Falcon Fodder

Men’s basketball season review: Part 3

Now that the winter sports seasons have ended, Falcon Fodder is taking a look at BG’s hockey, women’s basketball and men’s basketball teams as all three prepare for the 2013-14 season. This week the focus is on the men’s basketball program.

In this installment, our focus shifts to how the Mid-American Conference looks entering the 2013-14 season.

Here we go …

EAST DIVISION OVERVIEW

AKRON: 26-7, 14-2 (T1st)

THUMBNAIL: The Zips’ graduation losses include Zeke Marshall (13.0 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 3.7 bpg) as well as sharp-shooter Brian Walsh (7.2 ppg) and Chauncey Gilliam (5.6 ppg). The future of point guard Alex Abreu (10.3 ppg, 6.0 apg) also is in doubt, although there’s a possibility Quincy Diggs, the MAC’s top sixth man in 2011-12, will return to school. Juniors Nick Harney (9.5 ppg, 3.8 rpg) and Demetrius Treadwell (11.5 ppg, 7.9 rpg) give this team a foundation for success.

BUFFALO: 14-20, 7-9 (T4th)

THUMBNAIL: The Bulls bring back a stacked team for new coach Bobby Hurley. The returnees include All-MAC forward Javon McCrea (18.0 ppg, 7.9 rpg) as well as Will Regan (11.1 ppg). Expect guard Jarod Oldham (10.1 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 4.4 apg) to bounce back from the wrist injury that ended his season early, while Jarryn Skeete gained valuable minutes as his replacement and averaged 10.4 ppg and 3.1 apg in MAC play.

KENT STATE: 21-14, 9-7 (3rd)

THUMBNAIL: The Golden Flashes took a hit similar to BG, losing the team’s top two scorers in Chris Evans (16.2 ppg, 7.7 rpg) and Randal Holt (14.7 ppg). Among the returnees are Kris Brewer (9.2 ppg), who proved to be a solid 3-point shooter. KSU certainly has numbers returning, but this team also will need some players to step forward to contend for a league title.

MIAMI: 9-22, 3-13 (6th)

THUMBNAIL: The RedHawks had a number of post-season defections as Allen Roberts (12.3 ppg), Jon Harris (8.5 ppg, 4.2 rpg) and Drew McGhee (5.2 ppg) are expected to transfer. But as Branch Rickey famously said, “We finished last with you, and we can finish last without you.” Will Felder (11.6 ppg, 5.3 rpg) will be the most notable returnee, with the RedHawks expecting to rely on newcomers and a few transfers, most notably Blake McLimans from Michigan, to turn around last season’s dismal results.

OHIO: 24-10, 14-2 (T1st)

THUMBNAIL: The Bobcats arguably took the league’s largest graduation hit, with MAC player of the year D.J. Cooper (14.1 ppg, 7.1 apg) and all-league players Reggie Keely (12.1 ppg, 4.9 rpg) and Walter Offutt (10.6 ppg, 4.2 rpg) lost along with Ivo Baltic (7.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg). There are pieces in place for the Bobcats to keep rolling, most notably guards Nick Kellogg (8.0 ppg) and Stevie Taylor (3.1 ppg) along with forwards T.J. Hall (4.8 ppg, 1.6 rpg) and Jon Smith (4.8 ppg, 3.6 rpg).

WEST DIVISION OVERVIEW

BALL STATE: 15-15, 8-8 (3rd)

THUMBNAIL: The Cardinals have a new coach in James Whitford, who most recently was an assistant at Arizona but spent 11 seasons at Miami. He must replace the scoring lost by Jauwan Scaife (16.6 ppg), but nearly every other key player returns. Central among the returnees are a senior class who will need to lead next season: forwards Majok Majok (10.7 ppg, 9.8 rpg), Matt Kamieniecki (4.6 ppg, 5.9 rpg) and Chris Bond (8.9 ppg, 6.1 rpg) along with guard Jesse Berry (12.8 ppg).

CENTRAL MICHIGAN: 11-20, 4-12 (5th)

THUMBNAIL: The Chippewas suffered a big loss with the graduation of Kyle Randall, who averaged 18.7 ppg and 20.8 ppg in league play. But at this point he wasn’t even a part of the program, so a quick reload always is a possibility. CMU does have a few building blocks in place thanks to a pair of players who saw extensive action as freshmen, point guard Chris Fowler (8.1 ppg, 5.7 apg) and forwards John Simons (7.4 ppg, 4.9 rpg) and Blake Hibbitts (8.8 ppg, 67 3’s).

EASTERN MICHIGAN: 16-18, 7-9 (4th)

THUMBNAIL: The Eagles lost their leading scorer in Derek Thompson (11.1 ppg), and may lose their second-leading scorer as Glenn Bryant (10.6 ppg) was suspended after he was arrested and charged with aggravated domestic violence. But the team’s 2-3 zone returns, as do a several players who made it a force, most notably Da’Shonte Riley (4.0 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 2.0 bpg). EMU has a number of players returning who saw significant minutes, as well as Duquesne transfer Mike Talley.

NORTHERN ILLINOIS: 5-25, 3-13 (6th)

THUMBNAIL: The building has been slow for the Huskies, who again struggled with an extremely young roster. The transfer of leading scorer Abdel Nader (13.1 ppg, 5.6 rpg) won’t help, but the experience gained by last year’s large freshmen class will help. Too bad one of those freshmen, Akeem Springs, also will transfer after averaging 7.7 points per game. Among the most notable freshmen who will return is Darrell Bowie (5.9 ppg, 3.8 rpg). Transfer Pete Rakocevic, who stands 6-11, also may help.

TOLEDO: 15-13, 10-6 (T1st)

THUMBNAIL: The Rockets return two All-MAC performers in forward Rian Pearson (17.9 ppg, 6.8 rpg) and Julius “Juice” Brown (13.1 ppg, 6.0 apg). Continued development by Matt Smith (9.8 ppg) and Nathan Boothe (5.2 rpg as a freshman) will help improve the team as well. But one of the team’s biggest problems last season, depth, should be solved to a degree by the end of scholarship sanctions due to APR problems and an influx of new players.

