BG MBB Gets Initial MAC Win

 BG survived its first MAC game at the Stroh this year, beating a very solid Buffalo team in a very competitive contest.  It was an encouraging performance by BG.

And yes, Justin Turner.

Buffalo led most of the first 13 minutes of the game, leading by as much as 7.  BG had the game tied again with 7 to play, led by 6 inside of 2 minutes and by 2 at the half.

The second half was highly competitive and entertaining college basketball.  Buffalo took the lead with about 9 minutes left and led most of the rest of the way.  They had the lead by 6 with 6 minutes or so to go and led by 4 with 4 to go.  Finally, after grinding away at the lead, Plowden hit 2 FTs to tie the game with 2:52 left.

Then Justin Turner and Josiah Fulcher happened.

Buffalo possession, they miss, Fulcher on the board.

Turner is fouled and hits both FTs to put BG up by 2 (2:09)

Buffalo misses, Fulcher on the board.

BG runs clock, Turner hits a 3FG as it expires, BG up 5 (1:18)

Buffalo misses, Fulcher on the board.

BG runs clock, Turner hits a late clock running in the paint.  BG up 7 (:41)

Buffalo misses, Turner rebounds, is fouled.

Turner hit both FTs, BG up 9-0, :25 left, game.

To recap...over the last 2 minutes, it was Turner 9, UB 0.

It was incredible to watch.  This guy is among the best we've ever had.  Late in a  game, when you can run the clock down and score....that makes you hard to beat.  Teams are already fouling him, but even that's tough, since Turner was 15 of 15 at the line.

Both teams like to play a fast pace and they got it, with a 76 possession game.  BG didn't play great defense, allowing 1.03 points per possession, which is above the D1 average of .99.  Even so, it wasn't terrible defense and it will more than do if BG is going to score 1.13 points per possession.  That's a winning number...since 2018 (which has become a reasonable point for the program being competitive again), BG has only lost one MAC game with scoring 1.13 or above.  BG has been in that range every game except App. State...would clearly seem to be the model we are working...though I am sure Coach wants the defense to improve.

Shooting for the game was pretty even.  The teams got there different ways, UB with good 2 FG shooting and BG with good 3FG shooting.  BG had a slight edge in turnovers and UB had good offensive rebounding, as they always do.  The biggest difference was at the free throw line. 

The officiating reminded me of a MAC game from 20 years ago, with huge numbers of fouls called.  There were 51...admittedly, a fast paced game and UB fouling a little at the end, but there were a bunch of fouls called.  My impression is that the MAC officials got better at that over time, but you wouldn't have seen that in this one.  

BG shot FTs well...31 out of 40 (as noted, Turner was 15 of 15) and UB did not...18-29.  It's the highest free throw rate for BG since a 2018 Akron game...Free Throw Rate is FTA by FGA.  BG had 57 FTA and 40 FTs.

That....and the play down the stretch by Turner, decided this game.

Individually, it starts with Turner.  He had 33 points, on 3 of 11 2FG and 4 of 7 3FG.  He drew 9 fouls. Yes, that's right...presumably, most of those were just before he was about to make a basket.   He made 15 of 15 from the line, 4 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 turnovers.  He's our best player since Antonio Daniels or McLeod.

Kaden Metheny scored 11.  He shot 4 of 7 and 1 of 2 from 3, including one big 3FG.  He's not afraid of anything.  No assists, no turnovers.

Trey Diggs scored 10, shooting 2 of 8 from 3FG.  He also had 3 steals.

Plowden added 10 rebounds and Fields added 3 assists and 2 steals.

Dylan Swingle also had a productive 15 minutes, 3 of 4 shooting and 2 rebounds.  And three fouls.

Three notes on rotation.

First, you have to understand that Huger does not play guys in the first half with 2 fouls.  They keep track of this.  If you take all the minutes when guys had 2 fouls (like Turner gets his second with 8 left and Swingle with 12 left, that would be 20) and then figure the amount of time a guy actually played with 2 fouls, you get a percentage.  

The D1 average is 23%.  For BG this year, it is 0.5%.  Last year, only 10 D1 coaches (out of 350 or so) were more conservative than Huger...one was Izzo and one was Marshall.  Just to understand, he just doesn't do it.  He brought in a walk-on late in the first half to avoid it.

Second, if you think BG's PGs are Metheny and Zeigler, they only played 25 minutes.  Fields was bringing the ball up much of the time.  Zeigler's minutes have been a surprise...he's in single digits for the last 3 games, including Purdue Northwest.

Third, BG played mostly a post-free lineup.  Swingle played 15 minutes and Washington played 8.  This is certainly a trend in basketball and UB does have a post guy and he only played 18 minutes.

So BG is 1-0.  Which is what you needed.  Finals are this week and then Wright State is here on Sunday.  They smoked Miami on Saturday.  Then we play Kent on December 30 and that's it for the month.  I guess games could still be added.

Anyway, this was a nice win.  Competitive, tough game, UB is a very solid team with good players.  It's a quality win.