A year ago, the Bowling Green men’s basketball team entered its first Mid-American Conference game with only one loss, the exact total they have this year entering tonight’s MAC opener against the Buffalo Bulls. The only difference: a year ago, the team had 10 wins. This time around, BG has one.
This year’s early start to the MAC slate commences a month earlier than last year’s first conference game, as the Falcons take on the 2-2 Bulls tonight at 8 p.m. at Anderson Arena.
“We did it a couple years ago [played a MAC game early],” BG Coach Dan Dakich said. “I’m not sure our team is the best thing for it this year. … It’s crazy to go Saturday-Monday-Wednesday down the stretch later in the year. I do like the concept of getting one or two of the games played.”
Buffalo, like Bowling Green, is a young team, with only three seniors and nine freshmen and sophomores. Through the early part of the season, Buffalo features a balanced attack, and has been led by a different scorer in each of their first four games.
The Bulls have gone just 16-42 over the last two years, and were beaten twice a year ago by Bowling Green, 85-73 in Buffalo in January and 73-58 in Bowling Green at the end of February. Dakich, though, said the Bulls are much-improved from the team they have fielded in previous years.
“This team, through four games, is the best I’ve seen their teams play,” Dakich said. “They have a great enthusiasm among their young guys. … Their freshmen are playing like they belong, and they’re getting good play from their two seniors. [Coach] Reggie [Witherspoon] looks like he’s real comfortable there now, and it looks like they’re a comfortable team.”
Mark Bortz and Turner Battle lead the Bulls statistically, averaging 11.8 and 10.3 points per game, respectively.
“They went to Detroit and played Detroit better than we played them, played them to a one-point game,” Dakich said. “This is a legit game, where we’re really going to have to play well to win. Their post guys dominated Detroit’s post guys, and Detroit’s post guys dominated ours. They do a great job of making teams play against five or six passes — they really hold onto the ball, and they guard much better.”
Falcon forward Cory Eyink agreed that defending the Buffalo big men will be a challenge for BG’s frontcourt.
“We’re all going to have to step up and play better against their big men,” he said. “Their big men played extremely well against Detroit. … As a whole, they’re a much-improved team. They work really hard on the court, and with their big men and an experienced point guard, they’re a good team.”
On the BG side of things, Josh Almanson will likely play against the Bulls. Almanson labored through the Falcons’ loss at Detroit, and did not play against Tiffin Saturday. The Falcons have been led through two games by Cory Ryan, but feature three others averaging in double figures. Ryan’s average of 15.5 tops the squad, but transfer John Reimold is averaging 15, Kevin Netter 13.5 and Almanson 10 through the first two contests.
“It will be a big plus to play this game at home — it’s always a big boost to play at home, especially with all the fan support we have,” Eyink said.
