Following back-to-back victories against Lipscomb and Canisius to close out the Northern Classic last weekend, the Bowling Green men’s basketball team (3-2) will head on the road for the only time in December.   

The Falcons will travel down to Evansville, Indiana, to face off against Southern Indiana (2-6) on Saturday, Dec. 2, with tip-off against the Screaming Eagles set for 4 p.m.  

Matchup History  

The game on Saturday will mark just the second meeting between the two teams.  

The Screaming Eagles defeated the Falcons at the Stroh Center last season, 69-57.  

Scouting Southern Indiana  

Southern Indiana enters the matchup against the Falcons with a 2-6 record this season.  

The Screaming Eagles lost their first three games of the season before earning their first victory.   

Then, they lost three straight games again before winning their most recent matchup against East-West University, 107-49.  

Against the Phantoms, Southern Indiana shot 53.1% from the field and 34.3% from beyond the arc while holding East-West University to just 27.1% shooting from the field and 19% from beyond the arc.   

The Screaming Eagles also dominated on the boards in their most recent win, outrebounding the Phantoms by 20, 51 to 31.   

This season, SUI’s offense ranks in the middle of the pack in the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC). The Screaming Eagles rank seventh in the OVC in points per game (69.0) and field goal percentage (42.9%), ranking sixth in the conference in three-point percentage (31.9%) and free throw percentage (70.4%).  

While their offense has been average so far this season, their defense has been above average.  

The Screaming Eagles allow 70.9 points per game, holding their opponents to just 41.3% shooting from the field and 32.5% from beyond the arc. Southern Indiana ranks in the top half of the OVC in all three offensive categories.  

However, SUI forces just 10.9 turnovers per game while giving the ball away 13.3 times per contest, which is good for a –2.4 turnover margin.  

Southern Indiana also ranks in the middle of the pack in the OVC on the boards.   

The Screaming Eagles grab 37.5 rebounds per game, ranking fifth in the conference. Through eight games this season, they outrebound their opponents by 2.3 boards per game.  

Scouting Bowling Green  

The Falcons enter the contest against the Screaming Eagles with a 3-2 record this season. 

BG went 2-1 in their three games in the Northern Classic last weekend, which saw the Orange and Brown’s offense break out of their early season slump.  

In their three games in Canada, the Falcons shot 50% from the field and 37.3% from beyond the arc, drastically better than they averaged in the four games before the tournament.  

This season, the Falcons are averaging 72.0 points on 46.4% shooting from the field and 31.2% from three-point range. While their points per game and field goal percentage rank middle of the pack in the Mid-American Conference (MAC), their three-point percentage ranks above just Buffalo and Central Michigan.  

On defense, Bowling Green allows 69.7 points per game and an opponent field goal percentage of 42.9%, both of which rank fourth in the MAC. However, the Falcons allow an opponent three-point percentage of 35.3%, which ranks better than just Buffalo (40.7%) and Kent State (37.4%).  

While the Orange and Brown have struggled in certain areas on offense and defense this season, BG has been one of the best teams in the MAC on the boards.  

The Falcons average 36.9 rebounds per game, which ranks third in the conference. Through seven games, BG is outrebounding their opponents by 3.1 boards per game, the fourth-best rebounding margin in the MAC.  

Falcon Four Players to Watch  

Marcus Hill (Bowling Green #0)  

After his performance in the Northern Classic last weekend, the junior guard was named MAC Player of the Week, becoming the first Falcon to win the award since Daeqwon Plowden during the 2021 season.  

The Rockford, Illinois, native led the Orange and Brown in scoring in all three games in Canada. Over the three-game stretch in the tournament, Hill averaged 29.3 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game, shooting 60.3% (35-58) from the field and 50% (3-6) from beyond the arc.     

This season, Hill leads BG in points per game (20.3), assists per game (3.0) and minutes per game (32.0). He ranks third in the MAC in points per game, sixth in minutes per game and ninth in assists per game.     

Jason Spurgin (Bowling Green #7)  

The senior center was crucial in BG’s latest win against Canisius. Spurgin tied his career-high with 17 points, added seven rebounds and had a game-clinching block with seconds remaining in the contest.  

This season, the Toowoomba, Australia, native leads the Falcons with eight blocks.  

He also ranks second on the team in points per game (10.4) and rebounds per game (6.0). 

AJ Smith (Southern Indiana #21)  

Although he did not play in their most recent win against the Phantoms, the sophomore, who plays both guard and forward, has been one of the most important players for the Screaming Eagles this season.  

The Edwardsville, Illinois, native leads Southern Indiana with 9.3 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game.   

He also ranks second on the team with 12.1 points per game, shooting 49.3% from the field this season.  

Jack Campion (Southern Indiana #5)  

The sophomore guard has been the primary facilitator on offense for the Screaming Eagles this season.  

While he averages just 5.6 points per game on 35.3% shooting from the field and 29.4% from beyond the arc, Campion leads Southern Indiana with five assists per game, which ranks second in the OVC.  

The Milton, Wisconsin, native also holds an assist-to-turnover ratio of 3.3, which leads the conference.