BG MBB Loses to Kent at Stroh

BG lost their 9th straight game, as expected, to Kent State at the Stroh yesterday, with a 10-point loss.  

BG battled in the first half and led for 12 minutes.  At one point, BG was up 12 and ended up by 5 at the break.

In the second half, we stopped doing what we did in the first half, and after that it's no surprise what happened. BG did OK, leading for most of the first 6 minutes of the second half.  Kent took the lead with 13:37 left and never trailed again.  BG kept the game within reach and had it down to 2 with 6:31 left.  BG needed a stop but fouled, Kent hit 2FTs, got a stop and a basket and it was 6 again.  With about 2 left, KS had the lead to 10 which is where the margin ended.

Kent had 1.08 points per possession, but their defense eventually won them the game, holding BG to .94 points per possesson. BG is 1-10 this year under 1 point per possesson.  (Air Force).  BG shot the ball very poorly, as poorly as they did all year. That's 48% from 2FG and 11% from 3FG. They scored 27 points in the second half and missed all 7 3FGs.  Otherwise, it was pretty even and it wasn't the worst game of the losing streak.  It was still a defeat.

BG has lost 9 straight.  As far as I can tell, that is the longest in-season losing streak in 51 years.  BG lost 8 straight in 2006 to end the year.  That was Dakich's 2nd to last year. (BG Assistant Steven Wright was on that team).  Then, in BG loss 8 in 77-78 in Weinert's 2nd year.  Then, in 1971-72, in Pat Haley's first year BG lost 10 straight on their way to a 4-20 year, truly one of the worst years in Falcon history.

The 1955-56 team lost 14 straight, which as far as I can tell is the school record.  Still, we are on a historic bad run.

It was senior day.  BG had five players out there....Ayers, Elsasser, Turner, Diarra and O'Neal.  What is interesting is that only two of those players--Ayers and O'Neal are truly out of eligibility.  Coach was asked post-game about Elsasser...he said that once a guy decides to be in senior day, they are usually done, but that they would talk after the season.  He gave roughly the same answer for Diarra.  No one asked about Turner but the answer would probably the same.

It could be academic.  If Huger goes, there's a good chance everyone goes, that's what seems to happen in today's world.  

Look, I don't blame someone who has played college ball for five years for deciding to get one with their life.  You're supposed to leave college.  In essence, they are declining their COVID year, which is 100% reasonable. 

But the fact remains that three of these guys could have come back and, I guess, still could.