Falcons Return Home to Face Canisius Sunday

Sunday, November 19

Bowling Green, OH

2:00 PM ET

Bowling Green State University

Canisius

Tickets

Sydney Lambert lineups Nov 10 2017 v EKU

Photo by: Bianca Garza, BGSU Marketing and Communications

November 18, 2017 | Women's Basketball

BGSU eyes 4-0 start to season

By: BOWLING GREEN, Ohio (BGSU Athletic Communications)

BGSU vs. CANISIUS
Sunday, November 19, 2017 • 2:00 p.m.
Stroh Center (4,347) • Bowling Green, Ohio

TELEVISION / VIDEO: ESPN3.com
RADIO / AUDIO: WBGU-FM 88.1 / BGRSO
LIVE STATS: www.BGSUFalcons.com
TWITTER: @BGSUwbb

all available audio, stats & video links can be found at BGSUFalcons.com on game day

UP NEXT FOR THE FALCONS...
The Bowling Green State University women's basketball team, off to a 3-0 start to the 2017-18 season, returns home to continue a busy mid-November schedule. Head coach Jennifer Roos and the Falcons conclude a season-opening stretch of four games in a 10-day span by hosting Canisius College in a Sunday afternoon (Nov. 19) matchup. Tipoff is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. at the North Athletic Complex.

Then, the Brown and Orange will return to the road for a pair of games over the Thanksgiving holiday. The Falcons will fly to Boca Raton, Fla., to play two contests in the FAU Thanksgiving Tournament on Friday and Saturday, Nov. 24-25.

BGSU WOMEN'S BASKETBALL LINKS
Game Notes (PDF): BGSU | Canisius
BGSU Notes from all 2017-18 games (& previous seasons)
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2017-18 Schedule | Giveaways / Promotions
Spark Page | 2017-18 Record Book | Quick Facts
The Opponent: RMU Women's Basketball
FALCON NEWS: Santoro Named MAC, CSM Player of Week | Falcons Top Titans in Monday-Morning Thriller | #CanScoreO! Carly's 30-Point Performance Lifts Falcons Past EKU | Roos , Falcons Sign Three | Santoro Named to Preseason All-MAC Team | Veteran Quartet to Captain Falcons
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FALCONS OFF TO A 3-0 START
The Falcons have started the season with a 3-0 record for the second time in three years, and just the eighth time in the history of the program.

The last time BG won as many as three games to begin the year came in 2013-14, when the Falcons started the season with a 4-0 record en route to a 30-win season and a trip to the fourth round of the WNIT.

BG has had four starts of 2-0 or better in the six years since Jennifer Roos became head coach, after starting 2-0 a total of seven times in the previous 39 seasons.

The best start to a season in school history came in 2005-06, when BGSU won eight-straight games to begin the year, en route to a 28-3 final record and a trip to the NCAA Championships.
BGSU'S BEST STARTS TO A SEASON
Wins Season(s)
8   2005-06
6   1974-75, 1988-89, 2007-08
5   1991-92
4   2013-14
3   1997-98, 2017-18
2   1990-91, 2012-13, 2015-16

MY BABY TAKES THE MORNING TRAIN
The Falcons' previous two games both had a.m. starting times. On Monday, the Brown and Orange picked up an 85-81 win at Detroit in a School Day game that tipped off at 11:00 a.m. Then, on Thursday, BG's game at Robert Morris began at 10:00 a.m., and the Falcons again captured a narrow road victory (64-62 in overtime).

BG has three morning matchups in the span of less than a month, as the Falcons' home matchup with Xavier on Dec. 6 is set for an 11:00 a.m. start.

YOU LOOK FAMILIAR
Two BGSU assistant coaches are quite familiar with Canisius coach Terry Zeh and the Golden Griffin program. Jacey Brooks, in her fifth season with the Falcons, came to BG after spending the previous three seasons on Zeh's staff. Additionally, Brooks earned her Master's degree in Sport Administration from Canisius in 2012.

Nick Moore also came to BG after serving on Zeh's staff. Moore spent six years at Canisius, the last five as assistant coach, before joining the Falcons prior to last season. Moore's first three seasons at CC coincided with Brooks's tenure at the school. Moore earned his Master's degree in Sport Administration from Canisius in 2015.

FOLLOW THE FALCONS
If you can't make it to the arena on game day, fear not – you can still follow the Falcons via your radio- or computer-like devices.

Sunday's Canisius game will feature video and audio streams, as well as live stats and Twitter updates, all free of charge (other than the cost of purchasing a computer, a phone or other streaming advice, or bus fare to go to your local library and watch/listen on a computer there).

All of BGSU's home games and many road contests will have audio broadcasts, courtesy of the Bowling Green Radio Sports Organization (BGRSO). And, all but one of BGSU's home games in 2017-18 will be aired via ESPN3.com, with a live stream for the remaining game (Ferris State; Dec. 18) available through WBGU-TV.

Live stats will also be available for all games, and in-game Twitter updates for every BGSU game can be found at @BGSUwbb.

