FGs.  And drew a shload of fouls.

They are #3 in the MAC in FG defense and in forcing turnovers.  And, as you can see, that worked in the first game.  BG shot 43% and 24% and had more turnovers than they usually do.

To win this one, BG needs to make more shots (duh), but it really has to play highly effective defense.  Selling out to stop the 3FG won't work against this team.  And you have to keep them off the line.

Individually, a few notes.  UA was BG's first game without Frye, and they really put the clamps on Turner.  I expect BG to have a better plan for dealing with those double-teams and hopefully in a more comfortable offensive flow we can take advantage.

No idea about Caleb Fields.

On their side, Loren Christian Jackson is incredible.  He had 29 on 6 of 10 and 3 of 7 shooting, plus 7-7 at the line.  He's the most efficient offensive player in the MAC, the second-best shooter overall, #1 in 3FG%, #3 FT shooter, #5 in assist rate and #5 in drawing fouls.  We love Justin Turner, but there's no issues if this young man is MAC POY.

Tyler Cheese had 17 in the first match up.  He shot 4-9 and made 9 of 10 FTs.  He's also very good...the #6 offensive player in the MAC, #12 shooter, #10 in assist rate and #14 in 2FG%.  He's also #5 at the FT line.

Add in Xeyrius Williams, the #5 rebounder in the MAC...anyway, these guys have good players.

So BG needs to change the narrative with Akron.  And it needs to start tomorrow night.  Let's pack the Stroh and give them our best...