The second season of the Todd Simon era for BGSU men’s basketball is nearly here.
After over seven months of waiting and anticipation, a revamped roster for the Orange and Brown will take the court and tip-off the new season in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, against the University of Southern Mississippi on Monday, Nov. 4 at 8 p.m.
However, before the new season begins, there is a lot to catch up on before the laces are tied and the shoes step onto the hardwood.
Last season
Last season, the Falcons improved drastically from two years ago, becoming just one of 10 teams in the nation to go from 20 losses to 20 wins.
Under previous head coach Michael Huger, the Falcons finished with an overall record of 11-20 and a 5-13 record against the Mid-American Conference (MAC) during the 2022-2023 season.
After losing 10 of his final 11 games at the helm of the Falcons, Huger was fired, and Bowling Green found their new head coach from Southern Utah University in the form of Simon.
Under Simon’s newfound direction and culture, things drastically changed for Orange and Brown.
After finishing last season with 20 losses, the Falcons flipped the script, finishing last year’s campaign with an overall record of 20-14, with a 10-8 mark against the MAC.
“We’re really proud of the turnaround, the shift that we can instill in our culture in year one, and to have it turn into results on the floor,” Simon said. “It’s something we’re really, really proud of.”
Standouts from the Falcon’s turnaround season include a 12-5 record in the comfort of the Stroh Center and an eight-game winning streak from Nov. 25 to Jan. 2, where they defeated Lipscomb, Canisius, Southern Indiana, Ohio Dominican, Kansas City, Hampton, Siena Heights and Eastern Michigan.
The biggest win of Bowling Green’s regular season came against their storied rivals, the Toledo Rockets, in a nationally televised battle of I-75 in front of the Stroh Center, winning the game by a score of 76-68.
The Falcons’ successful season led to them qualifying for the MAC tournament at the Rocket Mortage Fieldhouse for the first time since 2020.
In Cleveland, Bowling Green secured their biggest victory of the entire season, defeating Central Michigan in the first round of the MAC Tournament, 66-56, marking their first conference tournament win since the 2018-2019 campaign.
Unfortunately, the Falcons fell in the semifinals to Kent State, 73-60, before ending their season with a 77-75 loss to Purdue Fort Wayne in the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament (CIT).
“You know, to get to the semis and win 20 games was significant, but we want more,” Simon said.
Losses
Like every team after a successful season, the Falcons lost players due to the transfer portal, with many members of the 23-24 Falcons team flying away to find new opportunities or graduating.
Here are some of the key losses for the Orange and Brown:
Marcus Hill
Arguably the biggest loss during the offseason for the Falcons was Marcus Hill, a First Team All-MAC selection last season.
The 6-foot-4-inch guard led the team with 20.5 points per game and finished the season with 698 points, the fifth-most in program history.
After making history in his first season with the Orange and Brown, Hill transferred to the North Carolina State (NC State) Wolfpack during the offseason.
Rashaun Agee
Rashaun Agee, the 6-foot-8-inch, 225-pound forward, was the leading rebounder for the Falcons last season.
The Chicago, Illinois, native averaged 13.3 points and 9.9 rebounds per game while recording 17 double-doubles in last year’s campaign.
During the offseason, Agee took his talents to California, transferring to the University of Southern California (USC).
Jason Spurgin
The Australian native, Jason Spurgin, was a key contributor to the Falcon’s squad last season, averaging 8.4 points and 5.1 rebounds per game.
He led the team with 33.9% shooting from beyond the arc and 35 blocks last season.
Spurgin graduated from BGSU in the spring and is currently signed on a three-year contract with the Sydney Kings of the National Basketball League (NBL). His younger brother, Greg Spurgin, is still on the team.
Other losses
The Falcons lost several other players during the 2024 offseason:
- JZ Zaher (declared for the 2024 NBA draft, went undrafted)
- Da’Shawn Phillip (graduated)
Additions
Simon and the Falcon’s coaching staff added 10 new players during the offseason, including eight transfers and two freshmen.
