Last year, I predicted that the BGSU Men’s Basketball team would compete for a MAC Championship. Oh boy, was I wrong. 

I promise you that I am one who finds optimism going into each and every season, but for this particular team, there are just too many question marks to find comfort in thinking this will be a successful season. 

First off, the Falcons begin a journey without their star, Daeqwon Plowden. Plowden, a member of the NBA’s New Orleans Pelicans’ G-League team did everything, leading the team in minutes (948), points (488), rebounds (212), blocks (38) and steals (27).

The gap Plowden leaves in the program will not be easily filled, so instead of relying on one, head coach Michael Huger will rely on a committee of new faces, including JUCO transfer Rashuan Agee and Duquesne transfer Leon Ayers II.

Agee, a 6’8 junior from Chicago, joins the Falcon program after playing the 2021-22 season at Casper College in Wyoming. With the Thunderbirds, Agee was named an NJCAA Division-1 All-America nominee, a member of the First-Team All-Conference, and a member of the First-Team All-Region.

Ayers II comes to BGSU after playing in 27 games, with 14 starts, at Duquesne, where he averaged over 10 points and four rebounds a game. Ayers II figures to fight for a prominent role in the rotation, perhaps even becoming the sixth man role off the bench.

Now for the potential starters, who will be on the floor on Monday night against Air Force?

Prediction: Kaden Metheny, Samari Curtis, Rashaun Agee, Chandler Turner, Ubong Abassi Etim.

Metheny comes into the season off the heels of a 2021-22 campaign that was riddled with injuries. The 5’11 sophomore from Morgantown, West Virginia just could not avoid the injury bug, missing 17 games with high ankle sprain issues.

Despite the setback, Metheny’s freshman year still rings with promise as he was named a member of the 2020-21 all-MAC freshman team, and was also the MAC Player of the Week during the week of Feb. 23.

Curtis is in his second season with the Falcons after transferring from Evansville last year, Curtis played an important role, as without Metheny on the floor, he would lead the Falcons in total assists per game (3.1). Curtis played a role on the defensive end of the floor and was second on the team in assists at 27. With last year being a learning experience, Curtis figures to be an important role player in the system, and will try to become a reliable leader.

Turner enters his senior season with a legitimate chance to become a starter. Last year, the 6’7 senior out of Detroit came off the bench and made an appearance in all but one game, registering nine double-digit scoring performances and was second on the team in blocks with 12. 

Finally, there is redshirt freshman Ubong Abassi Etim. After sitting out for the entirety of last season, the offseason for Etim was quite a rollercoaster, one that thankfully he survived. Back on June 11, Etim was involved in a drive-by shooting in which he suffered an injury, but nothing life-threatening. 

For the 6’9 freshman from Richmond, California, Huger will look to utilize his size and athleticism to run the floor and be a menace on the glass. With the forward positions up for grabs, look for Etim to flash star potential this season. 

Bowling Green, based on the influx of new faces, will look to experiment with different lineups and rotations until the MAC slate begins. Falcon fans can expect to see heavy doses of Brenton Mills, the senior point guard from Allen, Texas, Gabe O’Neal, the big man transfer from Kent State, and Madani Diarra, the 6 ’11 mountain from Bamako, Mali. 

But the real question is- will this be enough in the MAC?

Season Outlook: 12-19 OVERALL, 6-12 MAC, MISS THE MAC TOURNAMENT

In the non-conference slate, expect BG to compete and find a way to go just about .500 in those matchups. With highlighted matchups against Notre Dame in South Bend, St. Bonaventure, and Norfolk State, who they got into a pregame scuffle with, the newly put together Falcons will take their lumps. However, expect a few near-guarantees, as Fairmont State and Ohio Dominican roll into town during the winter break for mid-season tune-ups. I also predict an upset- BG takes down Air Force at home in the season opener Monday night.

With the Mid-American Conference consisting of teams such as the reloaded Toledo Rockets, the defending champion Akron Zips, and the Kent State Golden Flashes, along with pesky foes such as the Ball State Cardinals and Ohio Bobcats, it is hard to find the path in which the Orange and Brown make noise and shock the conference. 

Expect some close games at certain points throughout the season, and even an upset here and there, but the MAC schedule will prove to be too mighty. 

Look, I was really wrong last year about the Falcons, so who says I can’t be wrong again? But for me, I feel like I learned my lesson. With a new athletic director in town, and Huger’s contract nearing its end, this is a prove-it year for the men’s basketball program. It also doesn’t help that Robyn Fralick has a women’s team that is rolling into the 2022-23 campaign loaded with talent and poised for a championship run. 

I will always root for BGSU, but I need to see some more W’s before I can believe in this team again. Let’s see what happens….

For more information about the program, visit bgsufalcons.com.