Fast Second-Half Start Lifts Falcons Past Oakland, 81-66

Tuesday, November 24

Rochester, MI

6:30 PM

Bowling Green State University

Oakland

Tracy Pontius had 23 points and tied her career high with 9 assists at Oakland

November 24, 2009 | Women's Basketball

Pontius paces four double-digit scorers with 23 points, 9 assists

By: ROCHESTER, Mich. (BGSU Athletic Communications)

The Bowling Green State University women's basketball team used a double-digit run at the start of the second half to break open a close game, and the Falcons went on to an 81-66 victory over Oakland University Tuesday night (Nov. 24). The non-conference game was held at the Athletics Center O'Rena.

BGSU 81, OAKLAND 66 - HTML Stats | BGSU 81, OAKLAND 66 - PDF Stats
POSTGAME AUDIO : BGSU Coach Curt Miller

With the win, the Falcons improve to 2-2 on the season, while the Golden Grizzlies drop to 1-4.

Junior Tracy Pontius paced four double-figure scorers for the Falcons with a game-high 23 points, and she tied her career high with nine assists in the win. Junior Lauren Prochaska had 17 points, while seniors Tara Breske and Tamika Nurse scored 12 and 11 points, respectively.

In a fast-paced, back-and-forth game, the Falcons took a 35-30 lead into the lockerroom, but exploded on an 11-0 run to begin the second half. That run began when Breske hit a jumper on the first possession of the half, then stole the ball from Victoria Lipscomb and fired a pass ahead to Pontius for a layup in transition.

The BG defense forced an Oakland miss, and Prochaska took a Pontius pass and hit a three-pointer from the right elbow. The Falcons' lead was 42-30. The Grizzlies threw the ball away on the ensuing possession, and OU coach Beckie Francis attempted to change her team's fortunes by putting in five fresh players. But, the substitutions couldn't slow the Falcons.

Nurse hit a layup, and junior Jen Uhl got a steal and fed Pontius for another transition layup. The Falcons had scored 11 points in the first 2:20 of the half, and held a 46-30 lead as the Grizzlies took a timeout.

Finally, Oakland broke the drought with a Kirstie Malone baseline jumper at the 17:19 mark. But, Pontius took a pass from Nurse and hit an NBA-range three-pointer. After another Oakland basket, Uhl slipped her defender and hit a layup off a Prochaska pass. The Falcons went 7-of-7 from the field to begin the second half.

BG finally missed a few shots, but sophomore Jessica Slagle rebounded one of those misses and spotted Nurse behind the arc for a triple that gave BG a 22-point lead, 56-34, with 14:20 left in the game. The lead never got lower than 14 points thereafter.

At the start of the game, the Falcons and Grizzlies combined for 22 points before the first media break, with the visitors holding a 12-10 lead. Pontius hit two of her game-high five three-pointers in that span.

Pontius hit her third triple of the game after Nurse made the 'extra pass,' and a Breske steal led to Pontius finding junior Maggie Hennegan for a fastbreak layup, giving BG a seven-point advantage, 17-10.

After an OU hoop, Breske hit a pair of layups, then made a steal that led to a Prochaska jumper. The Falcons led by a 23-12 count as the Grizzlies used a timeout.

The advantage was 12 points, at 27-15, after Breske knocked down a pair of free throws with 8:21 left in the half. But, BG would score just one point over the next six minutes, as the home team crept within five points. Breske ended that run with a layup, and the teams traded baskets over the remainder of the period before the visitors broke the game open at the start of the second half.

BGSU shot an even 50.0 percent for the game, including a 60.7% rate in the second period. The hosts shot 46.6% for the game.

The Falcons made eight three-point field goals on the night, with Pontius going 5-of-7 from long distance. The junior was 9-of-13 from the field overall.

In addition to the four double-digit scorers, the Falcons got nine points and a team-leading seven rebounds from Hennegan. BGSU held a 34-31 advantage on the boards, including a 17-10 margin after halftime.

Prochaska had six rebounds and five assists to go with her 17 points, while Nurse had four assists on the night.

Bethany Watterworth and Melissa Jeltema had 14 points each for the hosts, while Hanna Reising scored 13.

The Falcons will return home for the next two games, beginning with Friday night's (Nov. 27) contest against UNC Greensboro. Tipoff is 7:00 p.m. at venerable Anderson Arena.

A TICKET FOR A DOLLAR
BGSU fans can get tickets to Friday night's game vs. UNC Greensboro for just one dollar, simply by showing their ticket from that day's BGSU-Toledo football game at the Anderson Arena ticket window ... the Falcon football team takes on the Rockets in a 2:00 p.m. start at Perry Stadium Friday, in the "Battle of I-75" ... the women's basketball team will face UNCG in a 7:00 p.m. tip ... the $1 ticket offer is good for walk-up tickets only, and there is a limit of one $1 ticket per football ticket stub.

MORE FALCON NOTES
* Junior Jen Uhl made her first start of the season, and the 14th of her career ... Uhl started the final 13 games last season, including three games in the Kraft MAC Tournament and a pair of contests in the Postseason WNIT in March.

* At the second media timeout of the night, with 11:53 remaining in the first half, the Falcons had scored seven baskets ... junior Tracy Pontius had been involved in all seven hoops, with nine points (three three-pointers) and four assists.

* The Falcons' team total of eight three-point field goals at Oakland is actually a season low ... BGSU had hit at least 10 in each of the first three games of the season ... the Falcons have made 41 triples through the first four games of the season.

* The Falcons and Grizzlies combined to win 55 games a year ago, as BGSU had 29 wins and OU 26.

* BGSU's Oakland game concluded a three-game road trip ... the Falcons' three opponents -- Ohio State, Marist and OU -- averaged 28.0 wins a season ago ... BG's first four games this season have come against teams that combined to win 100 games in 2008-09.