The Bowling Green State University men’s basketball team is set to participate in the Fort Myers Tip-Off in Florida this week. The Falcons will face Bucknell on Monday, November 24 at noon, followed by a matchup against VMI on Wednesday, November 26 at 11 a.m. Both games can be streamed on PassThaBall Live, with radio coverage provided by Kevin Piel on WFRO Eagle 99.
Bowling Green will play both Bucknell and VMI for the first time in program history. These additions bring the total number of opponents faced by BGSU to 332 since the team’s inception. In their last appearance at the Fort Myers Tip-Off during the 2021-22 season, Bowling Green posted a 1-2 record. Head coach Todd Simon also has experience at this event from his tenure with Southern Utah that same year, when his team went 2-1 and won its portion of the tournament.
Javontae Campbell currently leads the nation in steals per game and has accumulated 22 steals over five games this season. Last year, Campbell set a new single-season program record with 90 steals and is now projected to potentially tie the program’s career record of 226 steals—currently held by assistant coach Anthony Stacey—if he maintains his current pace.
Bucknell enters the tournament with a record of two wins and four losses after starting strong but dropping their last four games. Their roster features freshman Amon Dorres as their leading scorer and senior Rout Bijiek contributing significantly in rebounds and blocks. Bucknell finished last season with an overall record of 18-15.
VMI holds a current season record of three wins and four losses, securing victories against Johnson & Wales, Southern Indiana, and Virginia University of Lynchburg. TJ Johnson leads VMI in both points (20.7 per game) and rebounds (8 per game). Notably, VMI assistant coach Nick Korta previously served on Bowling Green’s staff between 2021 and 2024 under coaches Michael Huger and Todd Simon.
Coach Simon returns to Fort Myers for the first time with BGSU but is familiar with success at this event; while coaching Southern Utah in 2021-22, he led his former team to victory over Bowling Green en route to winning their segment of the tournament.
So far this season, ten different Falcons players have recorded double-digit scoring performances in individual games. Javontae Campbell and Josiah Shackelford have reached double figures in each contest played thus far.
Defensively, Bowling Green currently leads all NCAA teams in both steals per game (15.2) and turnovers forced per game (22.2). The team broke a Mid-American Conference record by recording 27 steals against Bethany College earlier this season.
Fans can follow updates about Bowling Green men’s basketball through various social media channels including Twitter (@BGSU_Athletics), Instagram (‘bgfalcons’), Facebook (‘BGSU Athletics’), and YouTube (‘Falcon Athletics’).
