On Monday night, BGSU women’s basketball will open the 2024 season at home against Southern Mississippi in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) vs Sun Belt competition.
The Orange and Brown will look to start their second season under Head Coach Fred Chmiel off with a win over the Golden Flashes of Southern Mississippi.
In the 2023 season, the Sun Belt emerged from the competition on top, so watch for all MAC teams to come out with a fire to regain the bragging rights between the two conferences.
Where to Listen
Be sure to check out BG Falcon Media for the broadcast with Falcon Media Sports Network’s Lucas Kleimeyer on the play-by-play and Kaden Knapp with color commentary on WBGU 88.1 FM.
Matchup History
This meeting will be the first ever between the two teams, as both will look to go home with the first win between the two.
Both programs will look to take the upper hand in the historical first meeting and keep their record perfect against the other.
Bowling Green
During the 2023 season, the Falcons were able to end the season with a record of 16-15 and a conference record of 10-8, which landed them in fourth place in the MAC.
Expect the 2024 team to be a veteran crew this season within the MAC. They bring back seven of the fifteen players on the roster, of those starters returning, three of them were starters from last season and some extremely important role players off of the bench.
“The expectations are that we play hard every game,” said Coach Chmiel in an interview. “No matter what the situation, style of play, or time left on the clock, we are extremely competitive.”
Even though the Orange and Brown made the Women’s National Invitational Tournament (WNIT) last season, they were eliminated in the first round against the Butler Bulldogs. Building off the experience that many of the players have gotten is going to be important to this team’s growth going forward.
Entering this season, the Falcons are predicted to finish fourth in the MAC in the 2024-25 Preseason Poll.
Southern Mississippi
The 2023-24 season was an impressive one for Southern Mississippi. Finishing the season with a record of 20-14 and 10-8 in conference play. That record was able to land them in sixth place within the Sun Belt Conference.
Last season also was one of success for Head Coach Joye Lee-McNelis as, for the first time since the 2016-17 season, Southern Mississippi was able to hit the 20-win mark. Among those 20 wins was Lee-McNelis’s 300th win with Southern Mississippi as Head Coach.
That sixth-place finish would not deter them from making a run in the WNIT, as they were able to make it to the Super 16 before they fell to ULM.
Returning five of the thirteen players this season, the Golden Flashes will look to mesh the new talent with the returning faces this season.
Falcon Four Players to Watch
Forward #32, Erika Porter, Bowling Green
Last season, Porter was named as a part of the All-MAC Third Team. She looks to build on last season with another dominating performance in the paint this season. Being slated for a big season, Porter has been named to the Preseason All-MAC Second Team.
Porter was so reliable in shot-making last season that she shot 66.3% from the field, 159-240, that she was not only able to break the BGSU record but the MAC field goal percentage record. This shooting percentage was also good enough to put her second in all of college basketball.
Guard #1 Amy Velasco, Bowling Green
Velasco stepped up big time last season with the Fleming injury. During MAC play last season, Velasco was able to entire MAC in assists. She was also only one of two Falcons to start every game last season and had a team-high of 35.5 minutes a game. All this work landed Velasco on the All-MAC Second Team.
Before this season, Velasco was named to the Preseason All-MAC First Team.
Guard #3 Jacorriah Bracey, Southern Miss.
Bracey was one of the three Golden Eagles to average double figures and one of two to record ten or more double-doubles. She is also a prolific defensive rebounder, with 154 last season.
One of the main pieces on offense for Southern Miss, Bracey will look to have another big year for the Golden Eagles and will be key against the Falcons.
Center #45 Melyia Grayson, Southern Miss.
Grayson started all 34 games for the Golden Eagles last season and was named to the Sun Belt Conference Third Team. A center with great offensive ability, Grayson scored double-digits in 26 games last season, scoring 20-plus points three times as well.
