Richaun Holmes led BGSU with 18 points. (Photo by Doug Sampson) Bowling Green, Ohio – The Bowling Green Falcons pushed their winning streak out to four games with a 69-54 home win over the Ohio Bobcats on Saturday evening in the Stroh Center.
The Falcons led from start to finish in the double digit victory, which gave BGSU a 2-0 start in MAC play for the first time since the 2004-05 season.
With the win, BGSU improved to 10-3 overall and 6-1 at home in the Stroh Center on the year. The loss drops Ohio to 5-8 overall and 0-2 in conference action.
"I was surprised when someone told me we led from start to finish. We couldn't get that run. We couldn't shake them, and they kept hanging around. They weren't going to go anywhere that first half, and we talked about that at halftime," head coach Chris Jans said.
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The Falcons led from start to finish in the double digit victory, which gave BGSU a 2-0 start in MAC play for the first time since the 2004-05 season.
With the win, BGSU improved to 10-3 overall and 6-1 at home in the Stroh Center on the year. The loss drops Ohio to 5-8 overall and 0-2 in conference action.
"I was surprised when someone told me we led from start to finish. We couldn't get that run. We couldn't shake them, and they kept hanging around. They weren't going to go anywhere that first half, and we talked about that at halftime," head coach Chris Jans said.
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"I was proud of our guys in the second half,” he continued. “I thought they matured as a team. I thought they got the defense into the game and took hold of it there in the second half. We settled in nicely and got on a couple of runs and were able to get some separation from them."
Senior forward Richaun Holmes led the Falcons with 18 points and 12 rebounds, along with five blocked shots, for his second double-double of the season and 10th of his career. Guard Zack Denny chipped in with 11 points and nine rebounds, while Anthony Henderson and Spencer Parker added 10 and nine points apiece, respectively. Junior guard Jovan Austin dished out a game-high six assists, the second straight game he has reached that mark.
"I was trying to be aggressive and help my teammates on defense the same way they help me when I get beat. (I was) just trying to do the best I can to be in the right spot, and I was able to block a few shots tonight that helped us out defensively,” Holms said. “I think collectively we all did a great job on the defensive end – especially in the second half," said Holmes.
Ohio was led by Ryan Taylor's 16 points, as he was 3-of-4 from long range. Maurice Ndour's collected 10 points and nine rebounds.
Just 15 seconds into the game, Holmes drilled a jump shot from 15 feet out on the right wing to put the Falcons up 2-0 to start the contest. The jumper seemed to be contagious , as BGSU continued its hot offense by outscoring the Bobcats 7-2 over the next three minutes of play to take a 9-2 lead on a three-pointer from Denny at the 16:36 mark of the opening frame.
Ohio refused to go away and went on a 7-2 surge during a two minute stretch to cut the BGSU lead to two points at 11-9 on a jumper from Stevie Taylor. Bowling Green, however, would not relinquish the lead, as Parker scored five straight points to push the Falcons' lead back out to seven at 16-9 on a three-ball from the top of the key with 13:43 to go in the first half.
The Bobcats were able to hang around for most of the first half, and Ohio cut the lead to two at 16-14 before Bowling Green used a jumper by Denny at the 5:42 mark to retake a seven-point lead at 25-18.
Again, the ‘Cats clawed back to within two points at 31-29 on a three-pointer from Treg Setty with 1:46 on the game clock. Again, the Falcons answered. A three-pointer as the shot clock was winding down from Holmes to send the game to the halftime break at 34-29 in favor of the hosts.
Ohio opened the second half up with a jumper from Ndour to get within three of the Falcons at 34-31. However, that would be as close as the visitors would get for the remainder of the contest. BGSU got a layup from Denny, a three-pointer from Henderson and a huge one-handed tomahawk slam from Holmes on a fast break give from Austin over the next three minutes to take a 10-point lead at 41-31 with 17 minutes to go in the game.
Following an Ohio timeout, the Falcons answered every Bobcat basket with a basket of their own, which included another two-handed throw down from Holmes on the low block over an Ohio defender, to keep the score at 46-38 in favor of the home team with 12:19 to play.
Bowling Green then looked to close the game out early, using a 13-3 run over the next five minutes of play to take an 18-point lead at 59-41 on a two-handed dunk from Holmes from along the right side of the lane with 7:43 to go in regulation.
Two made free throws from JD Tisdale and a five straight points from Delvin Dickerson pushed the Falcons lead out to 21 at 66-45 with three minutes remaining in the contest.
Freshman Matt Fox capped off the win with a three-pointer, his second of the game, as the Falcons led from start to finish in the 69-54 home conference win.
