Bowling Green State University Athletics
Bowling Green State University
Utah State
Falcons Shut Down Utah State, 75-54
December 11, 2004 | Women's Basketball
Dec. 11, 2004
Final Stats | Quotes
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - Sophomores Ali Mann and Liz Honegger each had double-doubles, and the Bowling Green State University women's basketball team posted solid performances at both ends of the floor en route to a 75-54 win over Utah State University Saturday night (Dec. 11). The game, the consolation contest of the Southwest Airlines Lobo Shootout, was held at University Arena (The Pit) in Albuquerque, N.M.
With the victory, the Falcons improve to 4-4 on the season, while dropping the Aggies to 3-4.
The Falcons spotted the Aggies two quick points, then put the clamps on the USU offense. After that opening hoop, by Taylor Richards, the Falcons responded with a jumper in the lane by sophomore Carin Horne. Then, Ali Mann drove against the Aggies' Ali Aird, converting a three-point play and drawing Aird's second foul in a span of just three seconds. The Falcons led, 5-2, at the 18:33 mark, and BG would never trail again.
With the contest still close, at 6-4, senior Tene Lewis split a pair of free throws, and freshman Kate Achter followed with a three-point play of her own, putting BG ahead by a 10-4 count.
The Falcons' next five points came from the free-throw line, as Utah State got into some early foul trouble. Both Aird and Richards had two fouls with just over seven minutes gone.
When sophomore Megan Thorburn scored out of a media timeout, the Falcon shad a 17-8 lead. USU countered with a basket from Camille Brox, but Honegger then went to work. The sophomore hit a left-side three-pointer, off a Casey McDowell pass, then drained a right-side trey off a Lewis feed. The two treys, just 34 seconds apart, gave the Falcons a 23-10 lead with 8:26 left in the half.
Mann scored the next four points, and the Aggies' Aird countered by making 3-of-4 free throws in a 15-second span. But, McDowell then hit back-to-back triples, and the lead was 33-13 with four minutes left in the half.
Senior Sakima Smith hit two baskets, and a Horne hoop gave the Falcons a 39-15 lead at the break. The Falcons held the Aggies to just 22.2 percent shooting (6-for-27) in that first half, including an 0-for-7 performance from three-point range.
BG outrebounded the taller Aggies, 33-13, in the first 20 minutes, and the Falcons held first-half advantages of 15-0 in second-chance points and 11-0 in points off turnovers.
In the second half, the Brown and Orange prevented Utah State from making any kind of momentum-changing run. the teams exchanged baskets in the first few minutes, before three consecutive points from Mann gave the Falcons a 48-21 lead, the biggest margin of the night. The Aggies chipped away at that lead in the last 12 minutes of the game, but never got closer than 17 points.
For the Brown and Orange, Honegger had a game-high 18 points to lead three double-digit scorers, and grabbed 11 rebounds. Mann also had a double-double, with 16 points and 11 rebounds of her own. Six of Mann's boards came at the offensive end.
Freshman Whitney Taylor also hit double digits for the second time in her young career, with 10 points. Horne and McDowell added eight apiece.
Brittany Tressler was the lone Aggie in double digits, with 12 points off the bench.
BGSU held a 52-35 rebounding advantage, and the Falcons kept Utah State to a field-goal percentage of just 29.0% for the contest. BGSU shot 38.1% from the floor on the night.
For the second-straight weekend, Honegger was BGSU's lone representative on the all-tournament team. The Falcon sophomore also made the all-tourney squad at the Brown Classic in Providence, R.I. (Dec. 4-5).
Joining Honegger on the Lobo Shootout All-Tournament Team were Tressler, New Mexico's Mandi Moore and San Diego's Amber Sprague and Polly Dong. UNM's Lindsey Arndt was named the tourney MVP after the Lobos downed USD, 58-50, in the championship game.
The Falcons now take a break for exams, before hitting the road for two more games next weekend. BGSU will head to Western Pennsylvania to face St. Francis on Saturday (Dec. 18), before meeting Robert Morris two days later.
