Bowling Green State University Athletics
Bowling Green State University
Wayne State
Falcons Down Wayne State, 59-44, in Exhibition Play
November 01, 2007 | Men's Basketball
Nov. 1, 2007
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio (BGSUFalcons.com) - Chris Knight had a double-double as the Bowling Green State University men's basketball team posted a 59-44 victory over Wayne State University Thursday night (Nov. 1). The exhibition game was held at BGSU's Anderson Arena.
In their first game under head coach Louis Orr, the Falcon defense held the Warriors to a field-goal percentage of 29.6% on the evening, including just a 7-for-28 rate (25.0%) in the second half.
"One of the things we talk about as a team is that we can't let field-goal percentage dictate winning percentage," said Orr. The Falcons shot 41.0% from the field in the game. "We know we have to defend, rebound and give ourselves a chance to win, regardless of how we shoot from the floor or from the free-throw line.
"We've got to defend and rebound every game, and that was the difference in this game."
Junior Nate Miller led all scorers with 15 points, while Knight, a redshirt freshman making his first collegiate appearance, had 13 points and a game-high 13 rebounds. The Falcons held a 50-38 advantage on the boards.
Wynn Sarden led the visitors with 12 points, while Jason Saddler and Lendyn Davis scored 11 points apiece. The Warriors are coached by David Greer, a former BGSU standout (1979-83) who still holds the school and Mid-American Conference single-season and career assists records.
Eighteen of BGSU's 50 rebounds came at the offensive end, with Knight getting seven and sophomore Otis Polk five. Polk had six total rebounds to tie Miller for second on the team.
"Chris did a great job," said Orr. "He brought a lot of energy and got us going. Chris was quick to the ball, and was tough around the basket.
"Otis did a great job in the minutes he gave us, and I thought our zone defense in the second half helped us stretch the lead, and made the difference."
Polk had nine points to go along with his six rebounds, in just 16 minutes of action off the bench. Senior Ryne Hamblet had eight points, while junior Brian Moten added five.
Freshman Joe Jakubowski made his only shot attempt, a three-pointer, and had a game-high five assists. Miller added four helpers and Hamblet three.
The Falcons led by a 28-21 count at the half, but held the Warriors to only four points during the first eight-plus minutes of the second period. Included in that stretch was a 10-1 run that put the Falcon lead into double digits for good.
Knight had a balanced effort, with seven points and seven rebounds in the first half and six and six in the second. Polk had seven-straight BGSU points during one second-half stretch, including a pair of baskets 38 seconds apart. The sophomore scored off of a Jakubowski feed, then found himself on the end of a fast-break opportunity. Knight saved a high pass from going out of bounds, catching and flipping the ball to Polk in one motion, and Polk laid it in to give the home team an 18-point lead, 45-27, with 10-and-a-half minutes left.
"We want to shoot better from the field," said Orr. "We want to shoot a better percentage from the free-throw line (BG was 7-for-18), and we definitely want to cut our turnovers down. Nineteen turnovers is too many.
"But, we won by 15 points against a scrappy team. Their guards deliver pressure, and they play extremely hard. Coach Greer's team competes, and they never quit.
"Our foundation is our defensive rebounding, and giving ourselves a chance to win, and we did that tonight."
The Falcons now prepare for the season-opening trip to Cincinnati, the hometown of Orr, Knight and assistant coach George Jackson. BGSU will participate in next weekend's (Nov. 9-11) Peggy Cronin Classic, facing Western Carolina, Belmont and host UC in the round-robin tournament.
