Bowling Green State University Athletics
Falcons 78, Kent State 74
January 11, 2003 | Men's Basketball
Jan. 11, 2003
Streaks and Comebacks
The win over Kent State gives BGSU its first 4-0 MAC record since Bill Fitch coached the 1967-68 squad to a 5-0 league start.
The win extended BGSU's win streak to six games and snapped a six-game losing streak to the Flashes and a five-game skid at the MAC Center in Kent. KSU saw its MAC record 17-game league and home court winning streaks end.
The Falcons erased a 24 point deficit (57-33) with 19:12 left in the game. It marked the second time this season that BGSU has erased a 10-point or better deficit to win a game. The Falcons trailed by 10 against Cleveland State, December 28.
Ironically, Saturday's comeback appears to tie for the second largest in BGSU history. The largest was the Falcons last win at Kent when they came back from a 42-17 halftime deficit (25 points) to win 70-69 on February 12, 1997. That same year, BGSU erased a 24-point deficit (59-35) with 16 minutes to go in a home game where the Falcons edged Miami, 83-80.
This was the biggest halftime deficit overcome by a Dan Dakich-coached Falcon team. BGSU rallied from a 14-point halftime deficit in the 2001 MAC Tournament against Western Michigan.
Other Notes
Dan Dakich has moved into fourth place on the MAC all-time list in conference game winning percentage. He is 59-35 in six seasons (62.8) and has a 52-24 (68.4) winning percentage against MAC foes since 1999.
Sophomore Cory Eyink played a career-high 40 minutes. His 11 points is the most he has scored against a MAC opponent. His two three-point field goals also tied a career-best.
Junior Jabari Mattox made a career-best eight free throws in a career-high nine attempts from the line. His 11 points also marked his highest ever total against a MAC team.
Junior John Reimold scored a team-high 23 points and is averaging 21.6 points away from home over his last three games (24 vs. Cleveland State; 18 vs. Northern Illinois; 23 vs. Kent State)
The Falcons committed a season-low 13 turnovers.
Kent State took the fewest free throw attempts of any BGSU opponent this season (15).
In the second half, BGSU outscored Kent State 45-21, outshot the Golden Flashes, 60% to 28.6% and outrebounded them 21-14.
BGSU held the Flashes to one for nine shooting in the final seven minutes of the game.
This also marked the ninth time in 11 games over the last two years that BGSU has made a defensive stop with a one or two point lead in the final 30 seconds to win a game.
