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This game goes down as another one of those games we need to win, especially here at home. NIU is 5-12 overall, but is 2-3 in the MAC. We have protected our house against the likes of Ohio, Miami and Buffalo, and in comes Northern Illinois who is not only winless on the road at 0-8, but is also playing without scoring leader Ryan Paradise who had to end his career early because of injuries. This by no means is a team we can overlook because the reality is for BG, there is no such thing as one of those teams. NIU has beaten BG three consecutive times including a 75-74 heartbreaker the last time NIU visited Anderson Arena during the 2005-06 season. A win over NIU would not only put BG at 4-2 in the MAC, it would also surpass our entire win total of 3 MAC games (through 16 contests) from last season just six games into the conference slate. Hopefully we can get a good crowd for this game, these guys deserve it.

We're 5-3 at home right now. Its time to give this team something to build on. Home court advantage!

Our guys have really rallied at home, even without the big loud crowds we'd all love to see. Our team defense has just been outstanding in most of our home games this year. Hopefully we'll continue to win, and as we do the fans will come back.

I really want to see Anderson rocking again for Men's basketball. I firmly believe that we have the right man here to lead us back to that time.

hammb wrote:Our guys have really rallied at home, even without the big loud crowds we'd all love to see. Our team defense has just been outstanding in most of our home games this year. Hopefully we'll continue to win, and as we do the fans will come back.

I really want to see Anderson rocking again for Men's basketball. I firmly believe that we have the right man here to lead us back to that time.

Maybe I'm being pessimistic, but this game against NIU on a slow Sunday afternoon (after a big home win on Wednesday I might add) presents the best chance we've had for a big crowd in a long time. If the crowd is poor Sunday, we won't see a big crowd all year, unless somehow we're still above .500 by the time Akron plays here late in the year.

There seems to be a considerable lag time in crowd size relative to performance here at BG, especially when teams go from bad to good. When our teams go from good to bad, people jump off the bandwagon a bit quicker.

bgsufalcon24 wrote:

hammb wrote:Our guys have really rallied at home, even without the big loud crowds we'd all love to see. Our team defense has just been outstanding in most of our home games this year. Hopefully we'll continue to win, and as we do the fans will come back.

I really want to see Anderson rocking again for Men's basketball. I firmly believe that we have the right man here to lead us back to that time.

Maybe I'm being pessimistic, but this game against NIU on a slow Sunday afternoon (after a big home win on Wednesday I might add) presents the best chance we've had for a big crowd in a long time. If the crowd is poor Sunday, we won't see a big crowd all year, unless somehow we're still above .500 by the time Akron plays here late in the year.

There seems to be a considerable lag time in crowd size relative to performance here at BG, especially when teams go from bad to good. When our teams go from good to bad, people jump off the bandwagon a bit quicker.

Yeah, but, NIU sucks. Bad. Most BG students are from Ohio, and they're more familiar with Kent and Akron as they are Ohio schools and have been good recently. If we maintain a decent record, we may get turnouts for those games.

bgsufalcon24 wrote:Maybe I'm being pessimistic, but this game against NIU on a slow Sunday afternoon (after a big home win on Wednesday I might add) presents the best chance we've had for a big crowd in a long time. If the crowd is poor Sunday, we won't see a big crowd all year, unless somehow we're still above .500 by the time Akron plays here late in the year.

There seems to be a considerable lag time in crowd size relative to performance here at BG, especially when teams go from bad to good. When our teams go from good to bad, people jump off the bandwagon a bit quicker.

In all fairness, I don't see the logic in ever declaring "if we don't get 'x' crowd for this game, we won't see a big crowd all season".

There are so many variables involved in attendance that I really think it's a crapshoot.

To me, that prediction is especially troubling considering we've got a home game against Toledo on a Sunday afternoon later in the season (2/10) just 4 days after a game with what looks (from standings/records) to be a middle-of-the-pack CMU team which we could beat. I don't care what sport or what day, we get plenty of students for any game against UT no matter what - even if one team (or both!) is terrible.

I guess, long story short, I'm saying that yeah, you're being pessimistic.

I don't see students showing up, because besides the "usuals" when do they show? If we win a couple games in a row, then they'll show. Those who do show better get pumped and get into the game.

Peregrinner wrote:

bgsufalcon24 wrote:Maybe I'm being pessimistic, but this game against NIU on a slow Sunday afternoon (after a big home win on Wednesday I might add) presents the best chance we've had for a big crowd in a long time. If the crowd is poor Sunday, we won't see a big crowd all year, unless somehow we're still above .500 by the time Akron plays here late in the year.