WESTERN MICHIGAN: 22-13, 10-6 (T1st)

THUMBNAIL: The Broncos bounced back nicely after a disappointing season the year before, as several players stepped up their games. Unfortunately, WMU will lose some of those players as Nate Hutcheson (10.1 ppg, 4.7 rpg) graduates along with Brandon Pokley (8.9 ppg), while MAC freshman of the year Darius Paul (10.5 ppg, 5.7 rpg) transfers. Much of the load will fall to seniors Shayne Whittington (13.2 ppg, 8.8 rpg) and David Brown (11.0 ppg), but they will need to get help from players such as junior Austin Richie (6.1 ppg, 3.0 apg).

LEAGUE OVERVIEW: In the East, Buffalo returns a talented team that has to be considered a favorite, while perennial title contenders Akron and Ohio will give the Bulls a run for the top spot. Kent State, which always seems to reload rather than rebuild, will need to do that again. Because of the losses suffered by both Bowling Green and Miami –- and the uncertainty of who will fill the shoes of those lost –- both the Falcons and RedHawks will be picked near the bottom of the division.

In the West, Toledo returns as much talent as any MAC school and should be the favorite. The two teams most likely to challenge the Rockets for the division title are Ball State and Western Michigan, although both have some losses to overcome. Eastern Michigan is a dark horse candidate to push those three teams, and the Eagles’ tough zone allows them to be a thorn in any team’s side. Central Michigan and Northern Illinois both are expected to follow that pack, although the Chippewas do have a few bright spots returning.

Click here to read Wednesday’s overview of the BG program. Click here to read Thursday’s look at the Falcons returning players. Click here to read Wednesday’s Blade story about the team.

Related articles

Men's basketball season review: Part 2

Men’s basketball season review: Part 2

Now that the winter sports seasons have ended, Falcon Fodder is taking a look at BG’s hockey, women’s basketball and men’s basketball teams as all three prepare for the 2013-14 season. This week the focus is on the men’s basketball program.

In this installment, our focus shifts to an analysis of the returning players in the program as well as the newcomers. Friday we will focus on what the Mid-American Conference will look like next season.

Here we go …

OVERVIEW: The Falcons lost four players to graduation, including the team’s two all-league performers. There are nine returnees, but none of those nine have averaged more than seven points a game in a college season. The most notable returnees are three-year starter Cam Black at center and one-year starter Chauncey Orr at forward.

RETURNEES: Seniors: Cameron Black (C, 6-10); Craig Sealey (F, 6-6). Juniors: Jehvon Clarke (G, 6-1), Anthony Henderson (G, 6-1), Richaun Holmes (F-C, 6-8), Damarkeo Lyshe (G, 5-11), Chauncey Orr (G-F, 6-4). Sophomore: Spencer Parker (G-F, 6-7).

BY THE NUMBERS: Here are the scoring numbers for the Falcons, including where the leaders ranked among MAC players last season (in parentheses).

• Chauncey Orr … 7.5 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 1.6 apg, 44.8 FG%, 35.3 3FG%, 81.5 FT%
• Richaun Holmes … 6.5 ppg, 5.0 rpg (17th), 2.3 bpg (3rd), 63.3 FG%, 62.0 FT%
• Anthony Henderson … 3.5 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 0.8 apg, 32.7 FG%, 26.9 3FG%, 66.7 FT%
• Jehvon Clarke … 3.4 ppg, 1.7 rpg, 1.2 apg, 32.7 FG%, 30.0 3FG%, 80 FT%
• Cameron Black … 3.4 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 1.0 bpg (9th), 48.1 FG%, 28.6 FT%
• Craig Sealey … 3.1 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 38.8 FG%, 63.2 FT%
• Damarkeo Lyshe … 1.8 ppg, 0.0 rpg, 0.0 apg, 66.7 FG%, 66.7 3FG%, 50 FT%
• Spencer Parker … 1.6 ppg, 1.1 rpg, 30.8 FG%, 66.7 FT%

THOUGHTS ABOUT THE NUMBERS: I was surprised that Richaun Holmes’ points-per-game average was as high as it was. He averaged roughly four shot attempts per game, so there’s room for more scoring there. …. Several field-goal percentages were surprisingly low to me. Anthony Henderson has a history of being a much better shooting than his numbers, and “inside” players such as Cameron Black and Craig Sealey had shooting marks under 50 percent. Both shoot many of their shots close enough to the basket, so this percentage should be higher. … While much has (rightly) been made that the Falcons lose a large percentage of their scoring, they return a large percentage of their rebounding (62.6 percent, or roughly two-thirds). … I was surprised that several players had positive assist-to-turnover ratios, most notably Chauncey Orr (52-to-43), Anthony Henderson (24-to-13) and Cameron Black (22-to-20). The key player in this category, though, will be Jehvon Clarke (30-to-37 last season).

COACH LOUIS ORR SAID: “I think there’s a chance you’ll see [Cam Black and Richaun Holmes] on the floor together at times. We’ll have different looks. I think we have a versatile team because we have guys who can play a couple of positions. We can use a lineup that has Craig Sealey or Spencer Parker at the four; we can have a bigger lineup and play one of those guys at the 3 and have Chauncey Orr play some 2. … We have some versatility here – we have some different lineups we can put on the court.

“[At the post position] you have the experience of Cameron Black, who is a senior and a three-year starter, and you have Richaun Holmes, with his talent and the experience he gained last year. … With those two guys and Josh Gomez, you have size and length.

“We can’t practice together, but we can watch film and use ‘educated imagination’ to think about different combinations. We need to do some different things (emphasis is mine). … The next step becomes, ‘How are you going to use them?’ But you won’t know until you get them on the court. … I like our talent, and I like our work ethic. And I like our versatility.

“Jehvon Clarke is our best possibility at point guard – [a starting job] is right there for him. Not that he’s got to be the only playmaker, because we have a number of guys who can handle the ball. But I expect him to be the guy to initiate the offense. … And we have Damarkeo Lyshe, a young guy who’s getting better all the time.