The Falcons shot 48.3 percent (14-of-29) in the second half overall, but more importantly BGSU held Ohio to just 29.6 percent shooting (8-of-27) over the final 20 minutes of play.
BGSU was also strong from the free throw line, as the Falcons were 9-of-11 (81.8 percent) compared to the Bobcats' 8-of-11 (72.7 percent).
The Falcons out-rebounded Ohio 41-34 for the game and outscored the Bobcats 30-14 in points in the paint.
Bowling Green (10-3, 2-0 MAC) will return to the road in MAC play next week, as the Falcons will take on the Akron Zips on Wednesday night (7 p.m. ET) at the J.A.R. in Akron. Ohio will host Toledo Wednesday (7 p.m. ET).
(Courtesy of BGSU Athletics/MRO Edit)
Senior forward Richaun Holmes led the Falcons with 18 points and 12 rebounds, along with five blocked shots, for his second double-double of the season and 10th of his career. Guard Zack Denny chipped in with 11 points and nine rebounds, while Anthony Henderson and Spencer Parker added 10 and nine points apiece, respectively. Junior guard Jovan Austin dished out a game-high six assists, the second straight game he has reached that mark.
"I was trying to be aggressive and help my teammates on defense the same way they help me when I get beat. (I was) just trying to do the best I can to be in the right spot, and I was able to block a few shots tonight that helped us out defensively,” Holms said. “I think collectively we all did a great job on the defensive end – especially in the second half," said Holmes.
Ohio was led by Ryan Taylor's 16 points, as he was 3-of-4 from long range. Maurice Ndour's collected 10 points and nine rebounds.
Just 15 seconds into the game, Holmes drilled a jump shot from 15 feet out on the right wing to put the Falcons up 2-0 to start the contest. The jumper seemed to be contagious , as BGSU continued its hot offense by outscoring the Bobcats 7-2 over the next three minutes of play to take a 9-2 lead on a three-pointer from Denny at the 16:36 mark of the opening frame.
Ohio refused to go away and went on a 7-2 surge during a two minute stretch to cut the BGSU lead to two points at 11-9 on a jumper from Stevie Taylor. Bowling Green, however, would not relinquish the lead, as Parker scored five straight points to push the Falcons' lead back out to seven at 16-9 on a three-ball from the top of the key with 13:43 to go in the first half.
The Bobcats were able to hang around for most of the first half, and Ohio cut the lead to two at 16-14 before Bowling Green used a jumper by Denny at the 5:42 mark to retake a seven-point lead at 25-18.
Again, the ‘Cats clawed back to within two points at 31-29 on a three-pointer from Treg Setty with 1:46 on the game clock. Again, the Falcons answered. A three-pointer as the shot clock was winding down from Holmes to send the game to the halftime break at 34-29 in favor of the hosts.
Ohio opened the second half up with a jumper from Ndour to get within three of the Falcons at 34-31. However, that would be as close as the visitors would get for the remainder of the contest. BGSU got a layup from Denny, a three-pointer from Henderson and a huge one-handed tomahawk slam from Holmes on a fast break give from Austin over the next three minutes to take a 10-point lead at 41-31 with 17 minutes to go in the game.
Following an Ohio timeout, the Falcons answered every Bobcat basket with a basket of their own, which included another two-handed throw down from Holmes on the low block over an Ohio defender, to keep the score at 46-38 in favor of the home team with 12:19 to play.
Bowling Green then looked to close the game out early, using a 13-3 run over the next five minutes of play to take an 18-point lead at 59-41 on a two-handed dunk from Holmes from along the right side of the lane with 7:43 to go in regulation.
Two made free throws from JD Tisdale and a five straight points from Delvin Dickerson pushed the Falcons lead out to 21 at 66-45 with three minutes remaining in the contest.
Freshman Matt Fox capped off the win with a three-pointer, his second of the game, as the Falcons led from start to finish in the 69-54 home conference win.
The Falcons shot 48.3 percent (14-of-29) in the second half overall, but more importantly BGSU held Ohio to just 29.6 percent shooting (8-of-27) over the final 20 minutes of play.
BGSU was also strong from the free throw line, as the Falcons were 9-of-11 (81.8 percent) compared to the Bobcats' 8-of-11 (72.7 percent).
The Falcons out-rebounded Ohio 41-34 for the game and outscored the Bobcats 30-14 in points in the paint.
Bowling Green (10-3, 2-0 MAC) will return to the road in MAC play next week, as the Falcons will take on the Akron Zips on Wednesday night (7 p.m. ET) at the J.A.R. in Akron. Ohio will host Toledo Wednesday (7 p.m. ET).
(Courtesy of BGSU Athletics/MRO Edit)
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