Falcons & Titans Set for Annual Clash on Saturday at Calihan Hall

Saturday, December 12

Detroit, Mich.

1:00 p.m.

Bowling Green State University

Detroit

Photo by: Larry Clapper

Falcons & Titans Set for Annual Clash on Saturday at Calihan Hall

December 11, 2015 | Men's Basketball

By: by Kevin Davis, BGSU Assistant Director for Athletic Communications

GAMEDAY CENTRAL

STARTING FIVE
(1) FALCONS AND TITANS ANNUAL CLASH: Located just over one hour apart, the non-conference regional meeting between the Bowling Green Falcons and the Detroit Titans has become an annual match up. Saturday afternoon's contest will be the ninth straight season in which the two teams have met on the hardwood.

(2) CLOSE ENCOUNTERS: The last four meetings between the two teams dating back to the 2011-12 season have all been close in terms of the outcome. Each of the last four games have been decided by six points or less, while the last two contests have come down to the last possession.

(3) SOMETHING HAS GOT TO GIVE: Something has got to give on Saturday at Calihan Hall, as BGSU is a perfect 2-0 on the road in true road contests this season with wins at FGCU (Nov. 23) and at SEMO (Dec. 8). However, Detroit is undefeated at 4-0 at Calihan Hall this season with wins over Central State (Nov. 16), Michigan-Dearborn (Nov. 23), Northeastern (Dec. 5) and Toledo (Dec. 9).

(4) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 ....: BGSU is on a current six-game winning streak, which is tied for the longest winning streak for the Falcons since 2008-09. The Falcons are looking to make it seven straight wins, which would be the longest winning streak for the Falcons since recording a 12-game winning streak back in 2001-02.

(5) ROAD TRIP: The Falcons are in the midst of their longest road trip of the season. BGSU will close out the 2015 calendar year with four straight games on the road at SEMO (Dec. 8), Detroit (Dec. 12), Wright State (Dec. 20) and Cleveland State (Dec. 23).

(6th man) CENTENNIAL SEASON: The 2015-16 is the Centennial Season for the BGSU men's basketball program, which began playing basketball in 1915-16.

SCOUTING THE UDM TITANS
Picked to finish fourth overall in the Horizon League preseason poll in mid-October, the Titans are 4-3 overall this season, but will enter play at home on Saturday afternoon at Calihan Hall on a two-game winning streak, including a 75-72 win over the Toledo Rockets on Dec. 9. Detroit has played all season long without All-Horizon League Preseason First-Team and reigning 2015 Horizon League Freshman of the Year Paris Bass who was the Titans top-returner heading into the season and is expected to suit up for the Titans on Saturday versus BGSU. However, in his absence four players have stepped up and are averaging double digit points in Chris Jenkins (14.1 ppg), Josh McFolley (14.0), Anton Wilson (13.4) and Jaleel Hogan (10.0), while Carlton Brundidge is averaging 9.9 points per game. The Titans are averaging 83.9 points per game, and are shooting 45.2 percent from the field overall and 41.4 percent from behind the three-point line on the season. Detroit is also averaging 7.3 steals and 4.9 blocks per game on the defensive end. The Titans are a perfect 4-0 at home this season.

FALCONS VERSUS DETROIT ALL-TIME SERIES
Bowling Green and Detroit will meet for the ninth straight year on Saturday afternoon. The Falcons trail the Titans 17-23 in the all-time series. However, BGSU has won eight out of the last 10 meetings between these two teams dating back to the 2003-04 season. In fact, the Orange and Brown have won four straight over Detroit heading into play on Saturday afternoon, including a buzzer beating 64-63 win at Calihan Hall last year.

COACH'S CORNER
"Our guys are looking forward to a challenging game against a regional foe in Detroit, which is the second of a four game road swing. This will be the ninth straight year we've tipped off against Detroit, four of which have been decided by six points or less. Given the history of this match up, we expect it to be a gritty, competitive and high energy game, which will prepare us as we inch closer to MAC play."

UP NEXT FOR THE FALCONS
After a week off, the Falcons will return to action on Sunday, Dec. 20, when BGSU will head south down I-75 to face off with the Wright State Raiders for a non-conference tilt set for a 4:30 p.m. start time.

