@ Ball State (1/11)

[mbenecke]

Following a comeback road win at WMU, our Falcons (6-8, 1-1 MAC) next head to Muncie, IN to take on the Ball State Cardinals (7-7, 1-1 MAC). The game on Saturday, January 11 will begin at 2:00pm EST, and will be available to stream on ESPN+.

Go Falcons! Beat Ball State!

[fanatic13]

We played a good not great15 minute stretch and exacte finally had a good shooting night. Only other thing was Simon getting tossed which was nice to see after Huger and Orr

[hammb]

I watched the final 13:00 of the game and my takeaway is that the BG team and coaching staff should've just gone out to the busses and went home. The way that stretch of the game (specifically the 3:00 or so that ended with Simon's first tech) was officiated was enough for me to just throw in the towel on MAC basketball entirely. If they're going to officiate the games like some part time YMCA employees I don't even know why we should bother watching or caring.

[Buckeye Bullitt 93]

2 replies for an entire game thread? This has to be a record low does it not???

[BillyLP]

Frankly, when a team is this decimated by injuries, it's hard to have any expectations or feelings one way or another. I'm disappointed they lose, but I also don't expect any differently when they have 4-5 people out every single game. It's hard to even have thoughtful commentary in this situation.

[mbenecke]

Frankly, when a team is this decimated by injuries, it's hard to have any expectations or feelings one way or another. I'm disappointed they lose, but I also don't expect any differently when they have 4-5 people out every single game. It's hard to even have thoughtful commentary in this situation.

Totally agree with this. I'm frustrated that we keep losing, but it's pretty apparent that we aren't going to be competitive with a third of the roster out with injury.

[hammb]

Frankly, when a team is this decimated by injuries, it's hard to have any expectations or feelings one way or another. I'm disappointed they lose, but I also don't expect any differently when they have 4-5 people out every single game. It's hard to even have thoughtful commentary in this situation.

We played 7 bodies in this game, one of whom fouled out in only 15 mins of play. 2 others played a lot with foul trouble, finishing with 4

You cannot win that way. I didn't see enough to say whether the officiating is why we lost (I don't typically blame refs), but the way the stretch of the game was called that I watched we had no chance given we were also down so many bodies. Simon rightfully got the technicals to show his team he had their backs, but it only served to inflate the margin of victory in a game that was already over.

I have serious questions whether this team is actually any good if they had YoYo/Towns/Humphrey available. It's obviously alarming that guys like Squire, Maxamud, and Pardon cannot see the floor on a team desperate for bodies (I know, Maxamud supposedly quit, but he's been on the bench and dressed for the past few weeks now). I don't know what's going on with Adem, but given his family matters I wouldn't ask him to do anything but take care of that situation.

But right now we're missing 3 guys that were supposed to be in the rotation, 2 of whom were starters. With what we're forced to play currently we're really really awful. In a game where dumbass fouls will be called? We've got no shot.

[footballguy51]

Maxamud got into the Aquinas game for a minute or so, so he's played. I believe they're trying to hold onto the red shirt for Pardon because he's played in a few games thus far; his minutes have been pretty bad as he isn't in the right positions for defense for virtually every possession right now.. Not sure why Squire didn't play on Saturday unless he's injured (wouldn't that be ironic).

Of the bodies on the bench that were potentially healthy, we didn't play Pardon, Maxamud, Squire, Spurgin, and Adem (I haven't even seen him on the bench). We also have a graduate student with red curly hair that's not even on the roster but suits up as #30, I believe. Given our injury situation, Squire, Spurgin, and that grad student should be getting minutes since we clearly aren't worried about red shirts with those three.

[BillyLP]

From what I’ve seen, Squire was banged up for the game which is why he didn’t get in.

[bghkyfan74]

Maxamud got into the Aquinas game for a minute or so, so he's played. I believe they're trying to hold onto the red shirt for Pardon because he's played in a few games thus far; his minutes have been pretty bad as he isn't in the right positions for defense for virtually every possession right now.. Not sure why Squire didn't play on Saturday unless he's injured (wouldn't that be ironic).

