Bowling Green Falcons
2019-2020 Overall Rank: #98
Conference Rank: #2 Mid-American
Bowling Green has been improving during Coach Michael Huger’s four seasons leading the program. Last year they boosted their conference win total from seven to 12 and now the hope is that the Falcons can take another step forward and reach the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1968.
2018-19 Record: 22-12, 12-6
2018-19 Postseason: None
Coach: Michael Huger
Coach Record: 67-65 at Bowling Green, 67-65 overall
Key Departed Players:
Demajeo Wiggins, Forward, 12.5 ppg
Antwon Lillard, Guard, 8.7 ppg
Jeffrey Uju, Forward, 3.0 ppg
Key Returning Players:
Justin Turner, Guard, 18.2 ppg
Dylan Frye, Senior, Guard, 12.8 ppg
Daeqwon Plowden, Junior, Guard/Forward, 6.9 ppg
Caleb Fields, Sophomore, Guard, 4.2 ppg
Michael Laster, Senior, Guard, 6.8 ppg
Matiss Kulackovskis, Sophomore, Forward, 3.1 ppg
Marlon Sierra, Senior, Forward, 3.1 ppg
Key New Players:
Davin Zeigler, Freshman, Guard
Trey Diggs, Junior, Guard/Forward, JC Transfer
Issac Elsasser, Freshman, Guard
Chandler Turner, Freshman, Guard/Forward
Dylan Swingle, RS Freshman, Center, Transfer from Duquesne, not eligible
Projection:
Justin Turner flirted with the NBA, but is back for his junior season. He averaged an impressive 18.2 points, 3.1 assists and 1.4 steals and is the early favorite to win MAC Player of the Year accolades. Turner can, and has, carried this team, but the talent around him is getting better. Dylan Frye is a prolific outside shooter and connected on 83 three-pointers in 2018-2019. Caleb Fields and Daeqwon Plowden were starters on the perimeter as well. Plowden is a 6-6 wing who was second on the team in rebounding and will be asked to do a lot of work in the frontcourt this year. Michael Laster is not a great shooter, but the 6-1 senior can attack the basket and is a very experienced player who can handle the ball. The big concern will be replacing Demajeo Wiggins in the frontcourt. The 6-10 forward averaged 12.5 point and 10.6 rebounds and was a beast in the paint. Sophomore Matiss Kulackovskis and senior Marlon Sierra played some last season, but they have a long way to go to replace Wiggins. Junior college transfer Trey Diggs is a 6-5 wing who is mostly a shooter, but does have the size to help out a bit on the glass. Bowling Green was the best rebounding team in the MAC last year and it will take a team effort to replicate that success on the glass. However, the scoring prowess of the backcourt should be able to make up for it.
Projected Postseason Tournament: CBI/CIT
By the Numbers:
Scoring Offense: 78.5 (45th in nation, 3rd in conference)
Scoring Defense: 73.4 (233, 9)
Field-Goal Percentage: 44.3 (180, 7)
Field-Goal Defense: 42.6 (108, 5)
Three-Point Field Goals Per Game: 8.0 (145, 6)
Three-Point Field-Goal Percentage: 35.7 (108, 3)
Free-Throw Percentage: 67.0 (303, 10)
Rebound Margin: 5.3 (26, 1)
Assists Per Game: 12.6 (245, 7)
Turnovers Per Game: 12.1 (94, 5)
