Portal Updates

 A quick update on the portal news....

For men's basketball, I had previously reported on Johnson, Campbell and Felt.  Since then, Braelon Green entered, as did Derrick Butler, benefitting from the JUCO decision granting him another year. 

To date, only Green has found a new home--and that is EMU.

Even more importantly, there are no reports of players finding their way to BG.  The commits are starting to pick up....I suspect some of the guys we might want and waiting to see if they get a better offer.  This is a vital time, obviously.  As per usual, we are down to very few players and Akron is going to return everybody plus an OSU player they picked up and Kent will return almost everyone.

Since our last update for football, three more players are in the portal...Dillon Robinson, Chace Davis and Justin Lampson.

Robinson was a 2-star recruit and part of the Anthony Wayne crew that came to BG.  Davis played in 24 games over two seasons at BG, without generating any huge numbers.  I think he got a JUCO year back.

QB Justin Lampson, late of Syracuse and Stanford, had committed to BG but he has now gone to Montana State.

Kal-El Pascal, a promising D-back, portaled and then unportaled.

The football crew is also working like mad.  Remember, BG is not out of the woods.  After spring practice, there are often additional portal departures.  To date, our post-Loeffler losses have been less than many others have seen when a coach leaves.

Remember, we were expecting a rebuilding year before the change.  We need to fill some holes to be remotely competitive next year and no one is under any illusions about it.

Three MBB Players Enter Portal

The Portal opened yesterday, and it has pretty much gone as expected.  Marcus Johnson, Javonte Campbell, and Jamai Felt have all entered the portal.  Assuming they do actually move on, we thank them for their time at BG.  Each of them was part of a plucky, undermanned team and played under circumstances we would not have expected at the start of the year.  Campbell playing with a broken hand. Johnson and Felt logging way more minutes than you would expect.

This is how it is going to be, until...I don't know.  But essentially, we will have to find new guys who excel every year or figure out a way to pay them at least comparable to our peer schools.

Best of luck to them all.  Meanwhile, no non-P4 schools qualified for the Sweet Sixteen and this is the primary reason why.

Coaching Staff Finalized

The coaching staff has been finalized.  It's four guys from the old staff, one new guy and the remainder from the staff at Tennessee State.  Not too far from what I would expect.

Josh Crawford is the RB Coach, a position he held at TSU. He has a degree in medicine from Vanderbilt and was a graduate assistant at TSU and then at Utah for one year before moving to TSU.

And then there's WR Coach Bruce Johnson.  He has coached since 1998 and in college since 2000, including Indiana, Mississippi and Liberty.  He was at Central Connecticut and moved to TSU just a few days before all this went down.

Partridge, QB

Nosal, OL

Crawford, RB

Johnson, WR

Bayer, ST

Alexander, TE, AHC

Fisher, DC

McNutt, DB

Jackson, DB

Simmons, DL

Bowden, OL

New Football Assistant

There are reports in The Tennessean of another football assistant being named to the BG staff.  This one is Dewayne Alexander, who will be assistant head coach and TE coach. Alexander was the head coach at Tennessee Tech. Last year he was an assistant at Sewanee and was set to the OL Coach and TSU when George left for BG.

Updated unofficial list.

Partridge, QB

Nosal, OL

White, RB

Bayer, ST

Alexander, TE, AHC

Fisher, DC

McNutt, DB

Jackson, DB

Simmons, DL

Bowden, OL

More Coaching Updates

So, the football staff appears to be rounding into shape.  Based on reporting on Football Coaching Scoop confirmed by internal sources, the new coaches are all from Tennessee State.

Brandon Fisher will be the DC.  He is the son of Jeff Fisher, who coaches George in the NFL.  He has been the DC at Tennesee State for four years, and coached in the NFL for 8 years.

Richard McNutt will also be coming to BG.  He coached D-backs at TSU. This is one a lot of us identified as an important guy, because he has great connections inside Ohio. He has coached at Youngstown State, Toledo, Kent State, and Ohio State and was also a member of the Cleveland Browns’ staff.  He also played for OSU.  Note that the KSU years were when Doug Martin coached there and they had a very good defensive unit.

Joe Bowden is the associate head coach and LB coach. He played 8 years in the NFL and also coached in the NFL for 5 years, mostly with Tennesee/Houston. Has coached for 18 years.

D-line Coach is Clyde Simmons.  He's an NFL star, playing 15 years, two-time all-Pro, eye-popping numbers and in the Eagles HOF.  He also has 10 years of coaching experience.

There are reports as well that OC/QB coach Travis Partridge is close to coming. He was an NFL signee and played in the CFL with coaching experience at Kansas, UT-Martin, Delta State and TSU.

So, the staff looks like this;

• Partridge, QB
• Nosal, OL
• White, RB
• Bayer, TE/ST
• Fisher, DC
• McNutt, DB
• Jackson, DB
• Simmons, DL
• Bowden, OL

The only position group not represented appears to be WR.  We know the "holdover" guy won't be here, but there is no word on whether the TSU WR Coach is coming.  And the RB might not be final.

One thing: We cannot possibly have had a coaching staff with this many pro players. So, there are four: Bayer, Simmons, Bowden, and George. Then you have pro coaching experience from Fisher and McNutt. It's huge.

I looked at our list of assistant coaches...I didn't do a full count....Cato June, Cornell Brown, Jon Hoke, Vance Joseph, Mark Miller...there are probably more who played in the NFL.

4 at a time is significant.  Let's say that.

So, the staff is coming together. It's time to get to work. Spring practice is coming up fast, and recruiting is going on like crazy.

Football Coaching Updates

Another update on the football staff....Steve Morrison has not been retained and that has left BG with four coaches from the previous staff: 

Derrick Jackson, DB

Alex Bayer, TE/ST

Greg Nosal, OL

Brian White, RB

As I understand it, that's the end of the process.  So next up will be incoming coaches.

Know this.  It's a madhouse down there.  Staffing up, getting coaches, recruiting across numerous levels....'25, '26, portal guys, OUR GUYS.  You want to grind?  Pick up a program in March.

The List Remains at 8

 

Now 57 elapsed years since BG has been in the NCAA MBB tournament.  Here is the company we live with now.  There are 8.

Columbia: Last appeared in 1968
Tennessee Tech: Last appeared in 1963
Maine: Division I since 1962 (Made the conference championship game but lost).
New Hampshire: Division I since 1962
Dartmouth: Last appeared in 1959
Army: Division I since 1948
Citadel: Division I since 1948
William & Mary: Division I since 1948

Three More Football Assistants Will Not Return

Coach George continues to work his way through the holdover staff and evaluate who will return.  We here from people who are not returning....not sure if anyone has been retained (and not said anything) or when those will be announced.

Cornell Brown and Robert Armand revealed themselves on X Friday.

Since then, the following coaches have also been informed they will not return:

• Sammy Lawanson, LB
• Max Warner, OC/QB
• David Cooney, WR

Man, this is a tough business.  These guys are being set adrift in the worst time of the year and this is their livelihood.  Unlike head coaches, they are probably on one-year deals.  It's amazing how quickly things can change. What a way of life.

Cooney is a good example. Guy has been on the BG staff for like 3 weeks.  His last job was in Miami.  Florida.  Moving into his first on-field coaching role.  Ouch.

Not blaming anyone...it's a tough business and that's the nature of the beast.  You can still acknowledge what these guys are faced with.

I suspect we will hear more.

UPDATE:

Also, Brian White, our RB Coach, who looked like he had left for Marshall is now tweeting "Go Falcons" so apparently he is still here.

Also, Justin Lamson has entered the portal. He was a QB who came in from Stanford and also played two years at Syracuse.

As reality zooms in again, BG has question marks at QB and that will need to be one of the first issues for our coach.

There are 4 players in the portal now, two of whom Never played for us.

Travel Revels, an up and coming DB

CJ Brown, a DB who was all-MAC at NIU and played for us last year.

Marcus Moore, a transfer from Akron on the DL who we liked.

Lamson

On we go.