Of the bodies on the bench that were potentially healthy, we didn't play Pardon, Maxamud, Squire, Spurgin, and Adem (I haven't even seen him on the bench). We also have a graduate student with red curly hair that's not even on the roster but suits up as #30, I believe. Given our injury situation, Squire, Spurgin, and that grad student should be getting minutes since we clearly aren't worried about red shirts with those three.

Adem hasn't been with the team at all due to a house fire in his hometown of Las Vegas, which killed multiple family members. Maxamud quit the team and then there was mutual decision to bring him back (he wanted to come back + the team needed bodies). I would like to see Pardon get some more minutes.

[hammb]

Maxamud got into the Aquinas game for a minute or so, so he's played. I believe they're trying to hold onto the red shirt for Pardon because he's played in a few games thus far; his minutes have been pretty bad as he isn't in the right positions for defense for virtually every possession right now.. Not sure why Squire didn't play on Saturday unless he's injured (wouldn't that be ironic).

Of the bodies on the bench that were potentially healthy, we didn't play Pardon, Maxamud, Squire, Spurgin, and Adem (I haven't even seen him on the bench). We also have a graduate student with red curly hair that's not even on the roster but suits up as #30, I believe. Given our injury situation, Squire, Spurgin, and that grad student should be getting minutes since we clearly aren't worried about red shirts with those three.

Adem hasn't been with the team at all due to a house fire in his hometown of Las Vegas, which killed multiple family members. Maxamud quit the team and then there was mutual decision to bring him back (he wanted to come back + the team needed bodies). I would like to see Pardon get some more minutes.

Yes, the Adem situation is really tragic. They had a moment of silence for him at one of the early games (season opener?). I don't expect him here focusing on school or basketball. I hope the young man can heal and get through this. BGSU basketball should be one of the last things on his mind.

I'm happy Maxamud is back, that's a dicey situation. You can't just say, welcome back you're playing 20minutes just like you always wanted. But at the same time we desperately need to find a way to get somebody on the floor that has a bigger body. Felt has exceeded my expectations, but if Squire cannot play (health/ability) then we cannot play games where Felt is the only guy over 6'6. Even worse when he can only get 15mins due to foul troubles.

Unfortunately health has completely derailed this team's chances of coming together in any meaningful way. Losing 2 starters sucks. Having them being your 2 front court bodies sucks even more. Felt/Exacte are having moments, maybe enough moments to show they deserve(d) more minutes when everybody was healthy, but they're not good enough to carry the load.

[guest44]

If the team manager student #30 begins to get minutes the season is officially over. Simon is playing his best guys the best way he can to give them a chance to win despite the injuries. They beat Western, led Akron for 39 minutes, and lost to Ball St. Stay the course. The team will struggle in any game where 500 fouls are called especially against Ball St with two traditional big guys. MAC officiating (not just the MAC) is horrendous on most nights. On Saturdays in January and February it's even worse. 100 plus college games per Saturday so the MAC digs even further to find them. As evidence by the guy who tossed Simon on Saturday.

[hammb]

If the team manager student #30 begins to get minutes the season is officially over. Simon is playing his best guys the best way he can to give them a chance to win despite the injuries. They beat Western, led Akron for 39 minutes, and lost to Ball St. Stay the course. The team will struggle in any game where 500 fouls are called especially against Ball St with two traditional big guys. MAC officiating (not just the MAC) is horrendous on most nights. On Saturdays in January and February it's even worse. 100 plus college games per Saturday so the MAC digs even further to find them. As evidence by the guy who tossed Simon on Saturday.

Yup. As stated at the start of this thread, the stretch of the game I was able to see was officiated like a YMCA rec league. So bad and impossible to overcome with our lack of depth.

I don't think it's fair to say what this team is/was until we see it with Towns/YoYo out there. I just hope they get back in time to get us to Cleveland.

I had questions about how good the team was when healthy (still do), but in their current state every win feels like climbing Everest. I'd probably feel a lot better about it if they could've held on for that Akron win...that one stung.

[guest44]

The positive again from Saturday was they showed some fight to get back into the game despite the final score. Exacte hit some shots and the minutes are increasing. He still doesn't have the bounce he had before injuries, but he can help a lot defensively against teams who play bigs on the perimeter. He could be a big solution to the Johnson defensive issue if and when Towns would ever come back.

[mbenecke]

It's going to be so funny when we go like 13-18 but then make a run in Cleveland when we're finally healthy.