Bowling Green State University Athletics
Bowling Green State University
MIAMI (OH)
Miami Outlasts Falcons, 75-65
February 15, 2003 | Women's Basketball
Feb. 15, 2003
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - Visiting Miami University used sizable advantages in rebounding and second-chance points to post a 75-65 win over the Bowling Green State University women's basketball team Saturday afternoon (Feb. 15) in Mid-American Conference action at Anderson Arena.
The RedHawks, now 12-10 overall and 7-4 in MAC play, outrebounded the Falcons (10-12, 3-8) by a 47-33 margin, and Miami held a 26-9 advantage in second-chance points.
Colleen Day led the winners with 21 points, while Beth Roederer had 14. The Falcons held reigning MAC Player-of-the-Year Heather Cusick to nine points and 2-of-16 shooting, but she had game-high totals of five assists and four steals.
For BGSU, senior Francine Miller had her third-consecutive game of over 20 points, scoring 22. Junior Stefanie Wenzel had a double-double, with 13 points and 11 rebounds, tying her career best in the latter category, while senior Kim Griech had 11 points in the contest.
The Falcons got the game's first basket, on a Miller layup, but then the RedHawks scored the next seven points and led for the bulk of the first half. A Day layup nine minutes in upped the visitors' lead to nine points, 21-12, before Griech hit back-to-back three-point field goals on consecutive trips down the floor. Day hit two more baskets to increase the Miami lead back to seven points, and the lead remained five points (28-23) before senior Karen Stocz hit a pair of free throws with 4:32 left in the half.
Those Stocz tosses started a 13-4 Falcon run to end the half. After a basket by Wenzel cut the lead to one point, MU's Kim Lancaster answered at the other end, only to see Austin come right back down the floor and score.
Miami's Jana Butler scored with two-and-a-half minutes left before the break, but Miller got a steal and layup at the 1:57 mark, and Austin fed Wenzel for a trey with 1:20 left, giving BGSU a 34-32 lead. Wenzel hit a pair of free throws with 12 seconds remaining to give the Brown and Orange a four-point edge heading into the lockerroom. BGSU has now led at the half in all 13 MAC home games in the Curt Miller Era.
Roederer, who was held scoreless in the first half, hit back-to-back buckets to start the second stanza, but the Falcons retook the lead with five quick points, on a Miller hoop and a Griech trey.
BGSU held the lead for nearly five minutes, before a Lancaster three-point play gave MU a 45-44 edge. More importantly, Griech was whistled for her fourth foul on the play, and headed to the bench.
BGSU battled back, tying the game at 47-all on a Miller hoop, but a pair of Day free throws gave the 'Hawks the lead for good at the 12:52 mark.
Leading by two points midway through the half, Miami went on a 7-2 run to take a 58-51 lead. The Falcons cut the lead to five points on two Wenzel charity tosses with 6:50 left, but the RedHawks scored eight of the next 10 points to take an 11-point margin, at 66-55.
BGSU made one last run, cutting the lead to three points (68-65) with 1:47 left, and the Falcons then forced a Miami miss. But, Day got an offensive rebound, drew a foul and made both free throws. After the Falcons missed two charity tosses at the other end, Day again went to the line and hit a pair. The RedHawks scored the game's last seven points, all from the line.
Miami held a slim edge in the field-goal percentage department, shooting .368 to the Falcons' .364. The Falcons went 6-of-18 from three-point land, with Griech making three treys, while the RedHawks were 3-of-13 from long range.
The Falcons complete a brief two-game homestand with Wednesday (Jan. 19) action, hosting Ball State University in a 7:00 p.m. start.