There seems to be a considerable lag time in crowd size relative to performance here at BG, especially when teams go from bad to good. When our teams go from good to bad, people jump off the bandwagon a bit quicker.

In all fairness, I don't see the logic in ever declaring "if we don't get 'x' crowd for this game, we won't see a big crowd all season".

There are so many variables involved in attendance that I really think it's a crapshoot.

To me, that prediction is especially troubling considering we've got a home game against Toledo on a Sunday afternoon later in the season (2/10) just 4 days after a game with what looks (from standings/records) to be a middle-of-the-pack CMU team which we could beat. I don't care what sport or what day, we get plenty of students for any game against UT no matter what - even if one team (or both!) is terrible.

I guess, long story short, I'm saying that yeah, you're being pessimistic.

Maybe they'll all show up for Toledo. I kinda forgot about that one.

But let's face it, the weekends are our big shot to get crowds. The weeknight games are going to be awful pretty much 100% of the time because of people in classes, people working, etc.

bgsufalcon24 wrote: The weeknight games are going to be awful pretty much 100% of the time because of people in classes, people working, etc.

well luckily there is only one more men's home game during the week, that CMU game

If we can beat NIU, we will do something we haven't done in nearly two and a half months! That is, win back-to-back games. We haven't put together consecutive wins since beating Cincinnati (11/11) and Morehead State (11/17) back in early/mid November. GO BG!!!

bgsufalcon24 wrote: Maybe they'll all show up for Toledo. I kinda forgot about that one.

But let's face it, the weekends are our big shot to get crowds. The weeknight games are going to be awful pretty much 100% of the time because of people in classes, people working, etc.

I'll just go back to saying what I always say in these type conversations. When I was in school (do I sound like a geezer or what?) we had huge crowds on weeknights. We had weeknight games that students had to get tickets before hand to ensure they'd get in. In those days we had to wait in line to get THOSE tickets when they became available the morning of game day.

I know, I know those were the gold ol' days grandpa, things aren't like that anymore. It was only 6 freaking years ago!

For this particular season, yes we will continue to struggle to get attendance, be it weekends or weekday games. However, when we get back to the point where everyone knows the stars on the team they will come to the games. WHen we are winning not just a big win every other week, but when we're putting up 20+ win seasons, the people will come back. And when they do it will not matter if the games are weekends, weeknights, or at 2:00 AM on a Monday. The fans WILL be back. The students WILL be back.

Just because the weekday games have been crap attendance for the past 4-5 years doesn't mean they always will be. We just need to establish the habit of winning, and to start doing it with players that people know.

I am planning on heading up 2/16 for the revenge game against Akron and 3/1 for the rematch with Kent State. Would love to get to more but being over 2 hours away limits me.

hammb is right...once this program turns the corner and starts winning consistently, the crowds will be back. We all know we have a fair weather fan base...the die hards will always be there but the casual fans need more to step thru the doors. Winning will do that.

BEAT NIU!

Hammb and Falconfreak, you're both 100% correct. It does take a while for people to recognize when our teams are getting good. If we finish 8-8 in conference this season (or better?) then we'll start to see decent crowds next year for sure. As was mentioned earlier, Toledo and Akron are our big shots to get huge crowds the remainder of this year. But with a good finish to this season, we might have a shot every game next year.

Another problem it seems is many students on campus aren't leaving their dorms at all except to go to class. I don't know if they are all from Florida or something, but we have a lot of students who are barricaded inside away from the frigid cold weather. The recent flu outbreak has really hit students (and professors, I've had 3 classes cancelled this week) particularly hard. That can't be good for attendance either. It makes me wonder if our players are staying healthy or if they are catching the bug too.

Cincy, good point about the schedule. If we've only got 1 more weekday game, then that's very good news.

Falconfreak90 wrote:I am planning on heading up 2/16 for the revenge game against Akron and 3/1 for the rematch with Kent State. Would love to get to more but being over 2 hours away limits me.



BEAT NIU!

Mike, There's also a WOMEN'S game on at 7pm that nite!!! Wish we'd schedule some "real" doubleheaders like they used to do several years ago...would make it an easier trip...Possible that Joyce and I MIGHT be able to make it up to BG for both games, assuming I'm off the crutches etc., which I sure as heck hope to be by then.

I can remember being ticked off when they tried to not allow anyone but students to sit in the student section. I had to come up with creative ways to get down there... turns out they got the wrist bands they handed out to those with student ID's at Ben Franklin. That was an easy one....

Looking forward to seeing this team tomorrow!! Also want to invite everyone up to the EMU game on 2/13... I'll be there for that one. Always an interesting road trip to the beautifully dead EMU arena.