BGSU men’s basketball will make the short trip up I-75 to battle their archrivals, the Toledo Rockets, at Savage Arena on Saturday at 5 p.m.
Falcon Media Sports Network’s Tyler Kavalecz, Artie Abrego and Foster Roesti will have the call on Falcon Radio, streaming on bgfalconmedia.com. The broadcast will start at 4:35 p.m. with a pregame show featuring Nate Hinners and Sam Bork.
A win would mark three straight victories in conference play for the first time this season, as well as the first time BG has defeated Toledo in back-to-back contests since the 2019-20 campaign.
The game is part of the Battle of I-75 presented by Fremont Federal Credit Union, which is a head-to-head, points-based competition between the two northwest Ohio universities. Five points are on the line on Saturday, with the Falcons currently leading the series 26-25.
Matchup History
The contest will mark the 185th all-time meeting between the rivals, with Toledo leading the series 99-85.
However, the Falcons have won two of the past three games against the Rockets, and the series is tied 2-2 during head coach Todd Simon’s tenure at Bowling Green.
BGSU stole the last matchup 69-68 at Savage Arena on Feb. 21, 2025, with Javontae Campbell making a game-winning layup with 1.6 seconds remaining.
Scouting Bowling Green
The Falcons are tied for fifth in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) standings, sitting at 13-6 overall and 4-3 in conference play.
Bowling Green has won two straight games, defeating Eastern Michigan and Western Michigan.
BG’s offense has been one of the most productive in the MAC this season.
The Falcons rank third in the conference with 49.3% shooting from the field, fourth with 87.0 points per game and sixth with 34.8% shooting on 3-pointers.
BGSU has scored at least 80 points in four of their seven conference games.
But it is the team’s defense that has been the strength this year.
The Falcons lead the country with 11.5 steals per game, while placing second in the nation with 17.6 turnovers per game.
Additionally, BG leads the MAC with 70.3 points per game allowed, while ranking third in the conference with 43% shooting from the field and fifth with 33.3% shooting from deep allowed.
However, conference opponents have scored 79.6 points per game, while shooting 47.2% from the floor and 34.8% on 3-pointers against Bowling Green.
One area the Falcons have struggled is on the glass.
Bowling Green grabs just 36.0 rebounds per game, good for only eighth in the MAC.
Scouting Toledo
Toledo also enters the game tied for fifth in the MAC with a 10-9 overall and 4-3 conference record.
Unlike the Falcons, the Rockets have lost two in a row, falling on the road to Kent State and UMass by a combined five points.
Toledo’s offense has been solid this season, ranking fifth in the MAC with 82.7 points per game, 47.9% shooting from the field and 16.2 assists per game, while placing seventh with 34.7% shooting from beyond the arc.
But the Rockets are an excellent free-throw shooting unit, converting 77.6% of their chances at the charity stripe, pacing the MAC and ranking 19th in the country.
UT’s defense has been one of the worst in the conference.
Toledo allows 47.9% shooting from the field, the worst mark in the MAC. They also allow 78.6 points per game and 35.1% shooting on 3-pointers, the fourth-worst marks in the conference.
The Rockets also struggle on the boards, recording just 34.8 rebounds per game, ranking ninth in the conference. They have grabbed and allowed an identical 662 rebounds this season, being the only team in the MAC with an exactly even rebounding margin.
Falcon Four Players to Watch
Troy Glover II (Bowling Green No. 16)
After a slow start to his debut season with Bowling Green, the 6-foot-10 senior forward has emerged as a key piece to the team’s success during conference play.
Over the past four games, Glover has tallied 8.8 points, 9.0 rebounds, 3.8 offensive rebounds, 2.5 blocks and 1.3 steals per game, while shooting 61.5% from the field.
The Wheaton, Illinois, native ranks third in the MAC with 26 blocks, fifth with 61.2% shooting from the field and seventh with 40 offensive rebounds.
Campbell (Bowling Green No. 2)
Campbell has been one of the best players in the MAC this season.
The senior guard leads the country with 3.4 steals per game. He also ranks fourth in the conference with 18.1 points and 4.8 assists per game. Campbell’s 22.9 points per game during conference play paces the MAC.
In his last game against the Rockets, where he made the game-winning shot, Campbell tallied 23 points, three rebounds, three assists, one steal and one block.
The junior guard, a Third Team All-MAC selection last season, is the leader of the Rockets. Wilson ranks seventh in the MAC with 17.4 points and 4.6 assists per game.
The Pontiac, Michigan, native is one of the most consistent scorers in the conference. Wilson has scored double-digit points in every game this season and all but two contests over the past two seasons.
Leroy Blyden Jr. (Toledo No. 2)
The freshman guard has been a key piece for Toledo in his first season at the collegiate level.
Blyden ranks fifth in the MAC with 34 steals, seventh with 43 3-pointers made and ninth with 42.6% shooting from deep, as well as placing 10th in the conference with 15.9 points and 4.1 assists per game.
Blyden, named last year’s runner-up for Michigan Mr. Basketball, is averaging 21.7 points per game over the past three contests.
