Bowling Green State University
Purdue Fort Wayne
Falcons Run Past IPFW, 115-84
November 20, 2004 | Women's Basketball
Nov. 19, 2004
Final Stats | Quotes
FORT WAYNE, Ind. - The Bowling Green State University women's basketball team broke open a tie game with a 22-0 run midway through the first half, and the Falcons went on to a 115-84 win over IPFW Friday night (Nov. 19). The non-conference game was held at the Hilliard Gates Sports Center.
With the win, the Falcons improve to 1-1 on the young season, while the host Mastodons drop to 0-1.
Sophomores Liz Honegger and Megan Thorburn each erupted for career scoring highs, combining for 53 points. Honegger had a game-high 27 points, while Thorburn was right behind with 26.
BGSU scored 55 points in the first half and 60 in the second, shooting over 50 percent from the field in each half. The Brown and Orange held the hosts to just a 22.0% shooting rate in the first 20 minutes and a 30.0% rate for the game.
The host Mastodons, employing a run-and-press style, substituted players five at a time every few minutes. All 14 players for the hosts had seen action within the game's first 2:16.
The Falcons committed 24 turnovers, but were able to break the press often enough to create a number of breakaway layups and easy scoring plays.
Honegger scored the game's first five points, and Thorburn scored BG's next two baskets before senior co-captain Tene Lewis fed Honegger for another hoop. The Falcons led, 13-5, but the `Dons battled back to tie the game at 15-15 on a three-point field goal by Courtney Nicley with 11:11 left in the first half. From there, however, it was all BG.
 ...while classmate Megan Thorburn, like Honegger, had a career-high scoring night, with 26 (photo by Mike Metzger/BG News)  |
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The `Dons battled back within 14 points, at 42-28, before the Falcons went on a 13-4 run to take a 55-32 advantage into the half.
After the intermission, Thorburn got a rebound and putback with just 10 seconds gone, then found classmate Ali Mann for a hoop just 19 seconds later. BGSU began the second half on a 13-2 run to double up on the `Dons, 68-34 with three minutes gone. The hosts got as close as 21 points, but never could creep within 20 points or fewer.
"Sometimes, win number one is the hardest to get," said BGSU head coach Curt Miller. "We got that tonight, and it feels good.
"I admire the IPFW coaching staff for implementing this system in the offseason. It is a tough system to play against; they keep you from running your offense, and press you all over the court for the entire 40 minutes. You have to be able to handle the ball and try not to have too many turnovers. If you turn it over, they will score easy points. If you can handle their pressure and break their press, it can lead to some layups and easy points at the other end.
"We weren't perfect, but for the most part, we handled their pressure."
Freshman Whitney Taylor had the first double-digit game of her young career, with 13 points, while sophomore Amber Flynn had nine points on 4-of-4 shooting from the floor. Three Falcons - Mann, sophomore Carin Horne and frosh Kate Achter - scored eight points apiece.
The Falcons outrebounded IPFW by a 64-44 count, with Mann pulling down a game-high 13 boards and Honegger grabbing seven.
Lewis dished out a game- and career-high 10 assists, while Achter had six, the most of her young career.
For the hosts, Ashley Johnson scored 18 points, while Johnna Lewis-Carlisle had 16 and Nicley 13.
The Falcons continue a three-game road swing to open the season, heading to Duquesne University for a game on Sat., Nov. 27.
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