NEWCOMERS: Zack Denny was named All-Ohio second team in Division II last season after averaging 35.0 points per game for Valley View High School this past season. That was the top mark in Ohio boys basketball last season, marking the second year in a row he led the state in scoring after averaging 28.8 ppg as a junior. … Garrett Mayleben averaged 8.6 points, 6.3 rebounds and 0.7 blocks per game for Milford High School this past season. … J.D. Tisdale was named All-Michigan sixth team in Class A (the largest class) while averaging 14.7 points, 6.5 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game at Swartz Creek High School. … Josh Gomez sat out last season as a transfer from Iona. The 6-10 F-C is a sophomore in terms of eligibility.

COACH LOUIS ORR SAID: “Josh Gomez can score the ball. He’s got a good touch; he can stretch the defense because he can shoot the 3. Offensively, his ability to put the ball in the basket is his strength, because he can shoot well for a guy his size. … He hasn’t played in two years, so you have to give him some experience, but what he does well is put the ball in the basket.

“Zack Denny led the state in scoring this past year. … He can score the ball, and he’s been scoring all his life. He’s a very good shooter, he’s a competitor, and he’s smart. In high school he’s had to do a lot of everything; he can handle the ball, and he’s a really good passer. He’s unselfish. … He can stretch the defense, but he can do more than that. He’s crafty around the basket, and he can handle the ball well enough to get to the rim. He’s an active defender who gets his hands on a lot of balls, he’s tough, and he’s a gym rat. He’s got a lot of intangibles.

“J.D. Tisdale is a 6-5 point guard who can play other positions, but he’s a really good athlete with good vision. … He’s young, but he’s talented. He’s going to play.

“Garrett Mayleben is a skilled 6-9 player who can face-up, who has some really good offensive skills who needs to grow in strength and experience.”

FRIDAY: A look at the men’s basketball prospects around the Mid-American Conference next season.

Click here to read Wednesday’s overview of the program. Click here to read The Blade story about the program.

Click here to read a Dayton Daily News feature on Zack Denny and his scoring prowess. Click here to read a story about J.D. Tisdale being named to the Flint Journal Dream Team.

Related articles

Why Orr will return as BG men's coach

Men's basketball season review: Part 1

Wake up grumpy ... and this is the result

Men’s basketball season review: Part 1

Now that the winter sports seasons have ended, Falcon Fodder will take a look at BG’s hockey, women’s basketball and men’s basketball teams as all three prepare for the 2013-14 season. This week the focus will be on the men’s basketball program.

On Wednesday we’ll provide an overview of the program, followed by a look at the returning players on Thursday. Friday we will focus on what the Mid-American Conference will look like next season.

Here we go …

OVERVIEW: BG finished the season with a 13-19 record after posting a 16-16 mark the previous year. The Falcons were 7-9 in Mid-American Conference play, which is two fewer league wins than the previous season. Bowling Green finished tied with Buffalo for fourth in the MAC’s East Division and was the sixth seed in the league tournament.

“I thought we were pretty good at home and struggled on the road,” BG coach Louis Orr said. “If you look at it, 11 of our 13 wins came at home. … Not being consistent on the road [was a problem]. We weren’t able to close out games – that was the difference between the road and home.”

POST SEASON: The Falcons suffered a 63-52 loss to Miami, the 11th seed, at the Stroh Center in the first round of the MAC tournament. It marked the second year in a row BG had lost a first-round home tournament game to a lower-seeded team.

EXPLANATION: A number of Blade readers are getting their undies bunched over the headline on the BG men’s basketball story in Wednesday’s paper. Click here to read that story.

I am hearing from fans saying, in effect, “After the team’s struggles the past few years, I would think coach Orr would WANT to change.” Those fans are missing the point of his comment. The point is this: It would be easy for Orr to change what he’s doing to try and save his job -– for example, bring in a player who may be extremely talented but also a problem in the classroom or in the public at large, or playing an easy schedule to pick up extra wins. Orr’s point is that he’s NOT going to make a move that might ruin the program in order to save his job. He should be APPLAUDED for that attitude … it’s in the best interests of the program. If you disagree, think about this: How many of us would cut a corner to try and save our jobs? Orr’s point is that he won’t do that.

BY THE NUMBERS: The raw numbers, from 16 conference games, show that the Bowling Green offense ranked ninth in the 12-team league with its average of 61.8 points per game. The Falcons struggled to shoot the ball, making 43.3 percent of their shots (eighth in MAC) and just 30.8 percent of their 3-point attempts. While BG did a good job of not turning the ball over more than its opponents over the course of the season (plus-0.34 turnovers per game), in MAC play the Falcons were minus-1.38 in turnovers (ninth in MAC).

If you would like to read a pretty thorough analysis of the offense from a statistical perspective, click here to read this analysis by FalconBlog.

Defensively, Bowling Green tied for fourth in scoring defense, allowing 62.6 points per game. The Falcons did a nice job of contesting shots, forcing opponents to shoot just 42.1 percent overall (fifth in MAC) and 30.3 percent of their 3-pointers (third in MAC).  In terms of rebounding, the number I look at is defensive rebounding percentage (in short, what percentage of the available rebounds on the defensive boards did a team grab?), and BG ranked fifth at 69.4 percent.

If you would like to read a pretty thorough analysis of the defense from a statistical perspective, click here to read this analysis by FalconBlog.

If you didn't read those two analyses, here's the executive summary ... the offense was bad by MAC standards, the defense was good.

