Anderson Arena History

BGSU Crazy Fan 58 · Post by **BGSU Crazy Fan 58** » Sat Nov 10, 2007 8:17 pm

Hey guys I'm doing a report on Anderson Arena and I was hoping some of you could share some of your memories of great games and players at Anderson Arena. I know about Thurmond, Mcleod, Daniels, and Stacey. Anyone else I should mention?? Let me know about some of the great BG victories inside AA and how tough it is to play inside that gym. Wasn't it Tommy Amaker, the U of M coach that said after losing inside Anderson Arena he would never come play here again because of the home court advantage for the Falcons? haha that is great.
Thanks for the help fellas.

Schadenfreude · Post by **Schadenfreude** » Sat Nov 10, 2007 8:26 pm

BGSU Crazy Fan 58 wrote:Wasn't it Tommy Amaker, the U of M coach that said after losing inside Anderson Arena he would never come play here again because of the home court advantage for the Falcons?

I believe that was Michigan State's Jud Heathcote -- in 1990 or 1991.

I wasn't born yet, but if your report doesn't include detail about Bowling Green's home victory over then-No. 1 Loyola of Chicago, it would be incomplete. Not sure of the year; maybe '62.

It might also be worth noting that the Falcons are probably the only team to lose the MAC tournament final on their home floor.

TG1996 · Post by **TG1996** » Sat Nov 10, 2007 8:57 pm

Schadenfreude wrote:I wasn't born yet, but if your report doesn't include detail about Bowling Green's home victory over then-No. 1 Loyola of Chicago, it would be incomplete. Not sure of the year; maybe '62.

February 1963

http://www.bgsusports.com/mambo/content/view/30/0/

(Note that it's used from a Loyola site.)

There's more stuff there, also check the media guide for some basics, it should be a PDF online at the official site. Also, the 5th floor of the Library rocks, you can spend days in there looking at old newspaper articles, both BG News and the Sentinel.

As far as other big games... Heathcoate AND Amaker both made comments about not wanting to come back, I believe. The Antonio Daniels EMU game in '96, vs. Kent in '00 (?), an important game and Stacey broke the scoring record, and don't forget that the women hosted a few NCAA tournament games at AA.

It's not as complete as I'd like it to be, nor will it be for some time, I'm sure, but I like to think BGSUsports.com is there for reasons just like this.

NY-BG-FAN · Post by **NY-BG-FAN** » Sat Nov 10, 2007 8:58 pm

Definitely have to recap the '05 Toledo game. Down 34-17 at the half, the Falcons storm back to win 70-69, and the lead changed hands three or four times in the final minute. That was unbelieveable. The worst half of basketball I've ever seen, and the best one took place in the same game. And hardly anyone left at the half so when we stormed the floor, it was awesome and the place rocked the whole time. But leave out the part about some jack-ass jumping on Germain Fitch after the game and re-injuring his knee.

Also, don't forget about the women's team. They've played NCAA tournament games in AA, against teams like Florida and Cincinnati. As recently as 1994 if I remember correctly.

redskins4ever · Post by **redskins4ever** » Sat Nov 10, 2007 9:36 pm

Jay Larranaga had a game back in the 90's in which he went off from three point land... I believe he hit 8 or 9 three pointers.

hammb · Post by **hammb** » Sat Nov 10, 2007 9:46 pm

I was not alive to ever see him play, but I think Howard Komives is likely deserving of a mention. Obviously the arena's namesake is in the basketball hall of fame, and probably deserves some blurbs as well

Falconboy · Post by **Falconboy** » Sat Nov 10, 2007 10:09 pm

redskins4ever wrote:Jay Larranaga had a game back in the 90's in which he went off from three point land... I believe he hit 8 or 9 three pointers.

I totally remember that game listening to it on the radio. I was goin nuts.

tiznow · Post by **tiznow** » Sun Nov 11, 2007 12:48 am

Kirk Whiteman hitting a three at the buzzer to beat Toledo in 88-89 season

Post by **ZiggyZoomba** » Sun Nov 11, 2007 9:24 am

I JUST sent this to someone for a different (and altogether much more important) project (no offense... I'll explain later).

My PERSONAL favorite moment isn't mentioned in your little chronology of Anderson Arena... December 1, 1990. #7 Michgan State came in to Anderson arena with All-American Steve Smith and BG just owned them the whole game, knocking off the Spartans 98-85. I was in the pep band for that game as a student... Jud Heathcote was so frustrated... he yelled at us... the BAND! when one of his players went down with an injury. After the game, he vowed to never bring another team to Anderson Arena.

The UT game the season before that's been mentioned was amazing... Guy from Toledo got a rebound with BG down 2, he, in typical Toledo style, tried to dribble behind his back at about half court... BG got the steal, someone launched a 3 that missed... Big Ed Colbert got the rebound and everything was in slow motion for a split-second... you could actually SEE him think... he had an easy bucket if he wanted to go straight up, but for a split-second he thought, found Kirk Whiteman spotted up at the 3 point-line with time running out, and Whiteman drained the 3 to win. AMAZING!!!