A FALCON WIN WOULD MEAN ....
* The Falcons would improve to 8-2 overall on the season.
* The 8-2 start would be the best start to a season by a Falcons' team since the 2004-05 squad started the year off at 10-2 overall.
* Give BGSU a seven-game winning streak, its longest of the season.
* The seven-game winning streak would be the longest for the Falcons since they put together a 12-game winning streak back in 2001-02.
* Put the Falcons at 3-0 in true road contests on the year.
* BGSU would start the month of December at 4-0.
* The Falcons are assured a winning non-conference record for the second straight year.
* Bowling Green would extend its winning streak to five straight games over Detroit.

LAST TIME OUT - BGSU 79, SEMO 52 (DEC. 8)
The Falcons shot 55.2 percent from the floor overall and dished out 23 assists, as BGSU led from start to finish in a 79-52 road win over Southeast Missouri State University on Tuesday night inside the Show Me Center in Cape Girardeau, Mo. The win is the sixth straight for the Falcons, which is the longest winning streak for a BGSU team since the Falcons won six straight games back in 2008-09. BGSU had a total of 10 players score in the contest and were led by Zack Denny and Spencer Parker who tied for the game-high with 18 points apiece. Bowling Green, who outscored SEMO 44-32 in points in the paint and 19-10 in points off turnovers, was 32-of-58 (55.2 percent) from the field overall and 10-of-18 (55.6 percent) from behind the three-point line in the win. The Falcons' defense held the Redhawks to just 22-of-69 (31.9 percent) overall and 3-of-17 (17.6 percent) as a team from long distance.

STROLL DOWN MEMORY LANE - BUZZER BEATER MAYHEM
With 2.2 seconds left on the game clock and the Falcons down one, BGSU's Spencer Parker threw an inbounds pass to senior Richaun Holmes at the free throw line. Holmes turned, took one dribble and drove the right side of the lane where he flicked up a contested layup that hit off the backboard and went through the net as time expired to give the Falcons a 64-63 road win at Detroit on Sunday, Nov. 30, in the Calihan Hall in Detroit, Mich. It was the first time the Falcons won on a buzzer beater since Joe Jakubowski hit a three-pointer as the final horn sounded to give BGSU a win over Georgia State on Nov. 14, 2008.

FINAL HOMECOMING OF SORTS
Bowling Green senior and Detroit native Spencer Parker will be playing in his final game "at home" on Saturday afternoon at Calihan Hall. In last year's contest on Dick Vitale Court, Parker battled foul trouble from the first half on to score one point and grab three rebounds in only 15 minutes of action. However, Parker did pick up the assist on the game winning buzzer beating shot by Richaun Holmes as time expired.

SIX AND COUNTING
BGSU is on a current six-game winning streak, which is tied for the longest winning streak for the Falcons since 2008-09. In fact, the Falcons have now posted a six-game winning streak four times (2015-16, 2008-09, 2004-05, 2002-03) since recording a 12-game winning streak back in 2001-02.

NON-CONFERENCE WINS
The Falcons are 7-2 thus far this season over its non-conference slate with four more non-league games to go this season. BGSU won eight non-conference games, not counting postseason wins in the MAC Tournament or the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament (CIT), last year. The Falcons also posted eight non-conference wins in regular season play in 2009-10, 1999-2000, and 1996-97.

DENNY DIALING IN FROM LONG DISTANCE
This season, Zack Denny is shooting a career-high 45.5 percent from behind the three-point line and leads the team with 20 made treys on the season. The junior guard is shooting 41.5 percent overall from long distance for his career, as he is 73-of-176 from long range, which has him currently ranked fourth in career three-point field goal percentage at BGSU.

SHARP SHOOTING FALCONS
Over its current six-game winning streak, the Falcons have shot over 45 percent from the floor as a team in each contest, including shooting a season-high 55.7 percent overall from the field in the blowout win over Urbana on Nov. 29. In fact, the Falcons have shot over 45.5 percent in all seven of their wins this season. On the flip side, BGSU is 0-2 on the year when shooting below 45 percent from the floor.