PLAYERS LOST: The Falcons graduate four seniors in A’uston Calhoun, Jordon Crawford, James Erger and Luke Kraus. By the numbers …

• CALHOUN: 15.1 ppg (6th MAC), 7.1 rpg (6th MAC), 78.2 FT% (11th MAC)
• CRAWFORD: 15.0 ppg (7th), 2.6 rpg, 4.3 apg (5th MAC), 75.6 FT% (15th MAC), 1.7 spg (5th MAC), 1.7 3’s per game (12th MAC), 1.2 assist-to-turnover ratio
• KRAUS: 4.1 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 52 assists (only 30 turnovers), 38 steals, 22 3’s
• ERGER: 1.5 ppg, 0.9 rpg, 20 assists (only 13 turnovers), 11 steals

Offensively, it’s worth noting that while Calhoun and Crawford scored a large percent of the team’s points (Calhoun had roughly 45 percent, Crawford 39 percent), the pair also took the lion’s share of BG’s shots: Calhoun took 412 of 1795 (23.0 percent) while Crawford took 459 (25.6 percent). In MAC play

COACH LOUIS ORR SAID: “Even with A’uston and Jordon, our game plan wasn’t to go out and try to outscore people. We weren’t going out to play run-and-gun basketball. You still have to defend and rebound, you still have to win the battle of the loose balls. How you generate offense and make up for these lost points is something [we have to deal with]. …

“None of our players have reached their peak yet -– they all have a big upside. To me, as a coach, that’s the exciting part of it. And that’s the challenge of it. We have guys who have not played their best games yet, and you want them to play their best basketball. You know there’s room for growth based on their potential and talent. But a lot of that also is based on their work: You have to put the work in between now and November. When you have a team full of players with a high ceiling, with a high potential for growth, you have a chance to get better.”

THURSDAY: A look at the Falcons’ returning players.

Related articles

Why Orr will return as BG men's coach

Orr will return as coach for 2013-14 season

Wake up grumpy ... and this is the result

OK, I woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning. And I woke up too early. And I ... you get the message. I'm grumpy ... and so are you, judging by my e-mails and tweets.

So let's have a grump-off. Good luck ...

• I received an e-mail blaming my parents for Toledo’s Naama Shafir not being named Mid-American Conference women’s basketball player of the year. My parents? Sure: My parents met, they had me, and I was to blame … Hahaha. Really funny. I guess.

For those of you blaming The Blade’s BG writer for a Toledo player not getting the award, I have one word for you: Wrong. I voted for Shafir at the top of my ballot. What’s more, we were allowed to vote for second and third as well … and my second vote went to Crystal Bradford of Central Michigan, with my third going to Courtney Osborn of Miami. I didn’t even give a vote to the eventual winner, Akron’s Rachel Tecca. So there.

• I'm tired of people sending me messages that say BG made a “terrible decision” to give men’s basketball coach Louis Orr the final year of his contract. Here’s the problem: Many people view it as a basketball-only decision, and the more I’ve thought about it, the less I agree. I think all of the circumstances surrounding the program and the school played a role.

If you’d like to get up to speed on this decision, click here to read some thoughts I had about why the decision was made. Click here to read Dave Hackenberg’s column about the decision.

OK, consider this: You own a car, but you’re not totally satisfied with it and you want to buy a new one. You still owe some money on your car, and the car dealership won’t help you with the payment. What’s more, the new cars you are looking at will be MUCH more expensive than the car payment you are already making. And to add insult to injury, your boss just told you that pay cuts are in the works for your business.

Still going to buy that new car?

Yes, it’s crass to compare a human being, a coach, to a car, so my apologies to Coach Orr for that. But I hope you understand the point: This decision isn’t happening in a vacuum.

One thing I have heard a lot is that people think the Bowling Green men’s basketball program will “fall further behind” other schools in the MAC? To which I say: Really? If this were the MAC of 15 years ago, maybe. But the MAC had just one NCAA team, only one NIT team (and a SIXTH seed at that!), and only two CIT teams. Bowling Green was in the CIT last season. ...

• Speaking of coaching changes, two MAC schools (Ball State and Buffalo) have changed coaches. I had one reader ask if I thought there would be others. I don’t, mainly because I don’t think any other school is in a position where change is imminent.

By that I mean the teams that are most likely to change –- current bottom-dwellers such as Miami and Northern Illinois would be two examples -– have recently made a change. Miami’s John Cooper has only had one season, and NIU’s Mark Montgomery has only had two. I’d be surprised if those programs made changes. Akron may lose Keith Dambrot, but that would be Dambrot’s decision to move up the ladder, not the school’s choice.

The only coach who might still be feeling heat is Rob Senderoff at Kent State. The Golden Flashes have been good recently, but not good enough for a suddenly spoiled fan base that expects NCAA tournament runs and isn’t even getting NCAA tournament bids.

By the way, in reading about the Ball State basketball situation I came across this story where Dambrot said he felt only three MAC programs were “fully invested” in basketball. Guess what three schools that would be? Then click here to read the story where Dambrot explains his answer.

If you’re surprised by Buffalo’s move to fire coach Reggie Witherspoon, click here to read a column on the move by the Buffalo News.

• One question from an intelligent reader (Thank you, Sam!) asked if I felt Toledo would receive an at-large bid to the NCAA women’s tournament. Sam laid out a well-reasoned platform for why he thought the Rockets deserved a bid, then asked my opinion.

Sam, the bad news is that I would be surprised if the Rockets received an at-large bid. Yes, I know the record is good (27-3) and the RPI is worthy (45, at last glance).

But the strength of schedule is bad (202, at last glance) and truthfully there’s no excuse for that: Central Michigan’s strength of schedule is 55, and women’s basketball coaches around the country knew entering the season how talented the Chippewas would be. Is it easy for a good team like UT to play a tougher schedule? Of course not, because it would mean more road games against top-notch opponents. But the alternative is the current situation: Wondering if the team had done enough to earn an at-large bid, knowing in your heart of hearts that it hasn’t.

Want to share your grumpiness? Click on the "Post a Comment" area below and voice your opinions. Keep it clean, keep it civil, and it will be all good. Add your thoughts NOW!

Why Orr will return as BG men's coach

At first glance, it would seem that the numbers were against Louis Orr returning as Bowling Green's men's basketball coach next year.

The Falcons just finished a 13-19 season. They lost at home in a first-round Mid-American Conference tournament game -- for the second year in a row.

In his six years at BG, Orr's teams have compiled an 89-101 record.

And yes, there's one other number ... 1968, the last time the Falcons earned an NCAA Tournament bid. That's the longest drought for any Mid-American Conference member (excluding Buffalo, which has never earned an NCAA bid).

Yet the school confirmed Thursday that Orr will return as the team's coach again next season. Click here to read the story about it.

