The 2009-10 regular season is officially over for the BG men’s basketball team.
It’s hard to imagine just how fast the season went.
It seems like only yesterday the Falcons pounced on Wayne State 67-45 in the season opener or when sophomore Scott Thomas erupted for 27 points in BG’s 76-70 win at Kent State on Jan. 17.
But, as seen in college basketball, when one season ends another begins.
On Sunday, BG will officially kick off the second part of its season in the first round of the Mid-American Conference Tournament.
Just a couple more days and BG will get new life after what was a rough season, in which the team often found themselves having to dig out of early deficits caused by lackluster efforts in the first half of games.
Yes, at times the Falcons managed to win a portion of those games, but as BG coach Louis Orr has praised all season, teams have to bring it for 40 minutes or more in order to be successful.
BG was essentially a second-half team all year, and now that the MAC Tournament is right around the corner, the Falcons have another chance to put it all together.
And quite frankly, they need to.
BG needs to make up for all its first-half collapses and show that they can play a full 40-minute game, because in the conference tournament, there is no tomorrow.
With a single-elimination format, teams have to bring it every night because playing another day is not guaranteed.
And with two tough teams in Akron and Kent State sitting atop the MAC East Division, putting forth a consistent game is essential considering the Zips and Golden Flashes will be the perennial favorites to win the MAC Tournament.
The odds may be stacked against them, but unlike last year, the Falcons have more incentives to advance deep into the conference tournament, which could be a good thing.
For one, the first-round of this year’s MAC Tournament will be played at campus sites, so before BG even thinks about playing at Quicken Loans Arena, they will have to win on Sunday.
Also, the Falcons were the MAC regular season champs and the No.1 seed a year ago, so it’s safe to say they want another go at the MAC Tournament considering how last year’s ended.
Anything can happen in postseason basketball, and if the Falcons can put it together for an entire game, people they could surprise some people.