Bowling Green State University Athletics
Bowling Green State University
BUFFALO
Bowling Green Earns First-Round Bye
February 27, 2002 | Men's Basketball
Feb 27, 2002
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio (AP) - Len Matela's 21 points paced Bowling Green as the Falcons clinched a first-round bye in the Mid-American Conference tournament with a 73-58 victory Wednesday night over Buffalo.
The Falcons (22-6 overall, 12-5 conference) end the regular season Saturday at Ohio and will play a tournament quarterfinal game March 7 at Gund Arena in Cleveland.
Keith McLeod scored 19 and Brandon Pardon 17 for Bowling Green.
Clement Smith had 21 and Turner Battle 11 for the Bulls (12-17, 7-11).
The Falcons went ahead for good 12-10 with 15:20 to play on a basket by Brent Klassen. That started a 13-4 run which ended on a layup by Germain Fitch, giving Bowling Green a 25-14 lead with 8:17 to play.
The Falcons led 39-22 at halftime and were up by as much as 65-41 with 7:34 left.
Bowling Green was 23-for-44 from the field for 52.3 percent and Buffalo was 18-for-56 for 32.1 percent.