Football Update

 A quick look into football.  No other players have joined the portal...DVDM pointed out in an interview that even if they enter the portal they have to stay at BG until the end of the semester, giving George the opportunity to talk to them.  For guys leaving but not getting paid significant money, that could make a difference.

No assistant coaches have been named.  However, DL Coach Cornell Brown and DB Coach Robert Armand have been told they will not be back.  They are off the website...Brian White is still there, so no idea on his status.

It's over...

The star-crossed, ill-fated MBB season has come to an end.

Ultimately, it was a disappointing season.  Not that I am disappointed in any person or coach or particularly have any fault to find...just that with the guys we had this year, I thought we had a shot at being pretty good and thanks to all the injuries we will never know.  That's disappointing, is all.

Usually after year two in a new coaching system, you look for progress.  Are we getting better?  That's not how it works anymore.  We mostly reboot every year.

A couple of things.

First, the late part of the season, where BG strung some wins together, is a tribute to our coaches and our players.  I liked that our players were resilient, even in games where things were not going well.  The Akron game in the tournament might be an exception, but by and large BG didn't quit.  As an example, we found out that Javonte Campbell has been playing with TWO broken hands since the Ball State game.  I don't think we lacked heart.

Second, I admire our Coaches for being flexible.  I feel like for our last two long-term coaches, the answer always was that we needed to do what we do better.  Simon tried to find ways for these guys to compete--including a zone defense that allowed us to cover up some defensive weaknesses and to play without fouling.

More on the season later.  We have yet to see the high-flying, 3FG shooting offense we were promised at the beginning. In general, for two years we have struggled to score.

Looking forward....who knows, right?  The portal opens in 10 days or so.  Even guys we think are out of eligibility may gain an additional year due to the JUCO ruling. They could also not use the year or use it elsewhere.  

BG also has 3 high-quality HS signees.  Beyond that, look to JUCO and portal players.

The game yesterday was just ugly.  As Coach said, there are some weaknesses to the way we play, and Akron exploited them without mercy.  They were determined to shoot over our zone and they certainly did that.  They made their first 3FGS and just over 4 minutes in, they were up 15-6.  The game was never closer again. 

There were a couple of opportunities when BG got a stop and had the lead at 9 and had a chance to maybe dig into the lead, but BG either gave up a basket or missed a layup.  Eventually the lead stretched and the game was over.

BG scored .88 points per possession.  Their only worse game was against St. Thomas.

We shot poorly (51% and 24%), but the real problem was turnovers.  BG turned the ball over on 28.9% of their possessions--their next worst was 21%. That's a really tough number to turn into a win.

Akron scored 1.26 points per possession, 4th fourth-worst this year for BG. Akron made 16 3FGs, far and away the most allowed by the Falcons.

So, yes, a disappointing end to a season that was disappointing.  There were things to like--resilience, coaching (from above), along with Marcus Johnson and seeing Jamai Felt turn into a player.  

Now to the off-season part of the game...roster construction.  We'll see who takes the floor in November and whether we can change the MAC's narrative---that the four teams playing tonight and Ohio are the relevant programs when championships are discussed.  

Quarterfinal MBB: Akron

 And now we come to the end...where one loss ends the whole thing.  

We are thrilled to be here. At 2-7 with starters out and the rest of the team coughing up a lung, this did not look very likely.  But we got a little healthier, moved to a zone defense and started getting stops and then came home strong enough to finish 8th (SOLE POSSESSION OF 8th!) and get to Cleveland.  Our guys earned it.  It did not have to go this way.

There are many reasons to think that we have next to no shot tomorrow, however.  Among them:

• Akron's two-decade dominance over us.
• The 10.5 point spread
• Their 17-1 record.
• Number one offense and number two defense in the MAC
• Best shooting and hardest to shoot against in the MAC.
• #1 defending both the 2FG and 3FG.
• #1 shooting the 2FG and #3 shooting the 3FG.
• Strong on the boards both ways
• #8 in preventing FTs.

On paper, you know, it doesn't look great.

Two things give me hope. 

One was January 3, 2025, the one and only time BG and Akron played this year. BG had basically what they have now except Thomas is out and Humphrey is back.  

BG led the game for 36:04.  In fact, BG had 2 shots at the rim inside :25 down 2, but couldn't convert and lost by 3.  So, we know we can play with them.

Second, I was starting to look back to see the last time a #8 beat the #1, and it turns out IT WAS LAST YEAR.   Kent beat UT and ended up in the final.

So it can happen.

Nate Johnson ended up as the MAC Player of the year and the Defensive Player of the Year.  You have to be careful when looking at their stats.  No one has big numbers because their minutes are so limited.  Nate Johnson plays 31 minutes a game, the highest they have.  They have 9 players who average 14 minutes a game or more. They are #24 in the country in bench minutes and #1 in the MAC.

Sharron Young had 17 off the bench in the first game. Okonkwo had 9 rebounds and 3 blocks.  For BG, Trey Thomas had 19 and Butler had 15.

This is our sixth meeting in the MAC tourney.  BG won the first two, and UA won the last 3.  That includes 2009, the year BG was #1 seed. It was a semi.  In 2016, BG made a tourney run, beating Kent at MACC, CMU in Cleveland and then lost to UA in the semi. And in 2021, BG lost in the final Turner/Plowden team.  Turner was badly injured, insisted on playing, but BG came up short.

Nothing but upside here folks.  Why Not Us?

MBB All-MAC Teams are out

 The All-MAC teams are out for MBB...let's take a look at what we ended up with.

For BG, there were two honorees.

Javonte Campbell was third-team All-MAC, which I think is fair.  He's a better player than that healthy, but with his injury that's what he was able to show.  He was also all-defense, where he made a serious impact and set the school single-season steal record.

Jamai Felt was all-FR.  Certainly deserved.  I would have had him all-defensive as well. Would love to have him back in orange and brown next season...we shall see.

Javonte and Jamai...congrats.  Well deserved.

The obvious slight is Marcus Johnson.  Not even honorable mention?  You can't be serious.

Groce was coach of the year.  How can you not?  It was a barren year for player of the year....there was no obvious pick or even three picks.  Nate Johnson won it...as well as defensive player of the year.  It makes sense to pick the best player on the 17-1 team. 

Here are the rest of the picks.

George Opening Presser Big Hit

 Well, Eddie George won the press conference.  What would you expect...the guy's been on Broadway in movies and TV?

No, it was a tour de force.  The Falcon Nation is picking up pitchforks and icepiks and riding to the sound of the battle.

I've got a couple highlights...but you owe it to yourself to listen to the whole thing.  Win or lose...we've never had a coach like this before.

First Van Der Merwe spoke.  (Actually, first Rogers spoke).  In DVDM's part, he said that he reached out to Urban Meyer for names we could talk to.  Urban gave him only one:  Eddie George.  The Lieutenant Governor also gave a strong recommendation for Eddie George.

George said that winning the MAC this year is the goal.  Long-term, beat UT, win the MAC, compete for the national championship.

When asked about the rivalry, he said, "I don't embrace it.  I don't embrace it at all.  When it comes, we are going to put our hands in the dirt and give them the iron fist."  (In fairness, he went on to give respect to the Rocket program).

There was a question from an OSU Blogger, who said that he was eventually doing Tennessee State a favor when he took the job originally.  He largely confirmed that.  He was living in Nashville (letting his blood warm up from the midwest cold), presumably because of his wife's music career.  The program was in real trouble.  He didn't want to coach, but eventually grew to be interested in the idea.

He says we will put a fence around Ohio.  This is a strategy for raising an NIL "warchest" for strategic purposes, but we will mostly "drawing a fence around Ohio" and seekto recruit and develop high school players, which is what he largely did at Tennessee State.

His son plays at TN State as well.

He showed real empathy for the BG assistants left behind.  He knows they are in the balance at a terrible time to find another job.  He will interview them as his first order of business so that he can provide them clarity to their future.  

Last part I really liked was that he is going to assess who we have and then adapt his approach to what they do best.  That's fantastic.  I hate it when coaches come in and say that they are going to take 3 years to install their system.  If you're a coach, you should be able to coach more than one way.  We are going to play physical.  He mentioned it several times.  Of course, you're going to need that in the MAC.