To follow the Falcons, simply log on to BGSUFalcons.com and click the 'calendar' link on the day of the game, or navigate your way to the women's basketball page. Any and all available links to ticket info. and game coverage will be available there.

SANTORO NAMED MAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK (BY MULTIPLE OUTLETS)
On Tuesday (Nov. 14), junior Carly Santoro was named Mid-American Conference Player of the Week, the league office announced. Santoro earned the honor for the first time this season and the second time in her BGSU career.

Additionally, Santoro was named the conference's P-O-W by College Sports Madness. She is the first Falcon to capture this honor since December of 2014.

Santoro, a native of Bellevue, Ohio (Bellevue H.S.), exploded for 30 points and 10 rebounds in the Falcons' 77-60 win over Eastern Kentucky on Friday evening (Nov. 10), in the 2017-18 regular-season opener. The 30-point game was the second of Santoro's career.

LAST TIME OUT: FALCONS QUELL RMU COMEBACK BID TO MOVE TO 3-0
Senior Haley Puk and the Falcons broke out to an early lead, and BGSU withstood a furious comeback effort by host Robert Morris Thursday morning (Nov. 16). BG picked up a 64-62 win in overtime in non-conference action at the North Athletic Complex.

With the win, the Falcons move to 3-0 on the young season. The Colonials, the two-time defending Northeast Conference champions, drop to 0-2.

Puk exploded for a career-high 26 points in the win. Her previous career-best scoring total was 14, and she had surpassed that by halftime on Thursday, with 17 points in the game's first 20 minutes.

BG led by as many as 19 points in the second period, and the Falcons took a double-digit lead into the second half. But, the Colonials rallied back in the third quarter, and the game was close the rest of the way.

Juniors Sydney Lambert and Carly Santoro each had 10 points for the Falcons. Lambert led the Brown and Orange with four assists, while Santoro had her third double-double in as many games this season, with a game-high 10 rebounds.

Mikalah Mulrain had 18 points to lead three double-figure scorers for the hosts. Megan Callahan had 16 points, including a game-high four three-point field goals made, while Megan Smith added 11 points.

PUK PRODUCES POINTS
Entering Thursday's game, senior Haley Puk's career-high scoring effort was 14 points. The native of Waterloo, Iowa, nearly doubled that output in the win over the Colonials, and she had set a new career standard by halftime.

Puk scored 26 points on Thursday, going 6-of-11 from the field and hitting a pair of three-pointers. Puk did much of her damage at the free-throw line. She was 12-for-14 from the stripe, topping the totals for the entire Robert Morris team in both free throws made and attempted.

Puk had 11 of her points in the first quarter, going 5-for-5 at the free-throw line over a 37-second span, then hitting two triples just over a minute apart. With a jumper early in the second quarter, two more free throws with four minutes left in the half and another short jumper with 1:38 to go, Puk had 17 points by halftime, surpassing her previous single-game best.

20-20(-20) VISION
Senior Haley Puk, as mentioned, shattered her career scoring high with 26 points at Robert Morris. She became the third different Falcon to score 20 or more points in a game this season, joining junior Carly Santoro and sophomore Andrea Cecil. Santoro scored 30 points in the season-opening win over Eastern Kentucky, while Cecil went for 20 points in the victory at Detroit.

With three different players reaching the 20-point mark at least once, the Falcons have already matched the total for all of last season. Last winter, Santoro had four games of 20 points or more, while classmate Sydney Lambert had two and Ashley Tunstall one.

TRY TO MAKE MORE THAN THEY TAKE
A hallmark of BGSU's successful teams over the years has been the ability to get to the free-throw line more often than the opponent. On Thursday, the Falcons made more than twice as many shots from the stripe as RMU atempted. BG was 23-of-34 (67.6%) from the line, while the Colonials went 8-of-11 (72.7%).

Through three games this season, BGSU has made a total of 60 shots, more than twice the number the foes have made (27). BG is shooting 70.6 percent (60-for-85) at the line, while the opponents have shot 67.5% (27-for-40).

The Falcons are averaging 20 free throws made and 28.3 attempted this season to date, compared to just over 12 FTM and 17.8 FTA per game a year ago.

FALCONS LIGHT UP THE SCOREBOARD
BGSU scored 77 or more points in a game only three times last season, but the Falcons have done so twice already this year. BG had 85 or more points just once last year – an 86-50 win over Akron at the Stroh Center – a feat the 2017-18 Falcons matched on Monday at Detroit.

The Falcons' total of 85 points was the team's highest in a road game in over five years, since a 91-48 win at Kent State in the final regular-season game of the 2011-12 season (Feb. 28, 2012).

BG averaged 62.6 points per game a year ago. This season, the Falcons are averaging 75.3 ppg. Twice in three 2017-18 games, BGSU has scored at least 60 points through three quarters of play.

ABOUT THE FALCONS
Head coach Jennifer Roos and her staff – which is comprised of assistant coaches Jacey Brooks, Nick Moore and Jessie Ivey, director of operations Monique Rosati and video coordinator Amanda Cutcher – welcomed back a total of nine returning players, including three starters, from a year ago. The list of returnees includes two seniors, three juniors and four second-year Falcons.

