It is obvious that BGSU men’s basketball is not off to the blazing start many were hoping for and possibly expecting after a 20-win season last year.
However, this past weekend showcased the talent the Falcons have this season and provided the team with many learning experiences, which could lead to the Orange and Brown getting hot at the end of their non-conference schedule.
The Falcons traveled west for the Arizona Tip-Off with a 2-4 record on the season. They left the Grand Canyon State with a 3-5 record, falling 73-70 to Weber State on Friday and defeating New Mexico State 61-60 on Saturday.
While those results may not seem like a lot on the surface, this past weekend may have been the most valuable yet for BGSU as they battled through adversity in crucial learning situations.
Firstly, it must be stated that the team was thin due to injuries going into the pair of contests.
Junior forward Youssef Khayat has not played since leaving the Bellarmine game on Nov. 23 with an injury. Meanwhile, senior forward Sam Towns did not appear in either game, junior forward Greg Spurgin has been seen wearing a boot in past weeks and freshman Alijah Adem is still away from the team after a family tragedy occurred just before the start of the season.
Other players, such as sophomore forward Preston Squire and senior guard DaJion Humphrey, have been working back from injuries through the first few weeks of this year’s campaign.
However, that did not stop the Falcons, with players like senior forward Marcus Johnson, junior guard Javontae Campbell and senior guard Derrick Butler all stepping up.
While Johnson struggled against Weber State, scoring just eight points on 3-15 shooting, he took over against New Mexico State, leading the Orange and Brown with 23 points on 7-13 shooting.
Campbell struggled shooting in both games, going just 5-19 from the field. However, he scored double-digit points in both contests while leading the team with seven steals.
Butler may have been the most valuable player. The Central Michigan transfer led the Falcons with 16 points on Friday before scoring 15 and sealing the victory on Saturday with a block in the final seconds.
But the results may have not been the biggest win of the trip for Bowling Green—It may have been what they gained from the situations they faced.
On top of overcoming being shorthanded, the Falcons fought to make both games one-possession contests that came down to the final shots.
While facing teams like Michigan State are helpful, it can be argued that playing in critical end-of-game situations during non-conference games may be more valuable, as getting experience in those situations will help when the calendar flips over to 2025, and MAC play begins.
Another important thing to note is that it was right around now last year when BGSU went on an eight-game winning streak that propelled them to the top of the MAC standings going into conference play.
With just one matchup this week, a game against Morgan State at home on Saturday, if this team can get healthy, there is a legitimate chance they can go on a similar run with five games remaining in non-conference play. However, only time will tell.