He also said that this is not a rebuild.  Loeffler got us to good.  He wants to take us to elite.

I think we're going to put some people in the stands this year.  His enthusiasm and determination is contagious.

Again, the whole presser is outstanding.  Take a listen.

Welcome to the Falcons, Eddie.  Beat Toledo.

Supplemental reading:

1.    NY Times article:  "Why would Eddie George accept the challenge at Tennessee State?"

2.    The challenge at Tennessee Tech.

• Eddie George led Tennessee State University's football program to back-to-back winning seasons in 2023 and 2024. 
• This was the first time the Tigers had consecutive winning seasons since 2016-17. 
• In 2024, the Tigers had their most wins since 2013 and a national ranking of 19. 
• Before George took over, the Tigers averaged just over three wins per year for four seasons. 
• In 2024, the Tigers had a 9-4 record and shared the Big South-OVC conference title. 
• In 2024, George was coach-of-the-year

3.    TSU is in real financial trouble....here and here.

4.    TSU Tiger Terrell Allen won the Buck Buchanan award in 2023 as top FCS player.

5.    LB Sanders Ellis was the 2024 defensive FR of the year.

6.    George had this to say about his Broadway gig.

7.    George scored his first NCAA TD against BG!

Blade Reports Eddie George Accepts Offer to Coach Falcons

 Well, according to the Blade, the deal is done.  Eddie George will be the next coach of the Falcons.

This is a wow.  It was reported over the weekend by Pete Thamel that George had been interviewed and it was a bombshell announcement.  And a bombshell hire that will get attention around college football.

According to the Blade, the other interviewees were UMass offensive coordinator Mike Bajakian, and Oklahoma State quarterbacks coach Kevin Johns.  Nick Monroe, the former BG assistant, apparently did not make the cut.  For my money, Bajakian and Johns were pretty meh and remember, when you get a football coach and they are meh, you are stuck with them for years.  It was a by-product of when we were doing the hiring...but it's a huge decision.  I would rather have gone for an interim in that case.

And there's no guarantee that George--or anyone--succeeds.  But it brings some energy and he has four more years of head coaching experience than the other two guys.

Tennesee State is an HBCU college.  They have had success, but when George came in they were on a downswing.  George had three years around .500, and then the Tigers broke through last year, going 9-4 and 6-2, conference co-champs, FCS playoff berth, he was Coach of the Year and a nominee for the Eddie Robinson National Coach of the Year.

Two things have to happen immediately.  He needs to get a staff together and he needs to talk to players and see if he can keep them in the fold.  I think he might have a better shot at that than most.

More to come.

MBB To Cleveland

Wow.  A season that has been absolutely crazy for the Falcon MBB team had a last day that was fittingly equally crazy. 

First, BG lost at home after a terrible call put WMU on the line in a tie game and about 3 seconds left.  One FT put the game away and the Falcons were now reliant on help.  (Note, without the foul, it's probably OT, so there was more to be played.

Ball State had lost to Miami, but BG also needed NIU to beat CMU.  As in, 15-point underdog NIU.  1-16 NIU. 

As BG funnelled into the locker room and loaded the game, CMU was ahead in the last minute.  NIU rallied and tied the game with :11 left to force OT.  The last minute of the 1st OT was scoreless, so on they go to 2OT.

NIU was up 4 with 1:30 left. CMU cut it to 2 with and the Pritchard tied it with :17 left. Then, on the last possession, NIU seemed to be trying to throw a pass to the post, overthrew and it went into the basket to give the Huskies to win.

Pandemonium in the BG locker room.  As well there should be.  Naturally, we would prefer to make it with a win.  But after all the BAD luck that has struck this team, this team was due to have some GOOD luck.  So, the 1-16 team rallies on the road and wins in 2OT on a most improbable shot...we, the team with the injuries and the illness that was at one point 2-7 in league play...we will take it, thank you very much.

See you in Cleveland.  And congrats to our boys.  You deserve it.

Football Update

So a few updates:

BG has a search firm engaged.

A lot of people were attracted to Mike Jacobs as our new coach.  He's the head coach at Mercer, Ohio guy, blah blah.  He's taken an extension at Mercer and will be staying.  In fact, there's a good chance his agent got the mention on Football Scoop with the idea of getting an extension.

Also, Vince Marrow has been mentioned and appears to have interviewed.  There are a couple obstacles.  Most of all, he's a ROCKET.  Right now, he's been at Kentucky for the last 12 years or so and is their TE Coach and assistant Head Coach.

As I said before, I think a sitting head coach will be difficult to swing.  In fact, this is a case study in action. Even once you have a coach, you also have to fill a staff...with the idea we're trying to upgrade the program.

I have heard that BG expects to name someone by tomorrow, early next week or before the MAC Tournament.

Speaking of assistant coaches, Brian White, our RB Coach and BBQ expert is now tweeting before the first day of Spring Practice at Marshall.  Nothing that I can find has been announced.

There have been no other portal entries on twitter, but JD Singletary (a 26 commit) has re-opened his recruiting.

The BIG Game! (MBB)

The regular season ends tomorrow.  BG is playing WMU....with a win, BG is in the tourney...with a loss, they need both Ball State and CMU to lose as well.

It has been a wild and unexpected ride. At one point, BG was 2-7 in MAC play.  A trip to Cleveland appeared nearly impossible.  BG has won 6-8 in the MAC since then (7-9 overall) and put that into play.  With a win, BG is 9-9 in MAC play, which is pretty amazing given the injuries and the flu bug that flew through the team.

I'm proud of this team and our program. Playing like this under duress is the kind of program I want us to have.  I also want us to be the kind that goes 16-2, has nothing go wrong and makes the Sweet Sixteen.  But you face the first scenario more in life than the second.

We beat WMU the first time. The first game was not a defensive affair.  BG had 1.2 points per possession and WMU had 1.14.  BG won by 4. What you see below is a close game.  BG made 7 of 8 at the line coming home.  The key difference was BG going 6 of 17 from 3FG and WMU going 4-21.

WMU is overachieving.  They were picked 10th in the MAC.  They were 4-7 in the MAC, but have gone 4-2 since then, including home wins over OU and Miami. They lost their last one also at home to Kent by 1.

They are 4-4 in MAC play on the road.

It seems to me to be a decent matchup for us.  BG is playing as good on the defensive end as anyone on the MAC.  WMU is last in the MAC in shooting and last in 3FG shooting. They are 10th in 2FG shooting. If we play defense as we have been, we can keep their point total low.  The one thing to watch for is the offensive rebounding, which is 2nd in the MAC, as you would expect from an Izzolyte.

Against a zone, they might make a difference.  As you can see below, they rebounded against us really well last time.

They are 7th in defense. They are 10th against the shot, 9th against the 2FG. They are 9th in terms of giving up FTs, which might be the key number for us.  We offensive rebounded like crazy in the first one, but I don't think we can't count on that.  We have not been crashing the boards at all, presumably to avoid fouling.

Chansey Willis the 2nd leading scorer in the MAC in MAC play at 17.6 PPG. He shoots 51% and 31%, 4.2 RPG and is #2 in the MAC with 5.8 per game. 

JaVaugh Hannah is scoring 12.9 PPG, shooting 50% and 27%. Marki Strickland is scoring 11.4 PPG on 49% and 27%. 

Donovan Williams is scoring 10.1 PPG on 46% and 35%.  He is #5 in the MAC in rebounding with 7.2 rpg.

They have 9 players averaging 10 minutes more a game, which could be a factor. 

So here we go.  Let's hope to see the Falcons get it done.  It's a good run and it would be great to take it to Cleveland.

MBB Wins 4th Straight Road Game

When BG starts next season, they will have a 4-game road winning streak. The Falcons went to DeKalb and got it done, driving the Huskies to their 11th straight loss, which we may only hope they break Friday against CMU.

Though we don't need that.  BG didn't get a lot of help in other games, but with a win, they will qualify to Cleveland.  If they were to lose that one, they would need both Ball State and CMU to lose as well.  Ball State plays @Miami while CMU hosts NIU.

