After a successful 2-0 trip to Florida for the Fort Myers Tip-Off, BGSU men’s basketball (5-2) will conclude their three-game road trip with a matchup vs Kansas State (5-2) on Monday for their first game of December, with tip-off at 8 p.m.
Matchup History
This will be the first time the Falcons and Wildcats will face off against one another, marking BG’s 333rd time facing off against a different opponent.
Scouting Bowling Green
Bowling Green heads into their last game of a three-game road trip vs Kansas State after back-to-back victories vs Bucknell and VMI in the Fort Myers Tip-Off.
The Falcons won handily vs VMI 81-48, dominating in almost every aspect of competition, including scoring 42 points off the bench, grabbing 51 rebounds, and scoring 36 points in the paint.
Senior forward Sam Towns was a key player for the Falcons in the contest vs VMI, scoring 12 points and grabbing a season-high and team-high 18 rebounds.
Both Javontae Campbell and Mayar Wol have been crucial to the Falcons’ offense this season, averaging double-digit points, Campbell with 17.4 and Wol with 13.3, the highest scoring averages of the team.
A win vs the Wildcats would give the Falcons a 6-2 record, their best start to a season since 2020-21, when they began the season 9-2.
Under head coach Todd Simon, Bowling Green has a 7-2 record in the month of December.
Scouting Kansas State
Kansas State enters the game with the Orange and Brown also sporting a 5-2 record, after beginning the season 5-0, the Wildcats have dropped two games in a row to Nebraska in a narrow 86-85 loss and a 86-69 loss to Indiana.
The Wildcat’s last victory was a 98-77 win over Mississippi State in the Hall of Fame Classic on Nov. 20.
So far this season, the Wildcat’s are averaging 89.4 points per game while shooting 50.8% from the field and shooting 42.9% from three.
Kansas State’s 89.4 ppg ranks as the 36th most in the NCAA, while their shooting of 50.8% from the field is 32nd in the nation as well.
The Wildcats have a familiar face on the roster to Falcons fans. Forward Marcus Johnson will face off against his former team, with whom he spent the 24-25 season. It is worth noting that Johnson has not played in a game this season yet.
Falcon Four Players to Watch
Sam Towns (Bowling Green #14)
The senior forward is coming off a career-high day with 18 rebounds vs. VMI. Towns also leads the Falcons in total rebounds with 51.
Javon Ruffin (Bowling Green #11)
Ruffin started the last two games, replacing Josiah Shackelford in the starting lineup, scoring a season-high 15 points vs Bucknell.
P.J. Haggerty (Kansas State #4)
Haggerty is the leading scorer for the Wildcats in the 25-26 season, averaging a staggering 26.3 points per game, the highest scoring player in the NCAA.
Nate Johnson (Kansas State #34)
Another name familiar to Mid American Conference (MAC) fans, Johnson is a former MAC player of the year and defensive player of the year. Since transferring to Kansas State this past offseason, Johnson is averaging 13.6 ppg with 11 steals.
