With the win, Bowling Green moves 16-6 overall in 2018-19, and is 8-1 in Mid-American Conference play.
The Falcons' pushed their first-place lead in the MAC to a full a game over the 23rd-ranked Buffalo Bulls. Western Michigan drops to 6-16 and remains winless (0-9 MAC) in conference play following the defeat.
Antwon Lillard had a big night for the Falcons, registering a double-double with 27 points and 11 boards. DeMajeo Wiggins, meanwhile, also double up with 15 points and 10 caroms. Dylan Frye poured in 20 points.
Michael Flowers paced the Broncos with 24 points. Seth Dugan owned 17 points and 11 rebounds, while Patrick Emilien just missed his own double-double with 15 points and nine boards.
"It's always nice to win on the road. It's so difficult to win on the road in the MAC., Huger said. I didn't want our guys to look at the record. The biggest thing was not looking at the (Broncos') record of 0-8, and thinking that they can't play. We didn't take them lightly. We came out and we fought from the beginning. We had to clean up some things and we were able to make adjustments, and that was the difference in the game."
It was a fast start for the Broncos as BGSU began the game with a three-pointer before WMU scored eight straight points to gain an 8-3 lead just two minutes into the game. The Broncos continued to hold the lead at 15-10 at the 12-minute mark as BGSU started the game just 2-of-11 from the field.
Midway through the first half BGSU embarked on a 20-4, making seven of its eight field goals to earn a double-digit lead at 30-20 with seven minutes remaining. BGSU ultimately went on a 24-4 run to earn its largest lead of the first half at 34-20 with five minutes to play.
The Broncos battled back to end the half, making their final three field goals to trail 43-36 at halftime. Prior to heading into the locker room, Wilkins knocked down a three-pointer with 4.1 seconds left to cut the deficit down to six.
With just under 10 minutes to play, Dugan corralled an offensive rebound and converted an and-one to cut the BGSU lead down to 57-52. The two teams traded baskets during a four-minute period as WMU made three straight field goals yet trailed 71-60 with 4:57 to play.
The Bronco offense was halted the next three minutes of play as BGSU extended its lead to 81-67 with 1:06 left. BGSU was held scoreless from the field the final three minutes of action but was 7-of-9 from the free-throw line down the stretch to earn the 85-72 victory.
(Courtesy of BGSU and WMU Athletics)
UPCOMING GAMES
Friday
Kent State at Akron -- 9 p.m. ET
Saturday
Western Michigan at Ball State -- 2 p.m. ET
Northern Illinois at Eastern Michigan -- 2 p.m. ET
Ohio at Miami -- 2 p.m. ET
Central Michigan at Buffalo -- 3:30 p.m. ET
Toledo at Bowling Green -- 6 p.m. ET