Anyway, the Broncos are next. BG beat them earlier.  They are playing better, winning 4 of their last 6, including beating MU and OU.

The NIU game featured two depleted teams.  NIU probably has had a worse injury season than BG has, and they essentially played with a 6-man rotation while BG played with 7.  

The early part of the game was close and it was tied at 24 with 7:21 left.  Over the next 5 minutes, BG went on a 12-3 run to go up 9, but then did not score again and ended up leading by 5 at the break.

The first half featured 4 ties and 10 lead changes. 

The second was mostly in BG's hands, but NIU was keeping it close.  With 11 left, BG was up 2.  On the next two possessions, BG found Felt for an alley-opp and a slam dunk.  It seemed to spark the Falcons. The game was never closer than 7 again and BG was up more than 10 for the last 3 minutes or so.

And that's a win.  

BG has been getting it done on defense.  In their last 6 wins, they have held teams below 1.01 points per possession. The MAC average is 1.09.  In this one, NIU had .85 points per possession which is BG's 4th best D1 game of the year.  The amazing thing is that NIU took 68% of their shots from 3FG.  That's just incredible...it's the highest against BG in the kenpom era, which dates to 1997.  It's almost for sure the most ever.

The problem is, they only made 28%.  That's a recipe for losing.  They also made 33% from 2FG.  That equals out to 39.5% EFG, third-best for the BG defense this season. BG shot well, making 46% from 2FG and 50% of their 3FGs. BG lost the turnover battle, and kept a terrible NIU rebounding team off the offensive boards. That's the second-lowest offensive rebounding percentage against BG in the kenpom era, the only lowest result being in 1997.

BG was 17 of 26 at the line, while NIU was 13 of 17.

Javonte Campbell had his string of 20+ games end, but just barely.  He had 19 on 7 of 12 shooting.  He was only only 5-9 at the line. He also had 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 blocks, 1 steal and 3 turnovers.

Johnson had 17, but it was not the easiest night. He was 3 of 10 from 2FG and 2 of 3 on 3FG, and he also missed 2 FTs, ending his 32-FT streak. He had 7 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 turnovers.

Derrick Butler had 14 and 7 rebounds. Humphrey had 11 and 5 rebounds.

So, this is it.  One last regular season game to come...

Two Games Left...MBB makes trip to DeKalb

Who knows, BG MBB might be making their final bus trip to DeKalb, the worst trip in the MAC.

Look, its been a rough season for the Huskies.  In D1 games, they are 2-24.  Their kenpom is 351 out of 364.  They are 1-15 in MAC play...and have lost last 10 straight, including the Sun Belt game.  They are just really struggling.

I watched their last game, and they were within 4 with 7 to play.  They suffered an epic collapse against EMU, blowing a 7-point lead with 1:21 to play. They took BSU to overtime and they staged a frantic late rally to lose to UT by 4.

Once in a while, they get close to winning.  This is their last home game...if it's close, they will do whatever they have to.  Not to be a voice of doom or Mr. This-is-America's-best-2-24-team, but we still need to play the game.

If they are going to steal a win coming home, let it be Friday against CMU when it does us some good.

BG beat them earlier at the Stroh 84-77.  It was the start of BG's turnaround, breaking a five-game losing streak and opening up a 6-2 stretch.  NIU never led, but they kept it close.  They were within 1 in the 2nd half and it was a 6-point BG lead at the game's last media break.  BG stormed home 13-4 to put the win away.

It was the rare game where you can win while being outshot.  BG was better on all of the other stats and were +8 at the line. 

The rebounding was not surprising, because NIU is the worst offensive rebounding team in the country and in MAC play are the worst in offensive and defensive rebounding.  Overall, they are 11th in offense and 11th in defense in the MAC.  They are last in 2FG shooting and last in FT shooting. They try the highest percentage of 3FGs and are #6 at making them.

They are also last in giving up FTs in the MAC, something BG will probably want to take advantage of. BG is #2 in the MAC in getting to the line.

Their leading scorer is Quentin Jones, who scores 17.5 PPG (MAC Games). That's #4 in the MAC.  He leads the MAC in minutes, so that's a little misleading, but he is efficient, making 50% and 40%. Also 5.9 RPG and 47 assists.  He had 19 in the first game.

James Dent is their 2nd leading scorer at 14.6 PPG, making 44% and 31%.  Gets to the line a lot. 

Their other double figure scorer was Quaran MacPherson, who has missed the last 4 games.  No idea of his status.

Nasir Muhammed averages about 9 points and is #7 in the MAC in 3FG shooting at 41%.

So here we go.  Last road game of the year. BG has won 3 straight on the road.  A win doesn't clinch anything, but it keeps our destiny in our own hands.

BG Men's Basketball Wins 3rd Straight

The Falcon MBB team has won three straight for the first time this season.  And 6 of 8. After a long prelude, this team is officially fun again. Coach said after the game that we are on our fifth identity this year, but right now we seem really comfortable in a confounding zone defense, not fouling and letting Javonte Campbell make things happen.

Here's how things stand.  This list starts at #6.  BG and BSU are tied for the last spot.  We need to beat two of the teams on this list.  We can't make it with a win Tuesday....it's going to take at least until the finale.

Tie breakers are wonky, especially as you think about multiple teams.  If BG tied BSU right now, the Cards would take the spot.  The season series is even, so you start working down the standings....both teams are winless vs. Akron, Miami and OU.  KSU is in 4th and Ball State beat Kent whereas BG did not.  There's a lot that could happen....UT could finish third (although it appears BG broke them) and that would favor the Falcons.  Ball State also plays Miami and a win there would lock that two-way tiebreaker up.

I can't see a scenario where we win both and don't make it. In fact, you could argue that if we both, we have a great shot at finishing 6th at 9-9.  

We could make it with 8 wins.  Let's say we lose to WMU, but end up tied at 8-10 with Ball State, EMU and Ball State...we would take that tie breaker.  However, if the tie at 8-10 is only BG and Ball State, as noted above, we would be out.  We would also lose the head to head to EMU because they beat Miami.

FWIW, I asked ChatGPT to list all the possible permutations and it has not been able to do it.  There may be a hole in the ozone layer named for me.

Let's win both.  It's the most likely outcome.  I do worry about our guys running out of gas-- but, Laissez les Bons Temps Rouler.

The first half felt a lot like the first game.  BG was down 14-7 9 minutes in....yes, that's a basketball score.  The game was competitive for the rest of the half, with a small BG surge leaving them ahead by 1 at the break, 25-24.

The second half was much improved.  A Butler transition 3FG 2 minutes in put BG up 4 and BG never trailed again. With about 14 to play they were up 10--a 4-minute 12-2 run in total.  Much like teams have done to us, BG was able to repel runs.  BS got it to 3, Campbell scores on the next possession.  They get it to 2, Felt on the boards and follows up with a tip in. 

At that point, it was 47-43 with 8 to play.  BG went on a four-minute 10-2 run to make the lead 12 with 4:02 to play.  At that point, it's a 99% chance to win and it never got closer than 9, the final differential.

Solid win.  Not a clinging on for dear life win.  Love to see it.

Here is the difference....first the BG offense comparing game 1 and game 2.  Essentially no difference.

Game	BG Offense	EFG	2FG	3FG
Game 1	94.2	47%	49%	30%
Game 2	95.3	46%	49%	26%

And here is the BS offense for the two games...BG simply played much better defense while playing essentially the same offense that got their butt kicked.   You will rarely lose with these kind of numbers.

Game	BSU Off	EFG	2FG	3FG
Game 1	1.24	65%	67%	41%
Game 2	0.81	39%	39%	26%

So here are the four factors for the game. BG combined better shooting with fewer turnovers, a wash in rebounding and better FT shooting.

Which brings up a point.  I noted that Ball State was #2 in the nation at getting to the FT line.  BG allowed them 7 FTs, tied for the lowest free throw rate of the season for them.  As Coach pointed out to the team in the locker room, it's the second straight game under 10 FTs for our opponents.  It's really important...we absolutely cannot play with this depth level if we foul.

