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Bowling Green State University Athletics
Bowling Green State University
MOREHEAD STATE
Falcons Down Morehead State, 86-70, to Open Home Schedule
November 17, 2007 | Men's Basketball
Nov. 17, 2007
Final Stats |
Quotes
BGSU-Morehead State boxscore in PDF Format 
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio (BGSUFalcons.com) - All five Bowling Green State University starters scored in double digits as the Falcons posted an 86-70 win over Morehead State University Saturday afternoon (Nov. 17). The Falcons led from wire to wire in the non-conference contest, BGSU's home opener, at venerable Anderson Arena.
With the win, the Falcons improve to 3-1 on the young season, and BGSU has won three games in a row. The Eagles drop to 1-2 on the year.
Senior Ryne Hamblet and junior Nate Miller each scored 16 points in the win, while sophomore Marc Larson added 14 to match his career high. Larson was a perfect 4-for-4 from the field as the Falcons shot 66.7 percent (28-for-42) as a team.
BGSU's field-goal percentage was the team's highest success rate in a game in nearly 13 years.
Junior Darryl Clements added 11 points and redshirt freshman Chris Knight had 10 to round out BG's double-figure scorers. The Falcons' balanced effort offset the 35-point outburst by MSU's Leon Buchanan, who was 10-for-12 from the field and a perfect 15-for-15 from the free-throw line.
The Falcons scored the game's first four points, and -- after the visitors got on the board on a John Lamb three-point field goal -- took a 9-3 lead on five-straight points by Clements. The junior hit a three-pointer of his own, just 14 seconds after Lamb's trey, then took a Hamblet pass and knocked down a jumper at the 16:09 mark.
Sophomore Ryan Sims hit a three-pointer of his own several minutes later, sparking a 7-0 run. After a Morehead miss at the other end, freshman Joe Jakubowski grabbed the rebound and fired an outlet pass to junior Brian Moten, who converted a layup on the break. When Clements hit another jumper, the Falcons had a 20-8 lead.
With just under nine minutes left in the opening half, Kenneth Faried picked up his third foul of the game. MSU's starting center, who entered the game as the team's leading scorer, was forced to the bench for the remainder of the half. Seconds later, Knight hit a three-pointer off a Clements pass, and the Falcons' lead was 25-11.
Buchanan scored the next four points, but Hamblet hit a long two-pointer, and the senior then made the 'extra pass' to find a wide-open Moten on the right wing. Moten drained a three-pointer, and two Miller free throws gave BG a 32-17 advantage with 5:30 left before halftime.
Just over a minute later, Jakubowski dribbled around the three-point arc before nailing a straightaway trey, and BG's lead was 38-19. Buchanan answered, but Jakubowski and Larson worked a nifty give-and-go, with the freshman finding the soph all alone under the basket for a dunk. BG's lead was 40-21.
The Falcons shot 75.0% to start the game, before missing the final three shot attempts of the first half. MSU scored the last five points of the half, all at the free-throw line, to cut BG's advantage to 43-31 at the intermission.
The Falcons maintained the double-digit lead for most of the second half. Another Jakubowski triple gave the Falcons a 50-35 lead just two minutes into the half, before Morehead rallied to within 10 points at the 15:50 mark after a Jamyron Steward runner in the lane.
Larson hit a pair of charity tosses, however, and Jakubowski's defensive rebound led to a transition layup from Hamblet for a 14-point advantage. After Lamb hit a three-pointer, Hamblet spotted Larson for an easy layup and a 58-45 lead.
The visitors would not go away, though, as a Buchanan putback midway through the half cut the BG lead to single digits, at 60-51. A moment later, Demonte Harper split a pair of free throws, and the lead was down to eight.
Hamblet, however, responded by hitting a long three-pointer as the shot clock was winding down, putting the lead back into double figures for good. Miller followed with a one-handed turnaround jumper in the lane, and the Falcons' lead was 65-52. MSU would get no closer than 10 points the rest of the way.
The Falcons, as mentioned, shot a blazing 66.7% for the game. BG's defense allowed the Eagles to shoot just 39.2% on the afternoon. The Falcons were 7-for-12 (58.3%) from three-point range while MSU was just 3-of-15 (20.0%).
BGSU held a 27-24 rebounding advantage for the game, with Clements, Miller and Hamblet grabbing four boards apiece.
In addition to BGSU's five double-digit scorers, Jakucobwski had nine points while Moten scored seven. Lamb was in double figures, with 11 points for the visitors.
The Falcons now prepare for next Saturday's (Nov. 24) home game vs. Temple University. Tipoff is 2:00 p.m. at Anderson.
NOTES
* The Falcons won the home opener for the 16th consecutive season and the 21st time in the last 22 years ... BGSU's last home-opening loss came against Findlay in the 1991-92 campaign.
* BGSU has a 3-1 record for the first time in three seasons ... the 2004-05 team was the last to do so, losing the season opener before winning the next six games.
* BG has posted three wins in the month of November for the first time since the 2001-02 team went 4-1.
* As mentioned, BGSU's field-goal percentage was the team's highest in a game in nearly 13 years ... the last time the Falcons had a percentage above .667 came in a game vs. Central Michigan in the 1994-95 season, when BG shot .678 vs. the Chippewas ... the school single-game record is .702, vs. Duquesne on Feb. 12, 1979.
* Three different Falcons had at least five assists in the game ... senior Ryne Hamblet and freshman Joe Jakubowski had six apiece, while junior Darryl Clements had five.
* Clements and Jakubowski, who shared the Falcons' point-guard duties for the bulk of the game, combined for 11 assists and just one turnover.
* Saturday marked the second time in the last three games that BGSU led from start to finish ... in addition to the Morehead State game, the Falcons also led from wire to wire against Belmont (Nov. 10).
* The Falcons are shooting 49.1% from the field this season to date ... by contrast, BGSU is letting opponents shoot only 36.3% through four games ... MSU's 39.2% field-goal rate is a season high for a BG opponent.
* BGSU has shot at least 50.0% in two of the last three games.
* Freshman Cameron Madlock made his collegiate debut, entering the game with 3:05 remaining in the first half of Saturday's game.
* No fewer than eight different BGSU players have had at least one double-digit scoring game this year to date ... Hamblet and redshirt freshman Chris Knight each have hit double figures in all four games, while junior Nate Miller has three double-digit outings and sophomore Marc Larson two ... Jakubowski, juniors Darryl Clements and Brian Moten and soph Otis Polk have one such game apiece.