POINTS ON THE UP AND UP
After scoring just 50 points against Cincinnati on Nov. 18 and then 59 points versus North Dakota on Nov. 21, both losses, BGSU has seen its points total on the up and up over its current six-game winning streak. The Falcons scored 79 points in a win over Youngstown State on Nov. 22 in Fort Myers, Fla. Bowling Green then totaled 82 points in a road win at FGCU the following night on Nov. 23, poured in a season-high 96 points against Urbana on Nov. 29 and then tallied 72 points in the win over UMBC on Dec. 2. The Falcons then totaled 75 points in the home win versus Drake on Dec. 5 and most recently scorched the nets for 79 points in the road win at Southeast Missouri on Dec. 8.

SHARING THE WEALTH
The Falcons have shared the wealth in six of their seven wins thus far this season in terms of the scoring load. BGSU has had three players or more score in double figures in six of the seven wins for the Falcons this season. BGSU had four players score in double digit points in the home win over New Orleans on Nov. 14 and in the road win at FGCU on Nov. 23. The Falcons also had five different players score in double figures in the neutral site win over Youngstown State on Nov. 22 in Fort Myers, Fla. and again in the home win over Urbana on Nov. 29 at the Stroh Center. Coach Huger's squad had three players in double digits in the win over UMBC at home on Dec. 2 and in the win versus Drake at home on Dec. 5.

SPENCE LEADING BY EXAMPLE
As the most experienced player on the Falcons' roster, senior forward Spencer Parker has been leading by example with career numbers this season. Parker is second on the team with an average of 13.2 points per game and 6.4 rebounds per game. He is shooting 50.5 percent from the field overall. He has scored in double figures in seven games and has already posted two 20 point games with 22 points at FGCU and 20 points versus UMBC. He also has two double-doubles on the season and is second on the team in minutes played with an average of 27.8 over the first nine games for the Falcons this season.

MR. CLEAN
BGSU's 6-1 guard Zack Denny has been cleaning up the backboards this season for the Falcons, as he leads the team with a total of 68 rebounds and an average of 7.6 boards per contest. Over his last six games, Denny has pulled down a total of 55 rebounds and an average of 9.2 per outing.

GETTING TO THE CHARITY STRIPE
Bowling Green has made it a habit to get to the free throw line, as the Falcons have shot more foul shots than their opponent in six of their nine games this season. BGSU has attempted 20 or more free throws in six games on the season and have made more free throws than their opponents have even attempted in three different contests.

MINUTES, MINUTES, EVERYONE GETS MINUTES!
A total of nine players are averaging double digit minutes of playing time on the court thus far this season for the Falcons. In fact, nine different players notched 14 minutes or more of playing time over the 40 minute contest versus New Orleans (11/14), while nine different Falcons logged 13 minutes or more against Cincinnati (11/18). Nine different players also played 10 minutes or more versus North Dakota (11/21) and in the win over Youngstown State (11/22). Eleven different Falcons logged 10 minutes or more in the home win over Urbana on Nov. 29, while nine different players notched 13 minutes or more in the road win at Southeast Missouri on Dec. 8.

DENNY TABBED MADNESS MAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK (DEC. 5)
BGSU guard Zack Denny was tabbed the Madness Mid-American Men's Basketball Player of the Week by College Sports Madness (www.collegesportsmadness.com) on Monday, Dec. 7. Denny led the Falcons in both scoring and rebounding over BGSU's two contests last week, as the he averaged 15.5 points and 9.0 rebounds per contest to lead the Orange and Brown to a 2-0 week. He shot a stellar 54.5 percent (12-of-22) from the field overall and an even better 62.5 percent (5-of-8) from behind the three-point line for the week. In the Falcons' win over UMBC on Dec. 2, Denny hauled in a game-high 11 rebounds and scored eight points. He followed up that performance with a career-high 23 points, on 9-of-13 shooting overall and 4-of-5 shooting from behind the three-point line in the Falcons' fifth straight win. He also pulled down seven rebounds and had both a steal and an assist in the win.

