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Heading into Saturday’s games, there are four teams still undefeated in MAC play. Following Saturday’s games, that number will be down to at least three, as Bowling Green and Central Michigan–both perfect to start conference play–meet for a showdown at McGuirk Arena.
The game is scheduled to start at 4:30 p.m. ET. While it won’t be broadcast nationally on television anywhere in the US, you can still watch the game live on your computer, phone or streaming device via ESPN+, the new digital streaming service from ESPN that has exclusive coverage to dozens of college basketball games — and several other sports–every week.
You can sign up for a free seven-day trial of ESPN+ right here, and you can then watch a live stream of the game on your computer via ESPN.com, or on your phone (Android and iPhone compatible), tablet, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, PlayStation 4, Xbox One or other compatible streaming device via the ESPN app.
If you can’t watch live, all games — including BGSU vs CMU — that are streamed on ESPN+ are also available to be watched afterwards on-demand via ESPN.com or the ESPN app.
Bowling Green vs Central Michigan Preview
Bowling Green was inconsistent during pre-conference play, going just 8-5 with four of those losses coming by double-digits. But they won four in a row to close their non-conference slate, and that confidence seems to have translated to MACtion, as the Falcons beat a good Kent State team by 22 on the road and then followed that up with a 19-point thumping of Ohio on Tuesday.
“I think (BGSU) out-rebounds their opponents by over 11 rebounds per game,” Central Michigan head coach Keno Davis said. “That is the one stat I did see and they beat Kent (State) and Ohio big. “We can’t get beat by 11 on the boards or the game will be over before it starts.”
Indeed, the Falcons have proven to be one of the best rebounding teams in the country. They pull down 34.9 percent of available offensive rebounds (31st best in the nation), which could spell trouble for a Central Michigan squad that ranks 301st in America in defensive rebounding percentage.
Those struggles on the glass are one reason why the Chippewas have an adjusted defensive efficiency (per Ken Pomeroy) that ranks 228th in the country and ninth in the conference. Ultimately, their ability to limit BGSU–and more specifically, 6-foot-10 Demajeo Wiggins, who averages 3.3 offensive rebounds and 11.9 total rebounds per game–on the glass will be a big key to this game.
Of course, Central Michigan is typically able to counteract their defensive struggles with an explosive offensive attack. Usually looking to push the pace, the Chippewas have five players who average double-digit scoring and are eighth in the country at 87.7 points per contest. They’re led by senior guard Larry Austin Jr., who is filling up box scores to the tune of 18.2 points, 5.7 rebounds, 5.4 assists and 2.3 steals per contest.
Austin finished with just 13 points in 43 minutes against Akron on Tuesday, but he also piled up 11 assists–to just one turnover–and made the game-winner in overtime.
Now, Central Michigan–who were picked in the preseason to finish last in the MAC West–are 2-0 in the conference and 13-2 overall.
“The credit goes to them and the assistant coaches for their diligence in recruiting and finding these players,” Davis said. “It is different this year with a collection of grad transfers and junior college transfers. You can’t just throw in five or six new guys and expect them to work well together.
“It just shows how hard the individual players and coaches have worked with putting this group together.”