Individually, Coach made a point of noting to the team that Jehmari Hill, the #6 scorer in the MAC, scored nothing in the game...0-8 shooting.  And Brittain-Watts also drew a blank. Sparks had 14 but it took him 10 shots.

For BG, Javonte Campbell had 26 points, 9 of 15 and 1 of 3, 5 of 5 at the line, 3 assists, 3 steals and 1 turnover, if that might work for you.  And +13.

He has been over 20 points in his last five games.  He has made over 50% from 2FG in all of them, despite the fact that teams don't expect him to make 3s.  I don't know what it takes to be MAC player of the week, but who cares.  He is carrying the team on his back.

Johnson scored BG's first 7 and then ended up with 15. That's 3 of 5 and 3 of 5, and 8 rebounds.

Felt had 8, making all 4 of his shots, plus 9 rebounds and +16.  Exacte also had 9 rebounds and Braelon Green was +12.

In fact, this is really interesting...BG's top 3 lineups in terms of minutes all had negative differentials.

BG was +14 on lineups that played 2:45, 1:22 and 1:02, respectively.  Campbell, Greene and Felt were the only players in all 3 units.

So on we go.  NIU is something to be nervous about. They have been clinging to victory and they are still playing hard.  BG would expect to win the game, but if they come in feeling that way, NIU can beat them.

Initial Reaction to Loeffler Departure

Given the time we were in the calendar, it was sure that Coach Loeffler's announcement would make big news and it did.  I am happy for him and wish him the best.  This is an incredible opportunity and I don't see how you could turn it down.

Back at home, there was an almost immediate announcement that Mike Jacobs is a candidate, followed by a lot of enthusiasm from the Falcon Nation.  One caveat--and I have no inside information at all--but lots of times these are posts from agents or placement firms looking to get their guy into the conversation.

Having said that....Jacobs is the kind of guy we need, in my opinion.  Days are gone when BG would just find a coordinator at a power school and give them their head coaching start. Many of those guys today make more than our whole staff.  You either need a non-coordinator or a head coach from FCS or below.

I have always liked getting coaches who have been head coaches, while fulling conceding that you have seen both types of coaches succeed in the MAC.  I just like the track record of having run a program.  Ball State, CMU and UMass followed the same track with their coaches this off-season.

Jacobs checks that box, having been a very successful coach in DII and FCS.  He also knows Ohio.  He is the third-generation of a well-known Ohio HS football coaching family.  He is from Maumee.  And he played at Ohio State.

So, you can see why people are excited.  A proven winner. From what i have seen, there is some doubt about whether a head coach would leave his school right before spring practice.  They usually like to bring their assistants...could a guy completely hollow out a program at this point in the calendar?

I guess time will tell.

Chris Vannini of The Athletic had the following list of potential coaches. Note, Jacobs was his first. (It's my commentary).

Mount Union head coach Geoff Dartt.  Lance Leipold without the national tities.

Toledo defensive coordinator Vince Kehres:  The second choice of the Falcon Nation

Michigan running backs coach Tony Alford.  Ohio State apostate.

Kansas offensive coordinator Jim Zebrowski.  I like this guy.  Has been a DIII Head Coach with a 28-12 record.  Assistant at UB during the years they ran crazy on everyone, us included. I would prefer we get an offensive whiz, frankly.  

Minnesota co-defensive coordinator Nick Monroe:  interesting choice.  Was an assistant for Clawson and Babers at BG and a super-recruiter.  Some think he's among the best recruiters we ever had.  Would be his first head coaching gig.

John Carroll University (Ohio) athletic director Brian Polian.  Always is on these lists.  NO NO NO NO NO NO.

Eastern Kentucky head coach Walt Wells.  Good track record.  Has beaten BG.  He's 57, I suspect we are looking for someone younger.

Chattanooga head coach Rusty Wright.  He has coached in the MAC but mostly in the South.  Decent success at UTC.  I'd say we were trying to fill the list out.

Dino Babers:  NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO

I have not thoroughly vetted these guys for a complete absence of Texas ties.

Often, the guy we get won't be on any lists.

As for now, 10 AM on Sunday, BG has three players in the portal.

• Travel Revels, an up and coming DB
• CJ Brown, a DB who was all-MAC at NIU and played for us last year.
• Marcus Moore, a transfer from Akron on the DL who we liked.

The main question with transfers is how bad will it get?  We will certainly fill the job within the 30-days you get to transfer when the coach changes, so they have a chance to evaluate the new regime. I would still expect significant departures.

BG Looks for Memorable Game Against BSU. (MBB).

 

Just 3 games left.  With a win, BG can move into a tie for 7th or 8th including with WMU, who they finish the year against.  They need to get to 8 wins...and this one is key to doing that.

The first game in Muncie was forgettable.  Ball State led for 37 minutes. BG battled to get the game back to 6 with 5:33 left, but the Cards went 27-11 from that point on to win by 22.  Coach Simon was T'd twice and DQ'd.

As you can see, the big difference was shooting.  The 47% for BG wasn't terrible, but 65% for Ball State is about as bad as we have been all year.  Very tough to win allowing that kind of shooting.  Ball State made 67% on 2FG and 41% on 3FG, both really strong numbers.

As you can see, the other items are close.

Peyton Sparks had 19 points and 13 rebounds. In total, six Cards ended up in double figures.

One interesting thing about BSU is that they are good at getting fouled.   They are #2 in the nation in free throw rate and #1 in the MAC. In 15 games of MAC play, their opponents have been called for 309 fouls and BSU has been called for only 245.  That's almost a 4 per game difference. They have made 100 more FTs than their opponents, meaning they average almost +7 at the line in every game.

And still they are sub .500. Most of the problem is on defense.  They are 5th in scoring and 2nd in 3FG shooting in the MAC, though they are selective.  They are 9th on defense, 8th against the shot and last in forcing turnovers. They are the easiest team to shoot 2FGs against and 2nd in defending the 3FG. 

Their leading scorer is Jehmari Hill, a JUCO transfer scoring 16.5 PPG, #6 in the MAC and #7 in assists. He plays a lot of minutes, so that helps his stats. He shoots 47% and 30%, neither of which is great.  Sparks is scoring 14.9, on 62% 2FG shooting, and 8.9 RPG, #1 in the MAC. Mickey Pearson scores 13.7 PPG, highly efficient with 52% 2 FG and 41% 3FG shooting.

BG is playing well with its shortest roster of the year.  Javonte Campbell is making a real difference as the instigator of the offense.  BG is a 1.5 point favorite in what promises to be a competitive game.  We are trying something really difficult, needing to win all or most of their games while down to a very skinny rotation.  I love that they are giving us something to root for...at 2-7 that didn't seem very likely. 

Loeffler Leaves BG....Have that on your bingo card?

The news out this morning, my friends.  And it's a wow.  Scot Loeffler is returning to the NFL for a position with the Eagles.

Whew, things can change fast.  Because everything is up for grabs now.  I imagine more news will come out, maybe Loeffler will comment on what was happening, but right now, everything is in play. The quality of life has to be much higher in the NFL..College football is a new world and not necessarily a great one.

1.  The timing is awful. AWFUL. We're ready for spring practice, and there's a portal opening right after that.  BG says it is launching a national search, so we won't be using an interim as a bridge coach. No one else is hiring--how's that for a bright side?  This is an attractive job.  You can win here. But, the timing is absolutely awful.

2.  What often happens when a coach leaves is that the team enters the portal en masse.  There have been teams who bring in 65 new players.  Sometimes that's OK....Liberty had an incredible season the year they beat us and they had an incredible number of new players.  Everyone is up for grabs, though. We know that "agents" come after even average players in the middle of the season.  I guarantee that every player has their phone blowing up right now. You can practically hear it. Including our early enrollees and last year's signees.  BG will scramble the fighters to try and keep as many players as they can, but until there's a coach and assistants, that's really tough.

3.  We will also have to battle to keep assistants to help with that process.  We have some guys who would be in demand, and they will be looking out for themselves, as they should.  We probably have some guys who don't have as many options in a world where being a graduate assistant with Loeffler 15 years ago is no longer helpful.

