Bowling Green State University
NORTHERN ILLINOIS
Falcons Slip Past Northern Illinois, 64-63
January 04, 2003 | Men's Basketball
Jan 4, 2003
DEKALB, Ill. Cory Eyink made a layup with 6.5 seconds left as Bowling Green defeated Northern Illinois, 64-63, on Saturday in the first MAC road game of the season for BGSU. Eyink scored on an inbounds pass from senior Cory Ryan following an NIU timeout and BGSU did not allow the Huskies Jay Bates to get a potentital game-winning shot off as time expired.
NIU took a 62-61 lead with 3:26 remaining on a three-pointer by Al Sewasciuk. BG's John Reimold hit one of two free throws with 2:46 left to tie the score at 62-62. The Huskies Marcus Smallwood hit one free throw with with 58 seconds left to give NIU its last lead at 63-62. Following a Falcon turnover, Sewasciuk missed an open three-pointer with 32 seconds and Reimold grabbed the board for BGSU. After a near steal by NIU sent the ball underneath the BGSU basket with eight seconds left, the Falcons were able to convert and win a one-point MAC road opener for the second straight season (BGSU won at Central Michigan, 82-81 last year).
BGSU (6-4, 2-0 MAC) led 45-35 on a Ryan jumper with 11:15 to go when the Huskies went on a 15-5 run to tie the game at 50 on a free throw by Marcus Smallwood.
NIU (4-8, 0-2) recaptured the lead with 5:50 to go on a three-point play by Jay Bates.
John Reimold had 18 points and nine rebounds for Bowling Green. He scored 16 points in the second half.Kevin Netter added 13 on 6-of-10 shooting and Ron Lewis had 12. Junior Josh Almanson, playing in just his third game this season, added 11 points. He has missed most of the season with a stress fracture in his left ankle. Almanson's basket with 42 seconds left in the first half gave BGSU a 27-21 halftime advantage.
Saturday's last second defensive stop to win a game, marked the eighth time in the last two seasons that BGSU has stopped a potentital game-tying or game-winning scoring effort in the final seconds of the game.
The Falcons beat Northern Illinois for the sixth straight time and will host Ball State Tuesday night at 7 p.m.
