Junior guard Marcus Hill continues to impress every time he steps foot on the floor this season for Bowling Green men’s basketball.
In Bowling Green’s (14-4, 5-1 MAC) 84-79 win over Western Michigan (7-11, 4-2 MAC) on Saturday, Hill exploded for 28 points, shooting 10-26 from the field, 1-2 on three-pointers and 7-8 on free throws.
“We had to make the right reads. So, that was my biggest thing,” Hill said. “It’s like every point has to count, so that’s what I gave my all to.”
The performance marked the third consecutive game Hill has scored at least 20 points. He has scored at least 20 points nine times this season.
“He’s just built that way. One of those guys that’s just going to will it into the basket,” head coach Todd Simon said. “He loves scoring so much; I think maybe that’s why he wants that ball. If he misses, he wants it twice as bad as the initial miss so he can put it back in. He’s a unique talent down there.”
The Rockford, Illinois, native also achieved something against the Broncos he had not done in the previous 17 games this season: record a double-double.
On top of the 28 points, Hill also grabbed a season-high 11 rebounds.
“Every time we would shoot it, they were trying to outrebound [Rashaun Agee and Jason Spurgin], knowing that they’re great rebounders,” Hill said. “So, they were basically like leaving me. So, that’s how I got so many.”
Five of Hill’s 11 rebounds came on the offensive glass, leading to multiple second-chance points for the 6-foot-4-inch guard.
“I was just trying to be strong, trying to make sure I got the bucket,” Hill said. “So, every time I got it, I was going back up. It worked out.”
Last season, Hill played at Southern Union State Community College, a member of the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA). At Southern Union, he led the NJCAA with 780 points scored and was named an NJCAA Third Team All-American.
Although he played at the junior college level last season, Hill has fit right into Division I basketball this season, scoring double-digit points in 16 of 18 games this season, including leading the Falcons in points scored 11 times.
“Now, when teams collapse, he’s proven in Mid-American Conference (MAC) play that he’ll just make the right pass and beat you that way,” Simon said. “So, if you stay home, then you have to deal with him one-on-one. So, it’s a double-edged sword, and he’s done a good job balancing it.”
Before the start of this season, Simon warned Hill that if he wanted to be the impact player he believed he could be at BG, his transition process between the competitive levels would need to be sped up.
“A lot of times, that transition from junior college to Division I is a big leap. A lot of times, it might take a year,” Simon said. “We sat down in the spring and summer and said, ‘look, this isn’t going to be fair, but if you want to be this guy that we think you can be, we have to speed up your process.’ That’s not going to be roses every day; you’re going to have to get extra time in.”
However, Hill put in the work over the offseason, which is evident through his performances.
“He embraces film; he works harder than many guards I’ve ever had who have gone on to play this game for a long time,” Simon said. “He changed his shot in the summer. He’s embraced every coachable aspect possible, and you’re seeing the results.”
Hill has also shown himself to be a workhorse. He played 37 minutes against the Broncos, the seventh straight game he has played at least 37 minutes.
Along with having an excellent motor, Hill has established himself on the defensive side of the ball.
“He’s a workhorse, he doesn’t seem to get tired, and he’s an elite defender,” Simon said. “That’s what we don’t talk about; he’s turned himself into an elite defender on top of being a scorer that really draws a lot of attention.”
Along with being among the best players for the Falcons this season, Hill has been among the best players in the MAC.
After his 28 points against WMU, Hill ranks second in the MAC with 20.7 points scored per game. He also leads the MAC with 96 free throws made and ranks fourth in the conference with 34.4 minutes played per game.
Next up, Hill and the Falcons will battle Kent State (9-9, 2-4 MAC), the reigning MAC Tournament champions, on Tuesday, Jan. 23. Falcon Media Sports Network’s Rhys Patrykus and Chas McNeil will have the call on Falcon Radio at 6:45 for pregame and 7 p.m. for tip-off.
For more stories related to BGSU Athletics, follow Falcon Media Sports Network on X (@bg_fmsn).
