Bowling Green State University
OHIO
Falcons Start Fast, Win at Ohio, 76-55
February 11, 2004 | Women's Basketball
Feb. 11, 2004
ATHENS, Ohio - The Bowling Green State University women's basketball team led from start to finish Wednesday night (Feb. 11), picking up a 76-55 win at Ohio University. The Mid-American Conference game was held at the Convocation Center.
With the win, the Falcons are now 14-7 overall and 7-3 in MAC play, while Ohio drops to 9-12 and 3-7, respectively.
Senior Stefanie Wenzel and freshman Carin Horne each scored 19 points to tie for game honors, while freshman Liz Honegger had a double-double, with 16 points and 14 rebounds.
The Falcons led from start to finish, scoring the first five points of the game. Honegger blocked an OU shot on the first possession of the game, then found classmate Ali Mann for a three-pointer at the other end of the floor. Wenzel then hit a pair of free throws, her first two of seven consecutive BG points.
Wenzel's final hoop during that stretch came on a breakaway after a pass from Honegger, forcing the Bobcats to call timeout with BG ahead, 10-3.
The Falcons continued the early offensive onslaught, as Wenzel returned the favor by finding Honegger inside, and senior Lindsay Austin kicked the ball out to Honegger for a three-pointer. Then, Austin drew a foul and hit both free throws for a 17-5 Falcon lead at the initial media timeout.
Honegger scored two more baskets to put the visitors up by 16 points. Then, however, the Falcons cooled off from the field. After making seven of nine field goals (including 6-of-7) to start the game, BGSU missed five consecutive shots as the Bobcats crept within seven points, 23-16. Austin ended a field-goal drought of 3:35 for the Brown and Orange with a jumper at the 8:26 mark.
Then, after a Latreece Bagley bucket at the other end, Horne got hot, hitting back-to-back triples in a 23-second span. When Honegger followed with a jumper at the 6:21 mark, the Falcons were back up by 15, 33-18. Ohio got as close as 11 points before the Falcons scored the final four points of the half to take a 37-22 advantage into the lockerroom.
In the second half, Horne scored BGSU's first three baskets, then was fouled while shooting a trey and sank all three charity tosses to give the Falcons a 48-30 lead at the 14:04 mark. When Wenzel drained a triple less than a minute later, the lead was over 20 points for the first time.
But, the Bobcats went on a 15-5 run to cut the Falcon lead to 11 points. The Falcons took a timeout, and responded with a Casey McDowell triple. Then, a Honegger rebound and layup put BG ahead by a 61-45 count.
The Falcon lead was 14 points several minutes later, when the Falcons went on an 8-0 run to remove all doubt. Horne scored on a jumper, and Wenzel hit a three-pointer with 5:03 left. Then, Honegger put an exclamation point on the run. With the shot clock winding down, Horne found Honegger camped out in the right corner. She caught the ball and shot in one motion, draining the triple that put the Falcons up, 72-50, with 4:12 remaining.
BGSU led by 23 before a pair of late Bobcat free throws provided the final margin.
The Falcons shot .456 from the field for the game, to Ohio's .368 field-goal percentage. BGSU made 15 free throws to the Bobcats' eight on the night.
Ohio held a narrow 37-35 rebounding advantage, with Erin Isbell pulling down a team-high 13. Isbell also led the Bobcats in scoring, with 13 points. Candace Bates was the home team's only other double-digit scorer, with 10 points.
For the Falcons, McDowell made all three of her shots, scoring eight points off the bench. Austin and Mann each scored seven points, with Austin adding a game-high six assists.
The Falcons remain on the road for a Valentine's Day contest at Central Michigan University. That game begins at 2:00 p.m. Saturday at CMU's Rose Arena. BGSU's next home game is Wed., Feb. 18, vs. Northern Illinois University.
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