Bowling Green State University Athletics
Bowling Green State University
BUFFALO
Samarco Nets 43, Hits Game Winner in 74-73 Triumph Over Buffalo
January 07, 2007 | Men's Basketball
Jan. 7, 2007
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Jan. 7, 2007
Bowling Green, Ohio - Senior Martin Samarco scored a career-high 43 points, including a deep three-pointer from the left corner with 2.8 seconds left as BGSU defeated Buffalo, 74-73, in the MAC opener for both teams. That capped an 11-point rally and two lead changes in the final 4:48 as BGSU trailed 70-59.
"I did not know there was three seconds on the shot clock until one of my teammates yelled it out to me," said Samarco who joined Howard Komives and Jay Larranaga as BGSU players who have scored 40 or more in Anderson Arena. "In the huddle, I told Coach I was going for the win but he said we would just draw a play up. When the play did not work, I came to the ball and I knew I was going to make it. What was stuck on my mind was last year. I missed a three to send the Buffalo game into overtime and I was not going to let that happen again this year."
It was the second time this season that Samarco hit a game-winner from that corner at Anderson Arena. Hit a two-pointer as time expired earlier this season against Troy.
What ensued next was chaos. UB quickly threw the ball down court but the ball went over the head of the open Bull and BGSU retained possession underneath its own basket with 2.8 seconds left following a lengthy debate by the officials who considered giving the Falcons the ball underneath Buffalo's basket.
Sophomore Nate Miller was fouled before BGSU could get the ball in, but he missed two free throws and UB called timeout with 2.3 seconds left when it got the rebound. On the inbounds play, the ball hit Miller in the leg at midcourt and he swatted the ball away from on oncoming Buffalo player and time expired.
"I can't say enough about our guys, said Dakich. "They have had a tough week. "We were off for about ten minuets in the middle of the game but our guys stepped up and that's great for us."
After blowing the 11-point lead, Buffalo regained the advantage at 73-71 when sophomore Erik Moore hit his 11th three-pointer of the game with 38 seconds to go. He finished with 35 points and made 11 of 16 three-point field goals, the most ever by an individual in Anderson Arena history.
BGSU had taken back the lead at 71-70 on a layup by freshman Ryan Sims with 1:33 to go. The Falcons began the comeback when Samarco scored a layup and was fouled to make it 70-62. Samarco would drain a triple to cut it to 70-65 and 12 seconds later Miller stole the ball from Buffalo's Yassin Idbihi and took it all the way for a score and it was 70-67 with 3:00 left.
Samarco would miss a potential game-tying shot, but came down the floor and forced a steal hitting Miller for a layup attempt. After Miller left the game with cramps, sophomore Dusan Radivojevic hit a pair of free throws to cut the lead to 70-69. The Bulls would miss again and Sims would garner the board and later score.
The Falcons had built a 16-point advantage in the first half and led 34-18 with 6:17 to go after sophomore Brian Guerin and Samarco drilled back-to back three-pointers. Buffalo would close out the half on a 17-2 run and BGSU's lead at halftime was 36-35.
The Bulls quickly picked up where they left off and led 52-43 with 15:36 remaining and 66-55 with 8:30 to go. After BGSU cut the lead to 66-59 on a three-pointer with 5:16 left, UB would score four straight points, before the momentum quickly shifted to the Orange and Brown.
One of the key plays in the Falcons winning stretch was a blocked shot and two defensive rebounds by freshman Otis Polk. Also, Guerin would have a career-day with 10 points and 10 assists, both career-high's
"Brian Guerin was absolutely off the charts," said Dakich. "His toughness and hustle enabled us to stay in the game. He had 10 points and 10 assists for a double-double. Had you told me that he would be a kid who would have a double-double in his collegiate career, you could have won a lot of money off of me when I first say him play with his shaggy hair and goatee. Also, Otis Polk changed the game defensively. They called time-out and set up a play to run a back screen where Otis got caught to come in a block the shot. I think it might have been the biggest play other than Samarco's shot."
The Falcons will now travel to Athens on Thursday to take on Ohio who also enters the game with a 10-4 record and a 1-0 MAC ledger after defeating Akron at home, 77-72, Saturday night.
BGSU returns home next Sunday at 2 p.m., to entertain MAC Preseason favorite Akron. All fans wearing orange can purchase a ticket for $5.