The other mention from above with Jay coming in and nailing all the 3's... that game was insane... Jay had 9 threes... ended up with 40 points... and Antonio Daniels had 30 that same game, going 18-20 from the foul line. That was against Akron in 97.

I'd refer you to the media guide which is available online too:
http://bgsufalcons.cstv.com/sports/m-ba ... bl-mg.html

BleedOrange · Post by **BleedOrange** » Sun Nov 11, 2007 9:36 am

ZiggyZoomba wrote:I JUST sent this to someone for a different (and altogether much more important) project (no offense... I'll explain later).

My PERSONAL favorite moment isn't mentioned in your little chronology of Anderson Arena... December 1, 1990. #7 Michgan State came in to Anderson arena with All-American Steve Smith and BG just owned them the whole game, knocking off the Spartans 98-85. I was in the pep band for that game as a student... Jud Heathcote was so frustrated... he yelled at us... the BAND! when one of his players went down with an injury. After the game, he vowed to never bring another team to Anderson Arena.

The UT game the season before that's been mentioned was amazing... Guy from Toledo got a rebound with BG down 2, he, in typical Toledo style, tried to dribble behind his back at about half court... BG got the steal, someone launched a 3 that missed... Big Ed Colbert got the rebound and everything was in slow motion for a split-second... you could actually SEE him think... he had an easy bucket if he wanted to go straight up, but for a split-second he thought, found Kirk Whiteman spotted up at the 3 point-line with time running out, and Whiteman drained the 3 to win. AMAZING!!!

The other mention from above with Jay coming in and nailing all the 3's... that game was insane... Jay had 9 threes... ended up with 40 points... and Antonio Daniels had 30 that same game, going 18-20 from the foul line. That was against Akron in 97.

I'd refer you to the media guide which is available online too:
http://bgsufalcons.cstv.com/sports/m-ba ... bl-mg.html

MSU was actually #5 at the time!

Post by **ZiggyZoomba** » Sun Nov 11, 2007 9:37 am

This was a pretty amazing moment too... Cole Magner, on campus on a football scholie, and a HUGE impact player in football, walked on to the hoops team, played out of his MIND one day against Miami and hit a game-winning 3 at the buzzer to win the game. LOTS of his teammates were in the student section for the game and they rushed the floor and carried him off the floor on their shoulders!

BleedOrange · Post by **BleedOrange** » Sun Nov 11, 2007 9:46 am

Antonio Daniels end of game play v. EMU during his senior year.

Beating Miami when they were ranked #22. I believe this was Wally Szerbiak's and Kirk Cowan's senior years.

In the 89-90 season, BG blew out Sienna, a decent D1 team, 135-85.

BleedOrange · Post by **BleedOrange** » Sun Nov 11, 2007 9:50 am

Jimmy Darrow, Howard Komives, and Nate Thurmond are three huge names from the early 60's. You'll definitely want to put focus on all three of them.

VDub26Falcon · Post by **VDub26Falcon** » Sun Nov 11, 2007 10:25 am

There are other things about AA other than games that deserve mentioning, such as the athletic archives hosted by former soccer coach Mickey Cochrane. He is there before every single game with the archives wide open for anyone to go in and look at...there are football pants from 1919, the first, homemade, Frieda Falcon costume, and first Freddie Costume, jerseys, coats, a varsity SWEATER and a ton of other things. Also, what about the whooping the Women's team put on Indiana last year?

Class of 61 · Post by **Class of 61** » Sun Nov 11, 2007 12:03 pm

BleedOrange wrote:Jimmy Darrow, Howard Komives, and Nate Thurmond are three huge names from the early 60's. You'll definitely want to put focus on all three of them.

Since I'm obviously one of the "few" OLD guys who post on this forum, I don't think that Darrow played in Anderson as he graduated before I did and the place didn't open til the next year...NOT positive but I think that's correct.
One thing that always stood out for me is that BG had a FRESHMAN team for several years, including Nate Thurmond, Elijah Chapman (both from Akron Central), Wavey Junior and a guy named Ira Harge(latter two from Detroit). A year later, Butch Komives joined the group... interesting thing was the year that Nate made 1st team All-America, Butch made 2nd team (I think) and Ira Harge made 3rd team! Only one problem...Harge had transferred to N.Mex. by that time...I've often wondered how we'd have been with all THREE of these guys playing on the same team...and at the VARSITY level. We all mostly hear about Nate, but I know that Chapman has passed away, that Junior at one time was coaching in the Cleveland area (but no longer)...not sure about the other guys.
This of course, was in the "days" when they only had 3 yrs. of varsity eligibility, unlike today. 8)

Anderson Arena History

Anderson Arena History

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