Rachel Myers and Haley Puk comprise the senior class, while Maddie Cole, Sydney Lambert and Carly Santoro enter their junior year. Sophomores Andrea Cecil, Caterrion Thompson and Jane Uecker also return, as does Clare Glowniak, who is a redshirt freshman in terms of eligibilty after missing the bulk of last season due to injury.

The nine returnees are joined by five freshmen, including Terri Battle, Madisen Parker, Angela Perry, Sierra Thompson and Kennedy Williams. The frosh combined for 34 points in the exhibition win over Seton Hill.

BGSU's starters in all three games to date have been Cecil, Lambert, Puk, Santoro and Uecker. The two sophomores, Cecil and Uecker, made the first start of their respective collegiate careers in the season opener.

Santoro recently was named to the Preseason All-MAC Team. She led the Falcons in scoring a year ago, averaging 12.0 points per game. Santoro is the Falcons' top returning rebounder as well, having pulled down 7.4 boards per contest last winter.

This year, through three games, four Falcons are scoring in double digits. Santoro leads the way with 17.0 ppg, and is averaging a double-double, with 11.0 rpg. Puk (15.0 ppg), Lambert (12.0) and Cecil (10.7) also are averaging over 10 points per outing.

Lambert has team-best totals of 4.3 assists and 2.0 steals per game, while Uecker has blocked a BG-high two shots through three games. Puk is shooting 48% from the floor, while Uecker is shooting 47.6% and Santoro 46.7%.

THREE-MARKABLE
Through the years, BGSU rosters typically have been stocked with players who can score from three-point range. No fewer than 12 different players made at least one three-point field goal two years ago, and all 12 Falcons who saw action last year knocked down at least one trey. This year, a total of eight different players have made one or more long-distance shots.

THREE-MENDOUS
The Falcons made 10 or more three-point field goals in four MAC games last season, including a season-high 15 treys against Akron at the Stroh Center. Overall, BG made at least eight triples in 14 of last year's 31 games, and the Falcons have hit eight or more treys in two of this season's first three contests.

THREE-LIGHTFUL
Two years ago, the Falcons made at least five three-point field goals in 24 of 28 games, and BG hit at least four triples in all 28 contests. Last year, BGSU connected at least four times in 27 of the 31 games, and that trend has continued in this year's first three games.

THREE-GION OF BOOM
In fact, BG has knocked down four or more three-pointers in 90 of the last 95 games, dating to late in the 2013-14 season.

THREE- ... UMMM, SOME OTHER PHRASE THAT STARTS WITH 'THREE'
BGSU will be looking to extend a mucho-impressive streak in the Canisius game. The Falcons have hit at least one three-pointer in each of the last 403 games. BG has not been held without a triple in over 12 years – since Feb. 12, 2005, at Akron, when the Falcons won, 61-52, despite going 0-of-13 from long distance.

TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS, AND WORKING OVERTIME
After Thursday's win at RMU, the Falcons are now 26-21 in overtime games in program history. Interestingly, the Falcons are just 5-12 at home and 21-9 away from home (18-7 away, 3-2 neutral-site) in OT contests.

DOUBLE(-DOUBLE) TROUBLE
Junior Carly Santoro has had three double-doubles in as many games this season. She exploded for 30 points in the win against Eastern Kentucky, and added a game-high 10 rebounds. At Detroit, Santoro had 11 points and again led all players in boards, with 13. Then, against RMU, she had 10 points and a (stop us if you've heard this before) game-high 10 rebounds. Santoro now has eight double-doubles in her Falcon career.

SCOUTING CANISIUS
Canisius is 1-1 on the young season. The Golden Griffins dropped a 70-63 decision to visiting Colgate, but bounced back with a 71-69 win at St. Bonaventure on Wednesday night. Margret Halfdanardottir leads the team with 15.0 points per game in the early going, followed closely by Maria Welch (14.0 ppg) and Sara Hinriksdottir (13.0 ppg and a team-high 10.5 rebounds per contest). Hinriksdottir, who led the Griffs in scoring (14.3 ppg) and rebounding (5.3 rpg) a year ago, was named to the preseason all-league second-team this year. Head coach Terry Zeh's team went 10-21 overall and 8-12 in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference play a year ago.

THE BGSU-CANISIUS SERIES
The Falcons lead Canisius, 2-0, in the all-time series between the teams. The teams played in back-to-back years, with December meetings in both 2009 and '10. The first meeting, in Western New York, saw the Falcons pick up a 67-42 victory (Dec. 19, 2009). Then, just over a year later (Dec. 21, 2010), the Orange and Brown captured an 82-59 decision at venerable Anderson Arena.

UP NEXT
Following the Canisius contest, the Falcons will head to Boca Raton, Fla., for the FAU Thanksgiving Tournament (Nov. 24-25). BG will play Norfolk State in the first game and either Saint Francis Brooklyn or host FAU in the second. Then, the Brown and Orange will return home to take on Valparaiso on Tuesday, Nov. 28.