Bowling Green men’s basketball is currently in the midst of their worst stretch this season, as they are on a three-game losing streak.
After an 84-71 loss to Toledo, Bowling Green looks to rebound with a trip to Kent State to take on the Golden Flashes for the first time this season.
Matchup History
Bowling Green is just ahead of the Golden Flashes in the series against Kent State, leading 87-86 since the first matchup in 1917.
The last time these two teams met was not in the regular season, but rather in the MAC tournament- where the eighth seed Kent State knocked Bowling Green out of the tournament in the second round, with a final score of 73-60.
Scouting Bowling Green
Bowling Green is currently on their worst stretch of the season- going 0-3 vs Eastern Michigan, Miami (OH) and Toledo to fall to 7-12 on the year and 2-5 vs the Mid-American Conference (MAC).
Bowling Green is still running a seven-man rotation with Sam Towns and Youseff Khayat currently out indefinitely. Bowling Green’s starting lineup of Javontae Campbell, Marcus Johnson, Jamai Felt, Derrick Butler and Trey Thomas has been averaging 30 minutes per game each.
The biggest issue during the three-game losing skid has been bench production.
In the last three matchups, the Orange and Brown scored five bench points against Eastern Michigan, two against Miami and six against Toledo.
Bowling Green is now averaging 76.3 points per game on 44.6% shooting while shooting 34.5% from 3-point range.
The Orange and Brown are also averaging 34.2 rebounds per game while allowing 75.6 points per contest on defense.
Scouting Kent State
Kent State enters their matchup with Bowling Green sporting a 12-7 record on the season with a 3-4 record vs the MAC.
In their last four games, Kent State has a 1-3 record and is coming off a 61-59 loss to Ohio. The Golden Flashes sit at 6th place in the conference, 3 spots above Bowling Green.
Kent State averages the lowest amount of points per game in the MAC, with 69.7 points per game. The Golden Flashes are shooting 41.3% from the field and 28.1% from beyond the arc, both ranking second-worst in the MAC.
Kent State lives and dies by their defensive game- allowing just 64.5 points per game- the best defense in the MAC.
Despite the low shooting numbers, Kent State is in the top five in rebounding in the conference, with 36.5 rebounds per game.
Falcon Four Players to Watch
Jamai Felt (Bowling Green #11)
Felt has been phenomenal since joining the starting lineup for the Falcons after Town’s injury. Felt is coming off his second double-double of the season with 10 points and 13 rebounds vs Toledo.
Marcus Johnson (Bowling Green #6)
Johnson enters Kent State after his highest-scoring game of the season in the Battle of I-75, scoring 28 points in the loss to Toledo.
VonCameron Davis (Kent State #1)
Davis is the leading scorer for the Golden Flashes this season, averaging 15.4 points per game on 44.4% shooting while recording 1.3 steals per game.
Cli’Ron Hornbeak (Kent State #42)
Hornbeak has been irreplaceable for the Golden Flashes on the defensive side of the ball. Hornbeak leads Kent State in rebounds (6.4) and blocks (1.1) per game.
