KALAMAZOO, Mich. – Bowling Green played its most complete half of basketball of the year as the Falcons handed Western Michigan its first home loss in a 72-48 rout Wednesday night at University Arena in Mid-American Conference men's basketball action.
The Falcons made 14 of their first 15 shots in the second half and shot 76 percent from the floor over the final 20 minutes to avenge losses to Western Michigan in the MAC Tournament in each of the past two seasons. It was Bowling Green's first win in University Arena since 2002, ending a string of seven consecutive losses in the building.
The 24-point win represented Bowling Green's largest road MAC victory since the team defeated Eastern Michigan 71-45 on Feb. 17, 2001. In fact, BGSU's 48 second-half points equaled Western Michigan's offensive output for the game.
Things started slowly for the Falcons and Bowling Green led by just two points at the half, 24-22. But BGSU outpaced its first half scoring total in just nine minutes in the second half, scoring 25 points in that stretch. The Falcons never let up, pushing the lead to as many as 30 in the second half, until Western Michigan hit a pair of three-pointers late to get back to within 24.
Dee Brown scored 16 of his game-high 21 points in the second half, connecting on 5-of-8 shots and both of his three-point attempts after the break. Jordon Crawford was 5-of-5 from the field in the second half and had 13 points and seven assists in the final 20 minutes, finishing with 16 points and eight assists. A'uston Calhoun had 12 of his 15 points in the second stanza, making 6-of-7 shots.
Leading 24-22, Bowling Green went on an 8-2 run in the first 2:31, getting two steals and fastbreak lay-ups. Brown hit a jumper and had a lay-up to give the Falcons a double-digit lead at 36-26.
Still leading by 10 at 40-30, the Falcons went on a 24-5 run that put the game away. Brown, Calhoun, and Crawford scored 22 of the 24 points on that run and it was capped by a mammoth dunk from Calhoun that made it 64-35. The Falcons eventually led by 30 on an Anthony Henderson dunk with 2:11 to play.
Bowling Green shot 58.3 percent for the game, including 19-of-25 in the second half. The 76 percent shooting percentage in the second half is the best in head coach Louis Orr's five-year tenure.
Defensively, Bowling Green held Western Michigan to 39.2 percent shooting and forced 22 turnovers, producing a remarkable 33 points off of those miscues. It is the third consecutive game in which BGSU held an opponent below 40 percent shooting for a game.
Western Michigan falls to 10-12 overall with the loss and 4-4 in MAC play. Bowling Green improves to 10-11 overall and 4-4 in league action. The Falcons will return home Saturday to host Northern Illinois (2-18, 1-7 MAC) at 6 p.m. in a game televised on SportsTime Ohio as the second-half of a men's/women's basketball doubleheader.
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