And I think there's at least one number that may go a long way to explain why Orr will return: 100.

If you remember, less than two months ago Bowling Green announced that it would be cutting 100 faculty positions next year.

Click here to read The Blade story about those cuts. Click here to read a Blade follow-up about a protest to those cuts.

Put yourself in the position of Bowling Green administrator who has announced those cuts ... and felt that backlash. Now imagine having to explain to those protestors that you have just ...

• Fired a coach will a year remaining on his contract.
• HIre a new coach and new set of assistants, essentially meaning the school is paying for two sets of coaches.

Where does this money come from? Unless the program is endowed with big-pocket donors willing to foot the ball, that's a hard question to answer.

And here's one other thing to consider about Orr: He does a LOT of things right with the BG program, namely. ...

• His teams and his players always play hard.
• His APR reports and grade-point averages are solid.
• His players don't show up on police reports and a good, respectable young men.
• Individually, coach Orr is well-respected and well-liked, both as a person and as a coach.

If the wins and losses were better numbers, we wouldn't be having any discussion about the job. But yes, the numbers under the "W" and "L" columns aren't satisfying to anyone in the program, which is why Orr's situation has become an issue.

Click here to read the story from Monday's loss to Miami, where both Orr and graduating senior A'uston Calhoun talked about Orr's job situation.

Agree? Disagree? Click on the "comments" button below this post and add YOUR thoughts. GUIDELINES: Please keep your comments smart and civil. Don't attack other readers personally, and keep your language decent. I reserve the right to delete comments that don't fit these guidelines.

Related articles

Orr will return as coach for 2013-14 season

Orr will return as coach for 2013-14 season

Bowling Green men’s basketball coach Louis Orr will coach the Falcons again next year, according to school officials.

Orr, whose Falcons just finished a 13-19 season with a loss in a first-round Mid-American Conference tournament game to Miami at home Monday, will be in the final year of his current contract. Next season will be his seventh at Bowling Green, where he has an 89-101 record.

Just before the 2009-10 season began Orr signed a two-year contract extension after leading the Falcons to the Mid-American Conference regular season championship and winning MAC coach of the year honors the previous season. In just his second year at BGSU, Orr's Falcons had posted a 19-14 overall record, received the top seed for the MAC Tournament, and advanced to the postseason National Invitation Tournament.

But BG has had losing records in three of the four seasons since. In 2011-12 the Falcons were 16-16 and were invited to play in the CollegeInsiders.com Tournament, losing in the first round at Oakland.

Prior to coming to Bowling Green Orr spent five seasons as the head coach at Seton Hall, where he was 80-69 from 2001-06. Orr led the Pirates to a pair of NCAA tournaments and one NIT berth.

Orr also spent one year as the head coach at Siena College, leading the Saints to a 20-11 record and a share of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference’s regular-season title in 2001-01.

As a player, Orr was a standout at Syracuse, where he also served as an assistant under long-time coach Jim Boeheim. Orr, who was an All-American as a senior, played for eight years in the NBA.

Mid-American Conference men's basketball 2013 Tournament pairings, tiebreakers and schedule

Here is a breakdown for the Mid-American Conference men's basketball tournament pairings ...

FIRST ROUND
March 11 - Campus Sites
Game 1: #9 Central Michigan (4-12) at #8 Buffalo (7-9), 7 p.m.
Game 2: #10 Northern Illinois (3-13) at #7 Eastern Michigan (7-9), 7 p.m.
Game 3: #11 Miami (3-13) at #6 Bowling Green (7-9), 7 p.m.

SECOND ROUND
March 13 - Quicken Loans Arena
Game 4: #5 Ball State (8-8) vs. Game 1 winner, 6:30 PM (STO)
Game 5: Game 2 winner vs. Game 3 winner, 9 PM (STO)

THIRD ROUND
March 14 - Quicken Loans Arena
Game 6: #4 Kent State (9-7) vs. Game 4 winner, 6:30 PM (STO)
Game 7: #3 Western Michigan (10-6) vs. Game 5 winner, 9 PM (STO)

SEMIFINALS
March 15 - Quicken Loans Arena
Game 8: #1 Akron (14-2) vs. Game 6 winner, 6:30 PM (STO)
Game 9: #2 Ohio (14-2) vs. Game 7 winner, 9 PM (STO)

CHAMPIONSHIP
March 16 - Quicken Loans Arena
Semifinal winners, 6:30 PM (ESPN2)

Here's how the Mid-American Conference standings look ...

1.    Akron (14-2)

2.    Ohio (14-2)

3.    Western Michigan (10-6)

4.    Kent State (9-7)

5.    Ball State (8-8)

6.    Bowling Green (7-9)

7.    Eastern Michigan (7-9)

8.    Buffalo (7-9)

9.    Central Michigan (4-12)

10.    Northern Illinois (3-13)

11.    Miami  (3-13)

Here is how I broke the ties …

• First and second seeds: Akron defeated Ohio twice head-to-head.
• Sixth through eighth seeds: Bowling Green wins the tiebreaker at this point because of its 2-1 record (1-1 v. Buffalo, 1-0 v. EMU), compared to 1-1 for Eastern Michigan (beat Buffalo, lost to BG) and 1-2 for Buffalo.
• Tenth and 11th seeds: Northern Illinois defeated Miami head-to-head.

Here is how the MAC breaks ties …

1. Between TWO teams:

A. Head-to-head competition

B. Division Record (10 games)^

C. Winning percentage* vs. ranked conference teams (top to bottom, regardless of division, vs.

common opponents regardless of the number of times played)

D. Coin flip

^ - For the purpose of determining the Division champion only

* - Winning percentage is used instead of record because of situations where teams do not play each other the same number of times. Therefore, a team that is 1-0 (1.000) would win the tiebreaker over a team that is 2-1 (.667).

2. For MULTIPLE (3 or more) team ties:

E. Total won-lost record of games played among the tied teams

F. Two (2)-team tie-breaker procedure goes into effect (refer to A)

NOTE: Once a three-team tie has been reduced to two teams, the two-team tiebreaker will go into effect

MAC men's hoops tourney pairings as of March 6

Here is a breakdown for the Mid-American Conference men's basketball tournament pairings IF THE TOURNAMENT STARTED TODAY ...

