So game 2 of the MAC season coming up, should be a bigger challenge than the first.
Its the OU Bobcats. They are really one of the more consistent basketball powers in the MAC over the years. For a long time, they and Miami were the powers and you'd go down there and the Convo would be absolutely rocking. John Groce got them to the sweet 16...left...Jim Christian was 49-22 over two years, left...Saul Phillips had 2 20-win seasons, left...and then Jeff Boals came in. Boals won a game in the 2021 tourney and was 25-10 last year...with a 13-2 MAC record before losing 4-5 going home.
This year is looking to be a little tougher. Jason Carter graduated (and was ejected from his last game at the Stroh), and Ben Vander Plas and Mark Sears disappeared into the portal. They returned only 6 scholarship players and no double-figure scorers. They did get Dwight Wilson back...and some transfers...and were picked 6th in the MAC.
They are 7-6 and 0-1. Their best win was @ a decent Youngstown State team, and they have a loss @ Detroit that doesn't look good. Their kenpom is 155 and they played the #186 non-conference schedule.
They lost @ UB on Tuesday, so a lot of bus time this week.
The two teams split last year, but BG has won 4 of the last 5 and the last 4 at the Stroh.
OU comes in playing a slightly slower tempo than BG. They are an efficient offensive team, in the top 100 of the nation, despite losing all their scorers. They are not good on defense, but a little better than BG. So summary...they are better than BG both ways but only by a little. Mostly, things are close.
OU gets their efficient offense in an interesting way. They shoot slightly above average, but they take good care of the ball and they are #76 in offensive rebounding. BG has been good on the defensive boards, (though not in the last game) and that will be a matchup. They do not get to the line much at all although they make 73% when they do.
They try a below-average number of 3FGAs, but make 36% when they do, which is #87 in the country. They make only 49% on 2FGs, which includes Dwight Wilson, who is #3 in the MAC, so others must be relatively poor.
On the other side, things are about as equal as they can be. BG's offense produces almost exactly what OU's defense allows. OU defends the shot well, especially the 2FG. They don't force turnovers, aren't great on the boards and don't give up FTs.
Their leading player is Dwight Wilson III. You may recall Wilson was 3rd-team all-MAC the year before last and then missed all of last year with a knee injury. He's a 6'8" big body, scoring 13 PPG, adding 9.1 rebounds and shooting 56%. He's #2 in rebounds and #3 in FG%.
They also offer freshman AJ Brown, from Orlando, a 6'4 G scoring 11.4 PPG on 49% 2FG shooting and 44% 3FG shooting. He moved into the starting lineup 4 games ago.
Miles Brown is scoring 10.8 PPG on 40% and 51% shooting. He is a 6'1" G and a senior who played his whole career at OU and is over 10 PPG for the first time in his career.
Jaylin Hunter (6'0 JR) and AJ Clayton (6'8" So) also score about 9 a game.
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