There will be plenty of time to assess the Loeffler Era here.  He has critics--fairly--and they will be happy to finally see a change. I think he did good things. He dug us out.  He put competitive teams on the field, and he beat UT.  It was fun last year to go to the stadium and figure we would win.

I also wrote about my disappointment over the last two games and my general feeling that we should have been better and scored more, given the generational talent we had out there.  It's fair to wonder if he did good work to get us where we were, and he was a decent coach but not a great one.

Also, the program he wanted to build probably doesn't exist anymore.  He kept mentioning Clawson--who also retired out of frustration.

I do trust our AD to get us a good coach.  Timing is working against us...we are off cycle.  No one from Texas, please.

Watch this space.

BG MBB Gets Another Road Win

The Falcons inched closer to Cleveland last night, picking up a third-straight road win, this time over the EMU Eagles.  There are some things to note here.  EMU had been playing better---they had beat UT and MU at home in the last couple of weeks.  BG came in short-handed, as they will for the remainder of the year.  They also came in off a big, emotional win on Friday.  This would have been a prime point to have a let down.

And while there was a very rough patch, the Falcons ended up getting the win.

It was not a typical game.  EMU never led and BG led for 36:00.  Within that....is a story.

The first half could not have gone any better.  BG made 5-8 from 3FG...meanwhile, their zone defense completely flummoxed EMU, who went 1-16 from 3FG.  BG ended up leading by as much as 18 and by 16 at the break., 35-19.

The second half started out pretty rough.  EMU went on a 12-0 to start the half and had the game tied with about 14 left.  You go from looking like a cakewalk to a real battle in 6 minutes.  EMU never broke though but the game was still tied with 10 minutes left.

I was starting to really sweat. Given all the issues, you had to wonder if BG had the strength to turn it around.

Turns out, they did. BG went on a 10-2 run to go up 8 with 7 to play.  The game was in hand most of the way, though the Falcons had some trouble with pressure in the last few minutes.  EMU had it down to 4 with the ball before Henry missed a 3FG and Campbell hit 4 FTs to close it out, BG winning 65-60.

It was a nice win.  As mentioned, EMU has been playing better.  They made a hard run at the Falcons, which the Falcons absorbed and turned around.  Coming into a possible let-down game, it was a good effort.

It wasn't a great offensive game for BG.... they scored .98 per possession.  BG won the shooting battle easily, battled even on turnovers, had a terrible disadvantage on the boards but made 10 of 16 at the line while EMU made 2-4.  BG committed only 10 fouls.

BG struggled from 2FG, making only 42%, but made 52% from 3FG, their best D1 game of the season.

Meanwhile, they held EMU to .91 PPP.  EMU was good from 2FG (57%) but made only 21% on 3FG.

Javonte Campbell continued to take the team on his back.  He scored 25 on 7 of 12 and 1 of 2 from 3FG. He has made only 5 3FGs in MAC play, but teams play off him due to his injury and if he can nail the open ones, it helps.  He was fouled 11 TIMES and took 13 of BG's 16 FTs, making 10. He had 5 rebounds, 7 assists, 6 turnovers and 5 steals, giving him the BG all-time single-season steal record, previously held by DeMar Moore.

Humphrey had 14, making all 4 of his 3FGs. Butler had 11 and 5 rebounds.

Marcus Johnson seems like his batteries are getting low.  He was not much of a factor in this one....he has carried this team most of the year, so he deserves some grace.

BG played 7 guys.  EMU played 10.

Here is how things stand.  The orange highlights are games where kenpom has that team with a 50% chance of winning or better.  BG was supposed to lose to EMU, and now has a shot at hitting 9 wins.  Reminder there are five teams above this group, so you need to finish 3rd among this group to get to Cleveland.  BG has two games with teams they are competing with and they are at home....the finish is more interesting than it was shaping up to be.

MBB EMU Preview

BG's last ditch effort to close the gap and make it to Cleveland now moves to Ypsilanti for a road game against the Eagles.

The first game was tough for BG.  Marcus Johnson got 2 fouls in the first two minutes.  BG shot terrible for the game.  EMU made 10-20 from 3FG.  BG did well on turnovers, rebounding and free throws and against all odds, the lead was down to 1 with 1:25 left, EMU ball.  The Eagles scored the last 6 and won by 7.

Coach Simon called it disappointing. BG was 10 of 25 inside the restricted area.  That's a wow.  And an additional 2 of 5 in the non-restricted paint area. Coach mentioned that BG missed transition corner 3s that "have to go down."

BG will need to turn that around against an EMU team that has modestly exceeded expectations.

Picked 11th in the MAC, they are #7 right now.  They have won 3 straight in the MAC, beating UT and MU in YPSI and then rallying from 7 down in the last 1:21 to beat NIU in DeKalb.   They are 5-2 in MAC play at home and are going well right now.

Oregon and DePaul transfer Jalen Terry was MAC player of the week.  In this last four games, he has scored 25, 38, 24 and 28.  In the 38 vs. Toledo, he made 15 out of 17 shots. He also had 9 rebounds against Miami and he hit the 3FG that put NIU down in the last one.  He's playing as well as any player in the MAC right now.

He had 13, 8 rebounds and 5 assists in the first game vs. BG.

Overall, EMU is #8 in the MAC in offense and #9 in defense. They are #5 in shooting but #11 in turnovers...turnovers kept the first game close. They are #10 in fouling...FTs also kept the first one close.

BG is bound to shoot better than they did in the first one and BG is shorthanded, as you have no doubt heard by now.  Can they raise the emotion to the level they did to beat UT?

MBB Route to Cleveland

 With four to play, let's take a look at BG's route to getting to Cleveland.  Preview is that it's probably less than 50%, but it is possible.

OK, here is what this is.  The top team in this set would be 6th.  The bottom would be 10th.

The first numbers are the current records and the next are the remaining games.  Orange highlights are what kenpom is predicting for the game (as a starting point).

Kenpom has a lot of love for CMU due to their wins @South Alabama and @George Mason.  Right now, they are ranked #176, which is roughly were OU is ranked.  I think it's safe to say that isn't reflecting the reality on the floor.

Kenpom has CMU going 4-0.  They do have a relatively easy schedule--they play UB and NIU--but they also have @EMU and @BS, and I think it's likely they get 0 or 1 win in that set.

So, the columns after that are:

• If CMU wins all 4 going home.
• If they lose BOTH EM and BS
• If they beat EM and lose to BS
• If they lose to EMU and beat BS

So, look.  Inside all the possibilities, the hardest thing is going to be for BG to go 3-1.  Yes, we rallied the troops Friday at Savage, but how long can this undermanned team continue to do that?  Who knows?  But 3-1 coming home would be a hell of an accomplishment.

Let's say we do it.  Let's say it plays out this way...

At 8-10, BG would be in under 3 of the four scenarios.  The four-way tie in the "CMU>EMU) scenario is not good for BG, who would have only 1 win in that tiebreaker set.  But 8-10 gives us a pretty good shot.

I checked at 7-11.  I'm not saying its impossible, but it's a lot harder to see, especially since it probably means a loss to BSU or WMU, who are in the group looking for these last two slots.

So, there is a shot.  It's not gong to be easy, but it also is still in play.

MBB Beats Hated Rockets

Sweet victory.

Oh man.  Sweet victory.

That one is one for the record books.  So proud of our boys.  As Coach said after the game, we had every reason to mail it in.  You're already undermanned and Trey Thomas goes down.  Easiest thing in the world is to say "it's not our fault" and take a beating.  (I might point you to March 2022 in the season finale at Savage, for example).

And yet they didn't.  BG essentially played 6 guys for the game.  And yet, we led for 31 minutes.  Here's the amazing thing....never by more than 6.  There were 14 lead changes in the game.  It was a highly compelling college basketball game.

And add in the rivalry.  It doesn't get much better.

And we looked like we were heading down the same path as we have been late in games. Starting at about 11 minutes to go, BG went 4 minutes without scoring.  But, they also played strong D and only lost 1 point over the period--you're still nervous, you feel like we missed chances in there to stretch the lead. 