FIRST ROUND
March 11 - Campus Sites
Game 1: #9 Central Michigan (4-11) at #8 Bowling Green (6-9), 7 p.m.
Game 2: #10 Northern Illinois (3-12) at #7 Ball State (7-8)
Game 3: #11 Miami (3-12) at #6 Buffalo (8-7)

SECOND ROUND
March 13 - Quicken Loans Arena
Game 4: #5 Eastern Michigan (8-7) vs. Game 1 winner, 6:30 PM (STO)
Game 5: Game 2 winner vs. Game 3 winner, 9 PM (STO)

THIRD ROUND
March 14 - Quicken Loans Arena
Game 6: #4 Kent State (8-7) vs. Game 4 winner, 6:30 PM (STO)
Game 7: #3 Western Michigan (9-6) vs. Game 5 winner, 9 PM (STO)

SEMIFINALS
March 15 - Quicken Loans Arena
Game 8: #1 Akron (14-1) vs. Game 6 winner, 6:30 PM (STO)
Game 9: #2 Ohio (13-2) vs. Game 7 winner, 9 PM (STO)

CHAMPIONSHIP
March 16 - Quicken Loans Arena
Semifinal winners, 6:30 PM (ESPN2)

Here's a how the MAC standings would look, the remaining games for each team, and the best- and worst-case scenarios for each team (in other words, the best and worst finishes possible for each team) as well as the “realistic” finish for each team (“Real” column). ...

Seed	Team	MAC	MAC Games Remaining	Best	Real	Worst
No. 1	Akron	14-1	KSU	1	1	1
No. 2	Ohio	13-2	MU	2	2	2
No. 3	WMU	9-6	CMU	3	3	3
No. 4	KSU	8-7	@UA	4	4	4
No. 5	EMU	7-8	UT	5	5-6	7
No. 6	Buffalo	7-8	@BG	5	5-6	8
No. 7	BSU	7-8	NIU	5	5-7	8
No. 8	BG	6-9	UB	5	8	8
No. 9	CMU	4-11	@WMU	9	9	11
No. 10	NIU	3-12	@BSU	9	10	11
No. 11	Miami	3-12	@OU	9	11	11

Here is how I broke the ties at this point …

• Third seed: If Western Michigan and Kent State finish tied, WMU wins the tiebreaker with a head-to-head victory.
• Fourth seed: Kent State wins potential tiebreakers with Ball State, Buffalo and Ball State with head-to-head victories. In any combination of ties, KSU remains unbeaten and wins the tiebreaker as well.
• Fifth through seventh seeds: Eastern Michigan wins the tiebreaker at this point because of its 2-1 record compared to 1-1 for Buffalo and 1-2 for Ball State. Buffalo is next because of its head-to-head win over Ball State.
• Ninth through 11th seeds: Another three-way tie with winning percentage breaking the tie. Northern Illinois is 2-1 (66.7 percent), followed by Miami at 1-1 (50 percent) and Central Michigan at 1-2 (33.3 percent).

Here is how the MAC breaks ties …

1. Between TWO teams:

A. Head-to-head competition

B. Division Record (10 games)^

C. Winning percentage* vs. ranked conference teams (top to bottom, regardless of division, vs.

common opponents regardless of the number of times played)

D. Coin flip

^ - For the purpose of determining the Division champion only

* - Winning percentage is used instead of record because of situations where teams do not play each other the same number of times. Therefore, a team that is 1-0 (1.000) would win the tiebreaker over a team that is 2-1 (.667).

2. For MULTIPLE (3 or more) team ties:

E. Total won-lost record of games played among the tied teams

F. Two (2)-team tie-breaker procedure goes into effect (refer to A)

NOTE: Once a three-team tie has been reduced to two teams, the two-team tiebreaker will go into effect

Here’s a breakdown of the seedings…

• First seed. Akron has clinched the top seed.
• Second seed. Ohio has clinched the second seed.
• Third seed.Western Michigan has clinched the third seed.
• Fourth seed.Kent State has clinched the fourth seed.
• Fifth seed. Some actual work, finally … Eastern Michigan would almost certainly be the fifth seed if it wins against Toledo. The only way the Eagles would not be fifth after a win is if Ball State wins and Buffalo loses; in that scenario Ball State is the fifth seed (the two teams split head-to-head, but BSU swept Western Michigan while EMU was 1-1 against the Broncos). Ball State also would be the fifth seed with a win against Northern Illinois AND losses by EMU and Buffalo. … Buffalo also would be the fifth seed if it won at Bowling Green AND both EMU and BSU lost. Buffalo would be fifth if it won AND only EMU loss (regardless of BSU result) because UB loses head-to-head with the Eagles but wins head-to-head with the Cardinals. … Believe it or not, Bowling Green also could claim the fifth seed, but the Falcons need help. BG needs to beat Buffalo AND have BOTH Eastern Michigan AND Ball State lose. In that scenario there would be a four-way tie for fifth which BG would claim with a 3-1 record against the other teams (BSU is 1-3, UB is 2-2, EMU is 2-2).
• Sixth seed. Buffalo would be the sixth seed in a number of different scenarios. If the Bulls win AND Eastern Michigan wins, the Bulls would be sixth. UB also could be sixth despite a loss if Ball State also loses. … Eastern Michigan would be the sixth seed if it wins ONLY if Ball State wins AND Buffalo loses. With a loss, EMU would be the sixth seed ONLY if Bowling Green beat Buffalo. … Ball State must win AND Eastern Michigan must lose AND Buffalo must win for the Cardinals to be the sixth seed. … Bowling Green would be the sixth seed ONLY if it wins AND Eastern Michigan loses AND Ball State wins.
• Seventh seed. Eastern Michigan would be the seventh seed ONLY if it loses AND Buffalo wins. … To be the seventh seed, Buffalo must lose AND Ball State must win. … To be the seventh seed, Ball State has several opportunities. The Cardinals will be the seventh seed if they win AND both Eastern Michigan AND Buffalo win. If Ball State loses, the Cards will be the seventh seed IF Eastern Michigan wins. … Bowling Green will be the seventh seed if it wins AND Eastern Michigan wins AND Ball State loses.
• Eighth seed. Bowling Green will be the eighth seed if it loses to Buffalo Friday. If the Falcons win AND Ball State wins AND Eastern Michigan wins, BG will be the eighth seed. … These other scenarios obviously require a BG win. Ball State will be the eighth seed if BG wins AND the Cards lose. … Buffalo would be the eighth seed if BG wins AND Ball State wins.
• Ninth seed. Central Michigan would clinch the ninth seed with a win at Western Michigan. The Chippewas also would be the ninth seed if both Northern Illinois AND Miami lose. … Northern Illinois would be the ninth seed if Central Michigan loses AND the Huskies win. … Miami would be the ninth seed in Central Michigan loses AND Northern Illinois loses AND the RedHawks win.
• Tenth seed. Central Michigan will be the tenth seed if it loses AND Northern Illinois wins AND Miami loses. … Northern Illinois will be the tenth seed if Central Michigan wins if the Huskies remain tied with Miami – if both teams win or both teams lose (NIU wins the tiebreaker with a head-to-head win over the RedHawks). NIU also will be tenth if it wins and Miami loses (for obvious record reasons)… Miami will the tenth seed if it wins UNLESS both Central Michigan AND Northern Illinois lose. The RedHawks also would be tenth if they win AND Northern Illinois loses.
• Eleventh seed. Miami would be the 11th seed if the RedHawks finish tied with Northern Illinois (and not tied with Central Michigan). A loss would guarantee 11th, as would a Northern Illinois win UNLESS Central Michigan lost. … Northern Illinois would be the 11th seed if it loses AND Central Michigan wins AND Miami wins… The only way Central Michigan would be the 11th seed is if the Chippewas lost AND Northern Illinois won AND Miami won.

