BGSU women’s basketball (4-4) return home to battle the Musketeers (4-4) this Saturday, Dec. 6 at 7 p.m. Two wins and two losses later, BG returns home after a three-week hiatus from the Stroh. For Xavier, they have a road contest for just the third time this season.
This contest will break the 4-4 series history record deadlock and the first time these two have played against each other at the Stroh since 2017. BGSU has also won two of the last three after losing three consecutive vs the Musketeers, including a 73-64 win last year.
You can catch the game on WBGU 88.1 FM. Falcon Media Sports Network’s Lucas Kleimeyer and Kaden Knapp will be on the call.
BOWLING GREEN
The Orange and Brown have had a lot occur since being home last. Sophomore forward Taya Ellis suffered an apparent injury in the OSU game and hasn’t played since.
However, fifth-year forward Erika Porter played her best game so far when the team needed it. She scored 20 points and hauled in eight rebounds against Stetson in a 79-43 win in Daytona Beach, Florida.
She followed that up by scoring 18 against Arkansas, including the game-winning shot with 8.5 seconds to play.
Senior guard Amy Velasco earned a spot on the All-Tournament Team for her efforts. She recorded a season-high 10 assists against Stetson and nine versus Arkansas. She also totaled a combined 33 points during the tournament.
The Falcons also shot 45 percent from the floor and played quality basketball while down south. They fulfilled many of their coaches ‘keys’ to the game.
To beat Xavier, Bowling Green will need to defend the high post, take care of the basketball, and communicate defensively.
XAVIER
The Musketeers are coming off two consecutive losses with an 84-52 loss against their Big East rival, Creighton, and a 72-60 loss to Eastern Michigan.
Overall, Xavier is 1-5 against MAC opponents stretching back to last season. Their one win came earlier this year against Miami (OH) on Nov. 10.
This season, the Musketeers have been outscored by a total of 37 points. Their average margin of loss is 19.8 and their average margin of victory is 10.5.
For the Blue and Silver, shooting has been paramount. In all the games they won so far, they have had a better shooting percentage than their opposition. They are 89/196 or 45.4% in wins to their opponents 87/224 or 38.8%.
It is completely flipped in Xavier’s losses. They are 35.5 from the floor and have allowed their opponents to shoot 48.1% in those games.
To be victorious, the Musketeers will need to outshoot BG, especially in the mid-range. Xavier lives in the high post and makes a lot of moves off ball screens.
FALCON FOUR PLAYERS TO WATCH
Freshman forward #22 Lauren Gerken, Bowling Green
The Liberty Benton graduate had the biggest game of her young career against Stetson. She scored 20 points in 22 minutes and hauled in seven rebounds. She followed that up by scoring seven points against Arkansas and grasped the final rebound to cement the win. Her confidence and role have been growing with each game she plays.
Sophomore guard #10 Paige Kohler, Bowling Green
Paige Kohler’s timely shots against Arkansas sparked the team’s comeback. She scored a season-high 25 points, shot 50% from the field and 77.8% from beyond the arc. Kohler can really spark the Falcons’ offense and is a pivotal piece.
Graduate student forward #1 Loren Christie, Xavier
After missing the entirety of last season due to injury, Loren Christie is back and has started this season off with a bang. She leads the team in points scored, rebounds, and field goal percentage. Her 12.4 points per game has helped this team a lot. She thrives underneath the hoop, only taking three shots from three range this year.
Freshman guard #8 Meri Kanerva, Xavier
Freshman Meri Kanerva is second on the team in scoring with 85 points or 10.6 points per game. She has had bright spots this season, scoring 17 against Youngstown State and Eastern Michigan. The Finland native is also a three-point threat, shooting 26 total threes and making 10.