BG steadied and UT kept coming.  The game was tied with 2:23 left.

UT got a stop and had the ball.  Sonny Wilson was driving, guarded by DaJion Humphrey, who had missed time with a hernia earlier in the year.  Humphrey stayed with him and Wilson eventually pushed off for space and Humphrey drew the foul.

Humphrey came down and turned it over, but on the next possession Simmons was driving to the basket and Humphrey took a charge, this one with his feet just outside the restricted area.

BG missed another shot and then UT drew a foul.  With :20 left, Lewis split the pair and UT led by 1. BG called time and set a play up.  They got Campbell on the baseline, but he missed.  Exacte had a second chance.  He missed.  There was a battle for the ball and Exacte had it again. Most guys would have pumped up what would have been a 12-footer. 

But Exacte saw Campbell alone on the baseline and made a pass that shows high IQ.  Campbell then went under 2 UT defenders and finished the play like a boss. Watch it here. It's worth it.

The lesser Tod failed to work him OB magic and BG hung on to win the game.  From Humphrey to Exacte to Campbell, we made the plays we needed coming home.

And, as Derrick Butler noted post-game, they savored the sweet silence of Savage Hall.

And the team's joy.  Man, these guys have persevered this year.  Injuries, flu, etc.  You'd like to think all that will be rewarded, but it's not a given.  So they enjoyed it when it was.  It would have been sweet anywhere...but on UT's floor, it won't get any sweeter.

I have nothing but admiration.  I'd recommend listening to Coach Simon's presser, too.  This is a guy I would follow anywhere.

One thing is that he makes adjustments to try and win.  I feel like under previous regimes we sort of said "we just have to do what we do."  We switched defenses he said we implemented some "unique" things and we had Campbell off the bench to try and make sure we always had a scorer on the floor. In all walks of life, that kind of thinking is the difference.  I have done it myself. How can you change the dynamic?

Anyhow, it worked.  BG scored 1.03 points per possession, which is not a great game.  UT scored 1.01, which is, you know, less.  Fewer.  It is their lowest in a MAC game.  

The difference was shooting.  BG made 54% and 33% and UT made 42% and 31%.  UT had fewer turnovers, rebounding was very close and UT had a clear advantage at the line.

Campbell had 23 points on 9 of 13 and 1 of 5 shooting, 3 rebounds, 3 assists and 5 turnovers.  Butler was 5 of 7 and 3 of 9 and 5 rebounds. Johnson struggled at 1 of 4 and 2 of 4, 10 points, 7 rebounds and 4 turnovers.

How about Exacte?  How does 12 rebounds and 4 assists work, especially the one that won the game?  I hope we can hang onto him.

Anyway, three cheers to our guys.  I said earlier in the year...I think this staff is going to get it done.  It's been a rough year, but we have the right guys.  

Meanwhile, savor it.

Hated Rockets Part II (MBB)

 BG makes the trek up I-75 for the second game of the Rivalry of I-75.

First, some news that just hit as I was writing this.  Trey Thomas has a broken leg and won't play again this year, per Jon Rothstein, per Todd Simon.

This is a year we will be ready to see go into the rear view mirror.

UT's win in the opener was the first game of a five-game winning streak for the Rockets....four of them in conference.  They followed that by losing @Miami and @EMU before beating BSU at Savage in their last game when a buzzer beat for the Cards was taken off the board.

They are 9-4 with their streak of regular season titles about to end.  Their kenpom is 219, their lowest since Kowalcyk's first year with the Gene Cross mess.

I was curious what was the difference this year, and it is definitely defense.  UT's program is known for having a great offense, but they quietly coupled that with solid to good defenses.  Their were 2nd, 3rd and 5th twice in defensive efficiency in that period. This year they are last.  In all games, they are 30th worst in the country.

They are 10h against the shot and last against the 3FG and 11th in forcing steals.  As always, they don't give up FTs.  BG scored 84 against the #1 defense Tuesday, so maybe they can convert that into enough scoring to win Friday.  

I re-read the first game writeup, which UT won 84-71.  It actually reminded me a lot of the Kent game in that every time BG chipped it close, UT got an easy basket to push the lead back up again.  As Coach Simon said, "they made us pay."

You can see, they outshot us badly and outrebounded us.  BG did get to the line and made 74%, which is not bad, but UT has the best FT shooting team in the MAC and made 82%.  Even with that disparity at getting to the line, BG was only +3. 

The secret to turning this around is for BG to make more shots against a defense that people are making shots against.  Of course, that gets all the harder on the road.  UT has only lost at home once in MAC play this year.

UT never plays a deep rotation and they didn't against BG.  However, they put four players in double figures.  Sonny Wilson had 18 on 6 of 8 and 1 of 1 shooting, 3-3 at the line, 5 rebounds, 4 assists and 1 turnover, if that works for you.

UT was a 7.5 point favorite before the Thomas news hit. The Rockets have laid some stinkers this year, maybe we'll get a long-overdue good break.

BG MBB "Can't Get Over the Top" vs. Kent

BG played one of its better games of the last month last night at the Stroh, but eventually fell 91-84 to a Kent team that is peaking at the right time, as they often seem to do.

BG played a terrible first half.  They were 6 of 21 on 2FG and 2 of 9 on 3FG, shooting 27% overall.  Only 10 FTs made the result somewhat respectable.  BG made 7 turnovers and coach said we missed 7 layups.  BG was down 13....and the Falcons had played so poorly that Coach was able, with a straight face, to tell his team that they were lucky to only be down 13 and could still get into the game.

BG played much better in the second half, even as Thomas missed the last 14 minutes and Felt battled foul trouble.  Every time BG seemed to get it where they were back in touch, Kent responded with a basket and usually an easy one.

With about 13 left, BG had it to 5.  Crowd is getting into it.  Need a stop....KS layup.

From that point, Kent blew the lead back up to over 10 and appeared to have the game in control.  The Falcons might be a lot of things, but they are battlers.  With 5 minutes left, Kent was up 12.  BG went on a 10-2 run, featuring 7 points and a steal by Javonte Campbell, who is an absolute warrior.  

With 3:02 left, the lead was 4.  Crowd's into it.  Need a stop.  VonCameron gets a mismatch with Humphrey and bullies home a 2FG.  Actually and-one, but he didn't convert.

Campbell rebounds and he comes down and scores again.  Still 4 points, 2:48 left.

Perhaps the game's pivotal play comes next.  Johnson blocks Hornbeak, but on the pursuit for the ball Butler was called for a ridiculous foul.  Sullinger hits both FTs, and the lead is up to 6.

BG raced down again and Campbell was fouled.  He hit both FTs and it was 4 with 2:01 left.  Need a stop.

Sullinger drew a foul and sunk both FTs.

Johnson missed a 3FG and Kent ran clock.  Sullinger charged on the left side and was probably 12 feet away when he let a floater go that was nothing but net.  Kent up 8 with 1:24 left.

BG did get it to 4 one more time.  Johnson hit a 3FG, BG got a stop, Campbell on the board and Kent fouled Buter.  He split the FTs to get it back to 4 but it was just under :30, so the foul game was on.  Kent made 3 of 4 coming home and won by 7.

The game was played at 72 possessions, which is a victory for BG.

BG had 1.17 points per possession against the most efficient defense in the MAC.  That's usually a winning number, but they allowed Kent 1.26.  Kent presents matchup issues for us, and they are as good as anyone at isolating those matchups and not getting fancy.  They made 67% of their 2FGs, for example.

And they have Jalen Sullinger, who I hope we have seen the last of.  He had 32 points on 7 of 10 shooting and 15-15 at the line.  He also had 5 boards, 5 assists and 1 turnover.

BG was outshot pretty badly.  They made the game close by taking good care of the ball and really battling a Kent team that always rebounds very well.  And BG had the advantage at the line, which you expect.  Kent will foul you rather than let you hit an easy shot.  It impacts your 2FG% and your free throw opportunities.

