After a disappointing 73-66 loss to Detroit Mercy last Friday, the Falcons (1-1) look to bounce back and pick up a victory against the Cleveland State Vikings (1-1).
The Orange and Brown lead the overall series 11-5. BG has also won eight of the last 10 matchups dating back to 1984.
Last year, BGSU outscored CSU 7-0 in the final 11.7 seconds, including two late Lexi Fleming free throws to secure the 89-86 victory.
BOWLING GREEN
Turnovers and foul trouble have plagued the start of the season for the Falcons. They average a total of 22.5 fouls per game and 21.5 turnovers per game. Sophomore guard Paige Kohler fouled out in both games as well.
They were able to sneak by Southern Mississippi in the season opener despite this. Against Detroit Mercy, BG was able to obtain an early lead but lost the lead in the second and could not recover.
Fifth-year forward Erika Porter saw a huge spike in minutes, totaling 27 minutes against the Titans compared to the eight she received against SMU. She also scored 14 points and grasped five rebounds.
To beat Cleveland State, BGSU will need to protect the basketball, be wary of fouls, and be smart with their shot selections.
CLEVELAND STATE
The Vikings opened their 2024-2025 campaign on the road against 14th-ranked Ohio State and fell 104-69. They then followed that game up by defeating Chicago State 111-67.
CSU is a good squad that, like Detroit Mercy, is in the Horizon League. They were ranked number one in the conference in the preseason polls, receiving seven votes.
After turning the basketball over 24 times against the Buckeyes, they saw a significant decrease in turnovers against the Cougars, totaling only 14.
This same trend also occurred in the fouling department, going from 18 to 13.
FALCON FOUR PLAYERS TO WATCH
Senior Guard, #1: Amy Velasco, Bowling Green
Velasco earned the Falcon Media Food and Drink Player of the Game against Detroit Mercy for her efforts. She played all 40 minutes and led the team with 20 points. She also knows how to move the ball very well. She will look to continue this into Cleveland.
Sophomore Guard, #10: Paige Kohler, Bowling Green
Kohler had a fantastic opening game; however, she found herself in foul trouble early against Detroit Mercy and was held to seven points. She is a pivotal part of the Falcons offense, and when she is performing at a high level, the team tends to as well.
Graduate Student Guard, #0: Mickayla Perdue, Cleveland State
Perdue averages 30 points per game and has shot over .500 from the floor this season. She has scored a third of the team’s total points so far. In addition to that, she has only turned the basketball over seven times and has been guilty of two fouls.
Graduate Student Guard, #12: Sara Guerreiro, Cleveland State
Guerreiro leads the team in rebounds this season and is second on the team in points. She could only get off five shots against OSU but was able to more than double that number against CSU. Perdue can’t do it all herself, so look for Guerreiro to have a good game.