Youssef Khayat
One of the biggest names BGSU added is Youssef Khayat, a 6-foot-9-inch junior guard from Lebanon.
Khayat played the past two seasons at the University of Michigan, appearing in 26 games with one start for the Wolverines.
“Yo-Yo (Khayat) is a very, very competitive player; that’s the thing I love about him the most. He competes every possession, and he wants to win,” associate head coach Lourawls Nairn Jr. said. “He can do so many different things on the floor offensively with his size, his skills and his shooting abilities. He’s very talented, and I think he’s going to be really good for us.”
Derrick Butler
Another highly talked about addition for the Orange and Brown is Derrick Butler, a senior guard.
While Butler is playing for his fourth team in four years, he played against the Falcons three times last season, including a matchup at the MAC Tournament, with the Central Michigan Chippewas.
“His ability to shoot the three; he’s athletic. He’s a competitive, defensive player,” Simon said. “We’re excited to have him on our side because he made some big shots against us in those games that we were on the wrong side of. So, hopefully, he’s making those same clutch shots for us.”
Braelon Green
Sophomore guard Braelon Green came over to Bowling Green after playing last season at Arizona State.
A Southfield, Michigan, native, Green was ranked as the second overall prospect from Michigan in high school.
“He (Green) plays with a passion, a lot of energy and toughness,” Nairn said. “Great athleticism, can jump out the gym, smooth, physical, tough guard. He can impact the game on both ends of the floor, and I think that’s what we love about him so much.”
Wilguens Jr. Exacte
The last Power 5 addition for the Orange and Brown is Wilguens Jr. Exacte, a 6-foot-6-inch, 236-pound sophomore forward from the University of Utah.
Although he played in all 32 games for the Utes as a freshman two years ago, shooting 94.7% (18-19) from the free throw line, he missed all of last season with an injury.
“Another mismatch guy; 6’6″, 235-plus, athletic, can really shoot it. So, we can move him all over the floor as well,” Simon said. “He can play guard; he can play four or five. You can do whatever with him…He’s another one of those interchangeable pieces that we’ll find a way to create an advantage for us.”
Marcus Johnson
Yet another mismatch addition for the Falcons is Marcus Johnson, a 6-foot-7-inch, 265-pound senior forward from Akron, Ohio.
Johnson played the past three seasons at the junior college (JUCO) level for Wheeling, shooting 47.2% from the field, 44.7% on three-pointers and 90.8% on free throws.
“Marcus is a very unique player. We fell in love with the film first because he’s so skilled…If you put a smaller guy on him, he can beat you with his physicality and strength and post-game. If you put size on him, he’s going to pull you away from the basket,” Simon said. “He’s a guy that can bring the ball up the floor; you can make him as your inbound passer. He can play almost like a big point guard role.”
Jaxon Pardon
Jaxon Pardon, a 6-foot-4-inch guard from Fort Wayne, Indiana, is one of the two incoming freshmen for the Falcons and a name many BGSU fans will recognize.
Jaxon Pardon’s father, Brandon Pardon, played for the Falcons in the early 2000s, finishing his collegiate career third in program history in assists (529).
“His dad, Brandon, was a legend here. More importantly, for Jaxon, he’s a very good player. We saw someone that liked to compete; he’s got the physical tools, and his ability to really play hard and impact the game with other good players around him is important,” Simon said. “So, we’re excited about his future…He’s a guy that can be a part of this program and have an impact.”
Preston Squire
The tallest addition for BGSU comes in the form of Preston Squire, a 6-foot-11-inch sophomore forward who played last season at Salt Lake Community College.
Squire, a Utah native, was recruited by Simon and staff when they were at Southern Utah.
“Preston’s ability to stretch the floor is going to be something that is going to be really hard for teams to guard. But he can do a lot of different things; he’s very versatile,” assistant coach Bryce Martin said. “He’s become a great guy that walls up at the rim and can give us that rim protection. But, also, his passing is underrated; he’s a really good passer out of the post and in the perimeter.”
