The Bowling Green men’s basketball team has extended their winning streak to six games, giving the Falcons an 8-3 record this season and moving them into a tie with Ball State at the top of the Mid-American Conference (MAC) standings.  

BG stayed undefeated in December and extended the longest active winning streak in the MAC by defeating Kansas City on Saturday, 79-69, and Hampton on Tuesday, 75-65.  

Once again, the story of the week for BG is their dominant defense.    

The Falcons held the Roos to 39.4% shooting from the field and 28.6% from beyond the arc. In their most recent win, BG held the Pirates to 40.6% shooting from the field and 22.2% on three-pointers.  

Although Hampton found success in the first half, shooting 50% from the field and 33.3% from beyond the arc, the Falcon shut them down in the second half, holding the Pirates to just 34.2% shooting from the field and a measly 11.1% on three-pointers.  

BGSU’s defense has been suffocating and relentless during their season-best six-game winning streak  

Over the past six games, the Falcons have held opponents to just 61.5 points per game, 38.1% shooting from the field and 28.1% from beyond the arc.   

BG’s second-half defense has been even more impressive. In the final 20 minutes of play during the recent winning streak, BGSU has held opponents to just 38.2% shooting from the field and 22.1% from beyond the arc.  

But the defense has not just been dominant over the past six games. The defense has been dominant throughout the entire season.  

Bowling Green has allowed 80 points in just three of their 11 games this season.   

In fact, they have only allowed over 70 points in five of their 11 games this season.   

This season, the Falcons have allowed the lowest opponent field goal percentage (40.1%), the second-fewest opponent points per game (65.7) and the third-lowest opponent three-point percentage (31.6%) in the MAC.   

Bowling Green’s defense has been arguably the best in the MAC through ten games, plain and simple.   

Along with their defense, you can claim that BG’s rebounding has been the best in the conference.  

Against Hampton, BG won the battle on the boards 42-34, grabbing 10 offensive and 32 defensive rebounds.   

Over the past six games, BG has outrebounded their opponents by over five rebounds per game, 41.2 to 35.8.    

During their winning streak, the Orange and Brown have averaged 10.3 offensive and 30.8 defensive rebounds per game.   

This season, the Falcons lead the MAC with 39.5 rebounds and 29.3 defensive rebounds per game. BG is a full rebound per game ahead of second-place Northern Illinois in both statistical categories.  

While BG’s defense and rebounding have been dominant, you cannot say the same about their offense.   

This season, the Falcons are seventh in the MAC with 73.5 points scored per game, ninth with a 44% field goal percentage, second to last with a 30.1% three-point percentage and eighth with 67.8% free throw percentage.   

However, it has been slowly improving. Throughout their six-game winning streak, BG has scored 77.3 points per game, shot 44.8% from the field, 34.1% on three-pointers and 74.6% on free throws.   

In their last game against Hampton, the Falcons shot 42.1% (25-57) from the field, 33.3% (7-21) on three-pointers and 76.9% (20-26) on free throws.    

Although they shot a season-worst 21.4% (6-28) from the field in the first half against the Pirates, the Falcons got hot and shot 62.1% (18-29) in the final 20 minutes of the game, their best second-half shooting performance this season.  

Several Falcons continued to impress in the wins against Kansas City and Hampton.   

Against the Roos, Junior guard Marcus Hill led the Falcons in scoring, finishing the contest with 29 points.    

He tallied 23 points in the first half alone, marking the first time a Falcon scored 20 or more points in a half this season.   

Hill continues to show his elite scoring ability. The Rockford, Illinois, native has led BG in scoring in seven of their 11 games.   

Hill also became the first player in the MAC this season to tally three games with at least 29 points scored. He is currently second in the conference with 20.3 points per game.   

Senior center Jason Spurgin scored 20 points against the Roos, marking a career-high for the Toowoomba, Australia, native.   

Senior forward Rashaun Agee has been dominant recently.  

Against Hampton, Agee tallied his third consecutive double-double, scoring a career-high 21 points and securing a team-high and career-high 12 rebounds for the second game in a row.  

The Chicago, Illinois, native ranks third in the MAC with 34 offensive rebounds, fourth with eight rebounds per game and fifth with a 61.3% field goal percentage.   

Senior guard Trey Thomas, who started the season injured, finished with a career-high 25 points against Hampton.  

Thomas led the Falcons in scoring for the first time this season. He also lit it up from downtown, making a career-high six of BG’s seven three-pointers, becoming the first Falcon to make at least six three-pointers in a game this season.  

When this season started, this team had a lot of uncertainty.    

There was a whole new coaching staff and 10 new players. Nobody on the outside knew how well this team was going to be able to mesh and work together.   

The identity of this team was another thing that was not yet known leading up to the season’s first game.  

BG head coach Todd Simon talked a lot about a fast-paced offense during his introductory press conference and media appearances leading up to this season.    

However, the offense has not been the identity of this team.  

Through 11 games, we have gotten a clearer picture of this Bowling Green team’s identity. Up to this point in the season, the identity of this Bowling Green team has been tough and suffocating defense, along with relentless rebounding.   

When you boil down everything the Falcons have done so far this season, it is clear that defense and rebounding have been the foundation of this team.   

Next up for the Falcons is their schedule’s last game of the non-conference portion.  

The Orange and Brown will host Siena Heights on Friday, Dec. 22, with tip-off slated for 2 p.m.  

Then, the Falcons will wrap up their five-game homestand by beginning conference play against Eastern Michigan on Jan. 2.  

The 19-game stretch from Jan. 2 to March 8 is when we will see what this Bowling Green team is made of.