The Bowling Green men’s basketball team, off to their fastest start in 22 years and currently riding a season-best eight-game winning streak, is looking to stay undefeated in Mid-American Conference (MAC) play as they battle the Akron Zips on Friday. Tip-off from James A. Rhodes Arena in Akron is set for 9 p.m.  

The Falcons are in first place in the MAC. Meanwhile, the Zips, who are in second place in the MAC, were selected as the preseason favorites to win the conference.  

With a win, the Falcons would secure their best start to a season through 14 games since the 2001-2002 campaign, when they started 13-1. 

Matchup History  

The game on Friday night will mark the 74th all-time meeting between the two teams. Akron leads the all-time series 45-28.  

The Zips have won four straight contests against the Falcons. The most recent game between the two teams took place on Jan. 10, 2023, at the Stroh Center, where Akron escaped with a 74-70 victory.  

Scouting Akron  

UA enters the contest in second place in the MAC with a 9-4 record this season.  

While the Zips lost three straight from Nov. 20 to Nov. 28, they have responded by winning five out of their last six games, with their only loss during that stretch coming against St. Bonaventure in their non-conference finale.  

In their most recent game, the UA opened up conference play with a dominating 22-point victory over Northern Illinois, defeating the Huskies 73-51 in DeKalb.  

On offense, the Zips have been very efficient. They rank second in the MAC with a 47.2% field goal percentage, fourth with a 36% three-point percentage and fifth with 76.5 points per game.  

However, defense has been their biggest strength this season.  

The Zips allow just 65.2 points per game, the fewest in the MAC. They also hold opponents to 43% shooting from the field and 32.2% from beyond the arc, ranking third and fifth in the conference, respectively.  

Akron leads the MAC in scoring margin this season, outscoring opponents by 11.3 points per game.  

The Zips are also a very good rebounding team.   

While they rank sixth in the MAC with 36.8 rebounds per game, they allow just 30.6 opponent boards per game, which leads the conference.  

UA outrebounds their opponents by 6.2 boards per game, leading the MAC in that statistic.  

Scouting Bowling Green  

BG enters the contest sitting at the top of the MAC standings with a 10-3 record this season.  

The Falcons have won eight straight, with their last loss dating back to the day after Thanksgiving against Western Kentucky.  

BG’s eight-game winning streak is tied for the eighth-longest active winning streak in the nation.  

Bowling Green’s latest game may have been their most thrilling this season, a 92-90 overtime victory against Eastern Michigan to open conference play.  

Like Akron, BG features one of the best defenses in the MAC.  

The Falcons hold opponents to just 41.4% shooting from the field, which leads the MAC. BG also holds opponents to 67 points per game and 32% shooting on three-pointers, ranking second and fourth in the conference, respectively.  

Rebounding has also been a strength for the Falcons this season.  

BGSU leads the MAC with 39 rebounds and 29 defensive rebounds per game.  

Offensively, Bowling Green still ranks in the bottom half of the conference according to the statistics.   

The Falcons rank sixth in the MAC with 75.4 points per game, ninth with a 67.4% free throw percentage and 10th with a 44.2% field goal percentage and 30.7% three-point percentage. 

While Bowling Green’s overall offensive numbers may seem unimpressive, the Falcons are a second-half offensive team.  

In first halves this season, the Falcons are shooting 40.6% from the field and 24.5% on three-pointers. However, in second halves this season, the Falcons are shooting 47.9% from the field and 36.6% from beyond the arc.  

Falcon Four Players to Watch  

Marcus Hill (Bowling Green #0)  

Bowling Green’s offense revolves around Hill.  

The junior guard leads BG and ranks second in the MAC with 20.5 points per game.  

Hill is coming off his best performance this season against Eastern Michigan, scoring a season-high 35 points. He shot 10-22 from the field, 2-6 on three-pointers and 13-17 on free throws in the overtime victory.  

Rashaun Agee (Bowling Green #12)  

Agee has been on a tear recently.  

Over the last five games, he has recorded a double-double in four games, falling one rebound shy against Sienna Heights from a double-double.  

Over the past five games, Agee is averaging 15.6 points and 11 rebounds per game.  

This season, Agee ranks third in the MAC with a 63.3% field goal percentage and fourth with 8.3 rebounds per game.  

Enrique Freeman (Akron #25)  

Freeman would be named the MAC Player of the Year if the season ended today. 

The senior from Cleveland, Ohio, is averaging a double-double this season, leading the Zips with 17.9 points and 13.2 rebounds per game, with his rebounding mark also leading the nation.  

Freeman is tied for the nation’s lead with 11 double-doubles this season.  

Ali Ali (Akron #24)  

The senior forward has had quite an interesting start to this year’s season.   

Ali played three seasons at Akron from 2019-2022 before transferring to Butler for the 2022-2023 season. He transferred back to Akron last spring; however, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) initially denied him eligibility to play this season, forcing him to miss the first eight games of the season before the NCAA declared him eligible.  

In his five games since being declared eligible this season, Ali ranks second on the team with 17.6 points per game on 57.4% shooting from the field.