If you see anything amiss (or want to add anything, click on the "comment" link below and let me know!

MAC men's hoops tourney pairings as of March 2

Here is a breakdown for the Mid-American Conference men's basketball tournament pairings IF THE TOURNAMENT STARTED TODAY ...

FIRST ROUND
March 11 - Campus Sites
Game 1: #9 Northern Illinois (3-11) at #8 Ball State (6-8)
Game 2: #10 Miami (3-11) at #7 Bowling Green (6-8)
Game 3: #11 Central Michigan (3-11) at #6 Buffalo (7-7)

SECOND ROUND
March 13 - Quicken Loans Arena
Game 4: #5 Eastern Michigan (7-7) vs. Game 1 winner, 6:30 PM (STO)
Game 5: Game 2 winner vs. Game 3 winner, 9 PM (STO)

THIRD ROUND
March 14 - Quicken Loans Arena
Game 6: #4 Kent State (7-7) vs. Game 4 winner, 6:30 PM (STO)
Game 7: #3 Western Michigan (9-5) vs. Game 5 winner, 9 PM (STO)

SEMIFINALS
March 15 - Quicken Loans Arena
Game 8: #1 Akron (13-1) vs. Game 6 winner, 6:30 PM (STO)
Game 9: #2 Ohio (12-2) vs. Game 7 winner, 9 PM (STO)

CHAMPIONSHIP
March 16 - Quicken Loans Arena
Semifinal winners, 6:30 PM (ESPN2)

Here's a how the MAC standings would look, the remaining games for each team, and the best- and worst-case scenarios for each team (in other words, the best and worst finishes possible for each team) as well as the “realistic” finish for each team (“Real” column). ...

Seed	Team	MAC	MAC Games Remaining	Best	Real	Worst
No. 1	Akron	13-1	MU, KSU	1	1	2
No. 2	Ohio	12-2	@UB, MU	1	2	2
No. 3	WMU	9-5	BSU, CMU	3	3	3
No. 4	KSU	7-7	BG, @UA	3	4-6	8
No. 5	EMU	7-7	@CMU, UT	4	4-6	8
No. 6	Buffalo	7-7	OU, @BG	4	4-6	8
No. 7	BGSU	6-8	@KSU, UB	4	4-7	8
No. 8	BSU	6-8	@WMU, NIU	4	8	8
No. 9	NIU	3-11	@UT, @BSU	9	9-11	11
No. 10	Miami	3-11	@UA, @OU	9	9-11	11
No. 11	CMU	3-11	EMU, @WMU	9	9-11	11

Here is how I broke the ties …

• Fourth through sixth seeds: It’s a three-way tie, so winning percentage against the group rules the day. Kent State is 3-0 (100 percent), followed by Eastern Michigan at 1-1 (50 percent) and Buffalo at 0-3 (00 percent).
• Seventh seed: Bowling Green beat Ball State head-to-head.
• Ninth through 11th seeds: Another three-way tie with winning percentage breaking the tie. Northern Illinois is 2-1 (66.7 percent), followed by Miami at 1-1 (50 percent) and Central Michigan at 1-2 (33.3 percent).

Here is how the MAC breaks ties …

1. Between TWO teams:

A. Head-to-head competition

B. Division Record (10 games)^

C. Winning percentage* vs. ranked conference teams (top to bottom, regardless of division, vs.

common opponents regardless of the number of times played)

D. Coin flip

^ - For the purpose of determining the Division champion only

* - Winning percentage is used instead of record because of situations where teams do not play each other the same number of times. Therefore, a team that is 1-0 (1.000) would win the tiebreaker over a team that is 2-1 (.667).