BG had a good night at the line, 27-37 (79%).  KS was 20-23 for 87%.

Javonte Campbell is just gutting it out for us.  He has not practiced since January 6. He cannot shoot a 3FG and everyone knows it and defends him accordingly. He had 26 points on 7 of 11 shooting, 12 of 15 at the line, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals and 2 turnovers.  It's maybe the biggest "what could have been" for our team.

Johnson had 21 on a less efficient night, 2 of 7 from 2FG and 5 of 13 from 3FG.  There isn't always much he can do...on many possessions he seems to be the only guy willing to shoot.

Exacte had 11 on 3 of 5 and 1 of 1 shooting and 7 rebounds.  I really like this guy's potential and hope we see him continue to grow here at BG.

Felt had 8 points and 9 rebounds.

As mentioned, Trey Thomas went down on a flagrant foul and did not return.  That will need to be monitored as we head to Savage Friday night.

In the MAC, things did not go well.  WMU and EMU won, putting BG 2 games out of the 8th spot with 5 to play.  It's going to be tough.  Not out of reach, but very tough.

Football Gets New Coach and New Verbal

 A couple of news items for football. 

First, an interesting hire for the WR position and pass game coordinator.  His name is David Cooney and he comes from the Other Miami, where he has been since 2017.  For the last two years, he was a WR analyst and the three before that he was recruiting coordinator. 

Prior to Miami, Cooney coached at the high school level, serving as offensive coordinator for the Miami Southridge Spartans, who won the 2016 8A state championship under his guidance.  He worked legendary Miami-area high school coach Billy Rolle, who won three state championships with three different schools.

There's a site that indicates that Cooney was a key right-hand man to Christobel. 

I can't anything about where he played college or high school...but my impression is that this is the first Coach we have gotten from outside the immediate Loeffler career orbit.  I have made no secret of saying that we need a shakeup on the offensive side of the ball and this might be it.  He also (or perhaps more importantly) appears to be a recruiting asset.

The verbal is for '26 and is our second.  Just like the first, this young man is an EDGE from Cincinnati...this time from Princeton. His name is Jacob Broach, he's 6'5" and 220...and BG was his first offer.  Beyond that, there is not a lot of information on him....which is only relevant now.  The future is wide open.

Welcome to the Falcons, David and Jacob.

UPDATE:  More on Cooney.  This is where we win, with players and coaches.  Getting guys on the way up.

KS Preview (MBB)

BG has a tough week when they need it the least.  On paper, it will be difficult to win one, but if BG did, it would be huge.  On that front, BG would be most likely to win at home over Kent tomorrow.

The first meeting between BG and KSU could not have gone worse for the Falcons. They trailed by 18 at the half, were never closer than 15 in the second half and trailed by as much as 25.  BG could not make a basket, making 37% on 2FG and 27% on 3FG. Meanwhile, Kent shot 56% and 46%.  Overall, BG had .88 points per possession and allowed 1.17, both losing numbers.

This is not a normal Kent year, but we know no one will want to play them in Cleveland.  They are 7-5 in MAC play...last year they were 6-6 after 12 games.  They have won 4 straight, including the Sun Belt game. They have one of the tougher closing schedules in the MAC, playing 4 of 6 on the road.

Kent plays #11 in terms of pace and the first game was BG's slowest MAC game of the season.

Kent is the best defensive team in the MAC, allowing .99 points per possession. That is the normal order to business for the Flashes, who also led in 21-22 and 22-23.  They are #7 in offense.  BG is #6 in defense and #10 in offense.  The first step is for BG to hold KS to nearer their normal scoring than they did last time, which would make the game closer right there.

They are good across the board on defense. They are #2 against the shot, #2 against both the 2FG and the #3FG, and #1 at forcing turnovers and on the defensive boards.  They do give up a lot of FTs--they foul a lot, almost as a strategy to dare the official to call them all.  If the defense can get it close, the offense will need to take care of the ball and hit their FTs to bridge the gap.  Also, KS is great on the offensive boards--BG needs D-boards to get into transition and avoid playing half court offense.

Kent is best on the boards, where they are #3 in the MAC.  They are #6 shooting the 2FG and #10 on the 3FG. They do turn the ball over and they do not get to the line.  BG does not defend the shot well, but will need to get some stops and clear the board to have a shot to create offense on the other end.

They are led by two familiar names.  VonCameron Davis, averages 15.8 PPG on 47% and 37% shooting.  Jalen Sullinger scored 15.4 PPG on 56% and 32%, with most of his shots coming from 3FG. Cian Medley leads them with 5.2 APG and Delrecco Gillespie leads them in rebounding and is #2 in the MAC.

So off we go.  KSU to date is not the team we are used to seeing, but they still represent a tough challenge for the Falcons. It would be a nice night for some shots to fall, as unlikely as that would appear from the matchup.

Falcon MBB Gets Road Win

BG got a badly needed road win at UB on Saturday.  UB was tied with BG in the standings and BG is down in the race to make the final 8.  Even so, EMU and WMU beat top MAC teams Saturday to stay a game ahead of the Falcons, who are tied with CMU for 9/10--both out of the top 8 for now.  More on all of that later.

It was interesting in that BG led for 36 minutes and for the entire second half, but the game was always close.  BG led by no more than 8 in the first half and 7 in the second half.  It was no offensive masterpiece as a game....but BG scored when UB got close.  With about 10 minutes to play, BG went on a Javonte Campbell-fueled mini-run as he scored all 6 to get the lead to 7. 

That kind of set things in place and the lead stayed above one possession most of the way.  At the last media timeout, BG was still up 6.  The timeout came with 3:43 left.  The two teams went over a minute without scoring before UB cut it to 2 with 2:31 left. BG ran the clock down before Thomas hit a layup to put BG up 6.  UB got a layup to make it 4, forced a miss on a late clock 3FG by Thomas, and then Boldin scored again to make the lead 2 points with :56.

BG went to a play they used often with Justin Turner.  This time it was Campbell at the top of the key, dribbled the clock down and then he gets to the rim and finishes to make the lead 4 again with :27 to play.

UB made a big play, hitting a 2FG and the foul and chance to cut the lead to 1 with :18 left.  They missed the FT and due to official idiocy (more later) it took until :09 for the foul on Johnson was called.  He hit both FTs and BG won by 4.

It was no testament to the sport of basketball.  Not from UB, BG, or the officials.  I'm glad to be able to say this in a game we won, but the officiating in this one was a joke.  There'd be a bevy of ticky-tack fouls and then they'd stand there mutely while a Black Friday melee broke out on the next possession.  Both teams suffered from these guys.  All it did was largely take the game out of the player's hands.  A little hint.  If you start calling fouls like crazy, you won't be able to be consistent because sooner or later you are going to have to back off in order to keep guys in the game.

Anyhoo.  It was a 68-possession game, which is a little slow for our taste. 

Both teams had terrible games on offense, with BG scoring .93 points per possession and UB getting .87.  BG was narrowly outshot and smoked on the offensive boards.  However, due to 3 fewer turnovers, BG ended up with more FGAs and were +1 in points from field goals and +3 in free throws.  BG was 15-19 at the line (79%) and UB was 12-21 (57%), costing them the game.

About time.  Even with that, BG's collective opponents have the highest FT rate in the nation at 79%.

Javonte Campbell had the kind of game we imagined when he came here and before his hand injury...it was a Marcus Hill-like 20 on 8 of 10 from 2 FG and 4-7 at the line.  Thomas had 10 on 3 of 5 and 1 of 6 shooting. With Johnson and Butler both only getting 7, BG does not win the game without Campbell. Exacte had 9 rebounds and Humphrey had 5 steals.

Here is where things stand.

7.  EMU 5-7

8. WMU 5-7

9. CMU 4-8

10. BG 4-8.

BG plays EMU and WMU.  If BG can get in with 7 wins (losses to KS, @UT, @EMU, beating BS, NI and WM, I think they have a shot.  If they have to get to 8...it could be tougher.  CMU has the easiest scheduling coming home.

My guess is that it's less than 50/50.  A win this week--however unlikely--would be a huge lift.