Alijah Adem
Another addition Simon recruited at his previous stop is Alijah Adem, a 6-foot-2-inch guard who is the other incoming freshman for the Falcons.
Adem, a Las Vegas native, was named one of the top seven players in Nevada at Spring Valley High School, averaging 26 points per game while leading the state with 7.8 assists per game and an 89% free throw percentage.
“He’s got a bright, bright future ahead of him. He’s very hard-working and about all the right things,” Simon said. “He’s very competitive; he wants to be great and has a growth mindset.”
Javontae Campbell
Javontae Campbell, a junior guard who played the past two seasons at Northern Oklahoma, also found his way to Bowling Green.
Last season, Campbell was named an Honorable Mention National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) All-American.
“On the court, he’s the definition of a two-way player. His activity defensively, his motor, his ability to read the game and kind of get in passing lanes has been really impressive. Offensively, he’s got a very methodical, poised way of scoring and making plays,” assistant coach German Srulovich said. “That work ethic has been proven; that’s why he’s been really effective for us, and he’s a guy we’re excited to win a lot of games here this year for us.”
Mohamed Maxamud
The final addition for BG this year is Mohamed Maxamud, a 6-foot-10-inch junior forward.
Maxamud previously played at Labette Community College and Fort Scott Community College and was added to the BGSU roster as a walk-on.
“A guy with very good size that helps us, and kind of getting better every day we coach him. We can find ways to use him. He knocks down shots for that size,” Simon said. “When he’s out there, he’s playing hard. So, we’re fortunate to have him for sure.”
Improvements
As mentioned, 10 new players were added to the roster, marking Simon’s first full recruiting cycle at Bowling Green.
The updated roster fits into Simon’s fast-paced style.
“I think we can play even faster than we were last year. We weren’t quite as up and down the floor as we wanted to be,” Simon said. “We’d love to play and be the fastest team in the country for 35 minutes, have a nice little lead, and the last five minutes of the game, you know, kind of get that clock to wind down and put it away. So, that’s what we hope to be, and that’s the goal of this team.”
A glaring issue for the Falcons last season was shooting.
“I think, across the board, we’ve grown in that area, and that’s going to open up our offense quite a bit. Shooting’s just such an important quality, and we have it at different positions; we have size that can shoot, we have wings, guards,” Simon said. “So, I think we’re going to see, definitely, a team that’s a little tougher to guard because of that.”
BGSU ranked just ninth in the MAC in field goal percentage (43.1%) and second-to-last in three-point shooting (29.6%)
“I feel like we improved drastically in that area (three-point shooting). We got a lot of guys that can come in and shoot 40 (three-pointers); they can come in and have a 6-7, 7-9 type of night from three on any given night,” senior guard Trey Thomas said. “Last year, we had a lot of teams that just played us in the paint, played us in the gaps, which is hard to drive, hard to create for others, stuff like that. So, just being able to stretch the floor and just having seven, eight, nine guys that can really shoot it is going to be a strength for us this year.”
Another way the Falcons are in a position to improve is the availability of redshirt freshman forward Jamai Felt.
While Felt has been on the roster for the past two seasons, he has yet to step on the court for the Orange and Brown.
“Coming off back-to-back ACLs and a few other bumps and bruises and injuries along the way, you just want it so badly for him. He’s a great kid, and he’s overcome the adversity. He’ll be a difference maker. It’s going to take some time; it’s not happening overnight,” Simon said. “He just does some things that are extra special as an athlete, and we see a lot of upside and potential that we can use him to help this team win.”
With the team seemingly fully healthy going into this season, depth is set to be one of BGSU’s biggest strengths.
“I’d say a lot of the other years that I’ve been on this team, we’ve been very one-sided, depending on just one or two players and a couple of role guys just to help us get along our way,” senior forward Sam Towns said. “I feel like this year, it’s scary; you’ll never know who’s going to have that type of night.”
Key dates and matchups
Both the non-conference and MAC schedules have been released for the Falcons. Several key dates are marked on the calendar for the Orange and Brown, especially with a much tougher non-conference schedule than last season.
