BGSU men’s basketball is at a crossroads in their season.
The Falcons sit in seventh place in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) standings at 13-8 overall and 4-5 in conference play, just inside the MAC Tournament picture.
But Bowling Green last lost two straight—a gutting 73-72 loss to Toledo at the buzzer and a demoralizing 89-78 loss to Buffalo at the Stroh Center.
BG’s defense broke down against the Bulls, allowing a season-high 14 3-pointers at a 53.8% clip, the second-most triples allowed in a game by the Falcons under head coach Todd Simon.
Bowling Green’s defense was the best in the conference in non-conference play.
However, they have been middle of the pack in conference play, ranking ninth in the MAC with 79.9 points allowed per game.
The most important moment of the Buffalo loss happened after the game—Simon criticized his defense and their discipline.
“Defensively is nowhere near what we’re about. You give up 14 threes, and when an emphasis to take that away from them was kind of what we worked on for a couple of days,” Simon said. “So, we were really undisciplined at critical times and teams when they catch fire, they make you pay for that.”
The leader also issued a call to action for the team.
“Thursday’s going to be a bloodbath. That was the message in the locker room. They’re going to strap up. This is not what we’re about. The guys that are on the bus to play defense are going to move forward. The guys that are not will still have a seat, but it’s going to be more in different roles,” Simon said. “So, we’re going to defend. That’s what this program’s about, and tonight we didn’t. You don’t give up 89 points on your home floor. You don’t give up 14 threes on your home floor. So, we’ve got two practices to really get after it and fix it.”
While it may not seem like anything crazy on the surface, this may be the turning point of the season, whether good or bad.
Anytime a coach calls out their team’s play to the media, that is a public call for a change in the play on the court.
Simon has rarely resorted to that tactic during his three seasons leading the program.
The team will either respond to his call or they won’t. Only time will tell the answer.
But we very well may look back on the Buffalo game, and the press conference after the loss, at a turning point in the season come March.
The Falcons are back in action against Central Michigan in Mount Pleasant, Michigan, on Saturday at 7 p.m. before returning to the Stroh Center to face Ball State on Tuesday at 7 p.m.
The Chippewas are last in the MAC and the Cardinals are also outside the MAC Tournament picture, marking the perfect time for Bowling Green to figure things out.