2. For MULTIPLE (3 or more) team ties:

E. Total won-lost record of games played among the tied teams

F. Two (2)-team tie-breaker procedure goes into effect (refer to A)

NOTE: Once a three-team tie has been reduced to two teams, the two-team tiebreaker will go into effect

Here are a few thoughts about the seedings and tiebreakers …

• The first three seeds are pretty much set: Even with Saturday’s loss to Buffalo, Akron needs only one more win (or one more Ohio loss) to claim the top seed. Ohio can finish no lower than second, and Western Michigan wins all the tiebreakers I can find (beat Kent State, beat Buffalo, and wins tiebreaker with EMU thanks to 2-0 record vs. Toledo) to claim third.
• Seeds four through eight are anything but set: Kent State sits in the best position to claim the fourth seed, having a 2-0 record against Buffalo, a win over Eastern Michigan and a win over Ball State. At this point the Golden Flashes lose a tiebreaker with Bowling Green, but KSU can fix that with a win over the Falcons Tuesday. Losing to BG would really throw a monkey wrench into Kent State’s plans, though.
• Assuming Kent State earns the fourth seed, here is how the other tiebreakers play out. Eastern Michigan is 1-0 vs. Buffalo, 0-1 vs. Bowling Green and 1-1 vs. Ball State (EMU would lose a tiebreaker if BSU beats WMU). Buffalo is 1-0 vs. Bowling Green (with a game on Friday; even if it loses, UB would win the tie with its victory over Akron) and Buffalo is 1-0 vs. Ball State. Bowling Green is 1-0 vs. EMU and BSU and 0-1 vs. UB (and will lose that tiebreaker even with a win Friday). Ball State is 1-1 vs. EMU (with the tie still to be broken), 0-1 vs. UB and 0-1 vs. BG.
• Assuming the three teams at the bottom finish tied, here’s how the ties are broken. Northern Illinois is 2-1 (66.7 percent), Miami is 1-1 (50 percent) and CMU is 1-2 (33.3 percent). NIU split with CMU and beat Miami; CMU split with NIU and lost to Miami. If CMU doesn’t win at home against Eastern Michigan, I would predict all three teams will finish 0-2.

Here are a few notes about BG's tournament possibilities, courtesy of the Falcons' media guru, Jason Knavel ...

• BGSU has clinched no worse than a home game in the first round of the MAC Tournament. Miami, CMU, NIU will all be on the road for the first round as the No. 9, 10, and 11 seeds.

• Based on likely results of other games around the MAC, if BGSU splits its final two games or loses its final two games, Falcons should host a first round home game.

• Based on likely results of other games around the MAC, if BGSU wins its final two games, BGSU would likely earn the No. 4 seed for the MAC Tournament.

• With a split of the final two games, BGSU could still earn a bye with the No. 5 seed IF Eastern Michigan were to lose at Central Michigan Tuesday night. If EMU beats CMU, Falcons could not earn the No. 5 seed with a split.

MAC men's hoops tournament pairings as of Feb. 28

Here is a breakdown for the Mid-American Conference men's basketball tournament pairings IF THE TOURNAMENT STARTED TODAY ...

FIRST ROUND

March 11 - Campus Sites

Game 1: #9 Northern Illinois (3-10) at #8 Ball State (5-8)

Game 2: #10 Miami (3-10) at #7 Buffalo (6-7)

Game 3: #11 Central Michigan (2-11) at #6 Eastern Michigan (6-7)

SECOND ROUND

March 13 - Quicken Loans Arena

Game 4: #5 Bowling Green (6-7) vs. Game 1 winner, 6:30 PM (STO)

Game 5: Game 2 winner vs. Game 3 winner, 9 PM (STO)

THIRD ROUND

March 14 - Quicken Loans Arena

Game 6: #4 Kent State (6-7) vs. Game 4 winner, 6:30 PM (STO)

Game 7: #3 Western Michigan (9-4) vs. Game 5 winner, 9 PM (STO)

SEMIFINALS

March 15 - Quicken Loans Arena

Game 8: #1 Akron (13-0) vs. Game 6 winner, 6:30 PM (STO)

Game 9: #2 Ohio (11-2) vs. Game 7 winner, 9 PM (STO)

CHAMPIONSHIP

March 16 - Quicken Loans Arena

Semifinal winners, 6:30 PM (ESPN2)

Here's a how the MAC standings would look, the remaining games for each team, and the best- and worst-case scenarios for each team (in other words, the best and worst finishes possible for each team) as well as the “realistic” finish for each team (“Real” column). ...

Seed	Team	MAC	MAC Games Remaining	Best	Real	Worst
No. 1	Akron	13-0	@UB, MU, KSU	1	1	2
No. 2	Ohio	11-2	@BG, @UB, MU	1	2	3
No. 3	WMU	9-4	@EMU, BSU, CMU	2	3	6
No. 4	KSU	6-7	@MU, BG, @UA	3	4-7	10
No. 5	BG	6-7	OU, @KSU, UB	3	4-7	10
No. 6	EMU	6-7	WMU, @CMU, UT	3	4-7	10
No. 7	Buffalo	6-7	UA, OU, @BG	2	4-7	10
No. 8	BSU	5-8	@UT, @WMU, NIU	4	8	10
No. 9	NIU	3-10	CMU, @UT, @BSU	4	9-10	11
No. 10	Miami	3-10	KSU, @UA, @OU	4	9-10	11
No. 11	CMU	2-11	@NIU, EMU, @WMU	4	11	11

Here is how I broke the ties …

• Fourth through seventh seeds: It’s a four-way tie, so winning percentage against the group rules the day at the start. Kent State is 3-1 (75 percent), followed by Bowling Green at 2-1 (66.7 percent), Eastern Michigan at 1-2 (33.3 percent) and Buffalo at 1-3 (25 percent). If these four teams remain tied, BG’s game against Buffalo will be huge.
• Ninth seed: Northern Illinois beat Miami head-to-head.

Here is how the MAC breaks ties …

1. Between TWO teams:

• A. Head-to-head competition
• B. Division Record (10 games)^
• C. Winning percentage* vs. ranked conference teams (top to bottom, regardless of
  division, vs. common opponents regardless of the number of times played)
• D. Coin flip

^ - For the purpose of determining the Division champion only

* - Winning percentage is used instead of record because of situations where teams do not play each other the same number of times. Therefore, a team that is 1-0 (1.000) would win the tiebreaker over a team that is 2-1 (.667).

2. For MULTIPLE (3 or more) team ties:

• E. Total won-lost record of games played among the tied teams
• F. Two (2)-team tie-breaker procedure goes into effect (refer to A)

NOTE: Once a three-team tie has been reduced to two teams, the two-team tiebreaker will go into effect.