“I think it’s one of the tougher non-conferences in recent years, and, you know, every game is a challenge,” Simon said. “There’s teams that have picked the top of their league.”
Some of the key non-conference dates for the Falcons:
Davidson (Nov. 8)
The home opener at the Stroh Center will be against the Davidson Wildcats. Davidson, an ever-recognizable university, is where NBA superstar Steph Curry attended from 2006 to 2009.
Davidson went 15-17 last season, with a 5-13 record against the Atlantic 10.
The two teams have only played twice and haven’t faced off in nearly 40 years.
The Falcons won an overtime battle on Dec. 27, 1986, 75-71, while Davidson came away with a 76-70 victory on Dec. 5, 1987.
Michigan State (Nov. 16)
On Nov. 16, the Falcons will make the trip to one of the most iconic arenas in college basketball, the Breslin Center, to take on the Michigan State Spartans.
The game will be a homecoming for Nairn, who played for the Spartans from 2014 to 2018.
During his time wearing Green and White, Nairn became just the third freshman to start in the NCAA Final Four.
“Going into Michigan State; it’s a Big Ten school, coach Tum’s old alumni. So, that’ll be a big one there,” Towns said. “I’m pretty sure they’re ranked pretty high this year.”
The last meeting between BGSU and Michigan State was over a decade ago on Dec. 12, 2012, where the Spartans beat the Falcons by double digits, 64-53. The Falcons have a 3-11 record all-time against Michigan State, with BGSU’s last victory coming on Dec. 1, 1990, in a 98-85 victory at Anderson Arena.
If matchups like these seem tough for the Falcons, it was by design.
“We’re going to be challenged. And that’s what we want. And so maybe we don’t, you know, come on the right side of that all the time, but we’re going to become a better team for it,” Simon said. “Going up to Michigan State is a gold standard in college basketball and a really tough tournament with really good mid-majors in Arizona. So, just week by week, it’s going to be a different type of challenge, and we’re going to need everybody; we’re going to have to come together and find solutions to win.”
Key MAC matchups
Toledo (Jan. 24 and Feb. 22)
Of course, no BGSU sports season is complete without the Battle of I-75.
Bowling Green will face Toledo twice during their conference schedule, at home on Jan 24 and at the Savage Arena on Feb. 22.
Bowling Green split the season series against Toledo last season. The first meeting, at the Savage Arena, resulted in an 88-72 loss for the Orange and Brown.
The second battle was a much better time for the Falcons, defeating their rivals in front of the Stroh Center on national TV, 76-68, snapping a five-game losing streak against the Rockets.
The team is more than ready to get out on the court against their MAC competition.
“Teams I’m most excited to face, Toledo number one; got to take care of the Battle of I-75,” Squire said. “Then, Central Michigan and Western Michigan, I spent some time up in Kalamazoo and Mount Pleasant, respectively, so it’d be nice to get some wins up there.”
Goals and expectations
After a successful turnaround last season, the Falcons have set lofty goals for this season.
While they achieved their goal of getting to the MAC Tournament last season, they want to win it this year after getting a taste of postseason action in Cleveland.
“Last year, the expectation was to go to the MAC Tournament and see what we can do,” Towns said. “Now, it’s go win the MAC Tournament. It’s not just make it; it’s almost disappointing if we don’t win it. We’re going in to win it, not just to be there.”
Simon is also aiming to make an NCAA tournament appearance for the first time in his head coaching career.
“We want more,” he said. “We want to get to the NCAA tournament, and we want to win the regular season championship and continue to grow on the success from last year’s team”.
Simon and the Falcons are aware of the BGSU NCAA Tournament drought. The Orange and Brown have not gone dancing since 1968, tied for the third-longest drought in the country with Columbia and trailing only Tennessee Tech (1963) and Dartmouth (1959).
“It’s in our passwords and door codes, and it’s something that we’re going to embrace. That 1968 is something really important that we talk about; we embrace it,” Simon said. “We want that challenge, and we want our legacy to be the team that broke that. We want it to be about 2025 when selection Sunday comes around.”
