Bowling Green 59 Wayne State 44

Men's Basketball (exhibition)
Home Team: BGSU Falcons
Visiting Team: Wayne State Warriors
Venue: Anderson Arena (Bowling Green, Ohio)
Game Time: 7:00 p.m.
Fellow Attendees: None

It was just an exhibition game, but I drove from Troy to Bowling Green to be there just the same. Are you kidding me? Exhibition or not, this was the first game for the Falcons under new head coach Louis Orr. Being the BG hoops junkie I am, I wasn't about to miss the beginning of a new era.

Going to games at Anderson Arena from now on is going to be quite a different experience than it has been for the past ten years. This team wants to play fast, which is quite a contrast from the conservative style of play we had under Coach Dakich. Granted, this being their first time out, they weren't always successful, but they kept their eyes up and pushed the ball as much as possible. They also drive a lot more to the hoop, rather than cutting, screening, and passing. It's going to take some time, but it's going to be fun to watch.

Defensively, they looked pretty good. They held Wayne State to a low percentage, and didn't commit nearly as many fouls as has been customary. I don't think they reached the double bonus in either half, which is quite a difference from what Falcon fans are used to.

First impressions:

Chris Knight is going to be a hell of a player for the Falcons. He had to sit out last year, but Coach Dakich raved about how good he's going to be. He looked good in his first time out. It looks like he can score from anywhere, and he's also a good rebounder.

Nate Miller was our leading scorer, despite looking frustrated on offense for most of the night. That's good to see. On nights when he's feeling it, he's going to fill it up.

We still seem to have some trouble getting the ball into the post. With Coach Orr's past as a standout post player, I'm sure this is something that will improve. Starting center Marc Larson had just one point. Otis Polk played pretty well in the second half, though, getting some stickback points. I think we'll have a pretty healthy game down low if these two sophomores can come along.

Freshman Joe Jakubowski will be the starting point guard at some point this season, likely sooner than later.

The foul shooting has to get better. On this night, it was dreadful.

I have no feeling at this point for how the Falcons will fare in the MAC, but I do think that they're going to be better than people expect. Now, I'm a fan of Coach Dakich (now an assistant at Indiana), but getting some new blood into the program was probably a good thing, and Coach Orr seems like the right guy.

The Falcons open the season at the Peggy Cronin Classic tournament in Cincinnati on November 9, 10, and 11.