PARKER RECOGNIZED BY COLLEGE SPORTS MADNESS (NOV. 30)
Senior forward Spencer Parker was named the Madness Mid-American Men's Basketball Player of the Week on Nov. 30 by College Sports Madness (www.collegesportsmadness.com) for his strong week of play in which he led the Falcons to a 2-0 overall record with wins at FGCU and at home versus Urbana. The 6-7 forward led BGSU with an average of 18.5 points per game on 62.5 percent shooting from the field overall and 83.3 percent shooting from the free throw line. He posted a double-double of 22 points and 11 rebounds versus FGCU and followed that performance up with 15 points and six boards in only 19 minutes of action in the blowout win versus Urbana.

DOUBLE-DOUBLE TROUBLE
The duo of Spencer Parker and Zack Denny have each tallied two double-doubles thus far on the young season for the Falcons. Parker registered 16 points and 12 rebounds versus North Dakota and a season-high 22 points and 10 boards in the win at FGCU. Denny has posted two straight double-doubles with 17 points and 11 rebounds in the win over YSU, followed by 18 points and 11 rebounds in the win over the FGCU Eagles.

THAT 70'S STROH
BGSU is an impressive 23-1 at the Stroh Center when scoring 70 points or more in a contest. BGSU is 4-0 at the Stroh this season when scoring 70 points or more.

HOME SWEET STROH
BGSU has called the Stroh Center home since the 2011-12 season and has posted an overall record of 45-24 at the venue. The Falcons have won seven or more games at home every season since the Stroh's opening for the 2011-12 season and have recorded double digit home wins at the Stroh in three of the last four years. BGSU is 4-1 this season at home in the Stroh with wins over New Orleans, Urbana, UMBC and Drake.

3,411 TAKE PART IN THE SECOND ANNUAL BILL FRACK CHALLENGE
A total of 3,411 fans were in attendance at the second annual Bill Frack Challenge on Nov. 18 versus Cincinnati. The crowd is the fifth largest announced attendance to watch a BGSU men's basketball game inside the Stroh Center in the buildings five-year history.

#MAKEHISTORYNOW
Falcons' head coach Michael Huger recorded his first career win as a head coach in the 79-61 win over New Orleans in the season opener.

A FALCON NOW LEADING THE FALCONS
It seems fitting that a former Falcon would lead the program during its Centennial Season, as former BGSU standout and 1994 graduate Michael Huger returns to his alma-mater as the head coach in 2015-16. Huger, who returns to his alma mater where he was a standout player for the Falcons from 1989-93. While a player at BGSU, Huger helped the Falcons to a pair of NIT appearances. Tabbed the BGSU Team MVP in 1992-93, he earned all-conference honors in his final two seasons, and was a Naismith Award nominee and the runner-up for MAC Player of the Year his senior year.

WATCH ME: BGSU ON ESPN3, BCSN AND THE TWC SPORTS CHANNEL
Every Falcons' home game over the 2015-16 season will broadcast live on ESPN3. A number of road contests will also be video steamed live over the ESPN3 network, while the Falcons will also appear locally on the Buckeye Cable Sports Network (BCSN) on Jan. 6 vs. Miami (Ohio) and Jan. 19 vs. Toledo. BGSU will also be on the TWC Sports Channel on Dec. 20 at Wright State, Jan. 12 at Ohio and Mar. 1 at Kent State. A number of BGSU games could be chosen for TV by eight ESPN or the CBS Sports Network throughout the season as wildcard selections.

CAPTAINS NAMED FOR 2015-16
The Falcons have three team captains for the 2015-16 season in junior JD Tisdale, junior Wes Alcegaire and redshirt-sophomore Garrett Mayleben.

PICKED TO FINISH SIXTH IN THE MAC EAST IN PRESEASON POLL
With the loss of its top three scorers from last season in Richaun Holmes to the NBA, and both Jehvon Clarke and Anthony Henderson due to graduation, the Falcons were picked to finish sixth in the MAC East Division in the 2015-16 MAC Men's Basketball Preseason Poll, which was determined by a 23-member MAC News Media Panel. The Falcons garnered 42 points overall.