BGSU Overcomes Halftime Deficit In 64-61 Win Over Eagles

Wednesday, January 27

Ypsilanti, Mich.

7:00 PM

Bowling Green State University

Eastern Michigan

January 27, 2010 | Men's Basketball

By: by Jason Knavel, Assistant Athletic Director for Athletic Communications

Boxscore
Louis Orr Postgame Audio
Scott Thomas Postgame Audio
Todd Walker Recaps Men's and Women's Hoops Wins (Audio)

Ypsilanti, Mich. – Scott Thomas scored 17 second-half points and the Bowling Green State University men's basketball team overcame a 13-point first-half deficit to defeat Eastern Michigan 64-61 Wednesday night at the Convocation Center.

Thomas missed his first six shots from the field and was held to one point in the first half but made seven of his last nine attempts as he put Bowling Green on his shoulders offensively. The sophomore hit three-pointers on back-to-back possessions with less than five minutes remaining to turn a one-point deficit into a five-point lead.

Bowling Green fell behind 16-3 early, trailed 37-28 at the break and was still behind by nine as late as five minutes into the second half. But Thomas started a 7-0 run on a jumper with 14:32 to go and Jordon Crawford, who came off the bench to score 10 points, followed with a lay-up to make it 42-37. Joe Jakubowski canned his second three-pointer of the night on the next possession and the Falcons were within two.

But Eastern Michigan never relinquished the lead and the Eagles led 53-46 with 7:14 to play. Over the next five-plus minutes, Thomas scored 10 points as Bowling Green went on a 14-0 run. His three-pointer with 3:11 to go gave the Falcons a lead for the first time and his bomb on the next trip down the floor put the team up 58-53. Otis Polk scored on a lay-up with 1:27 left to make it 60-53 and Eastern Michigan was unable to get closer than three the rest of the way. Crawford went 4-for-4 at the free-throw line down the stretch to ice the game.

Eastern Michigan shot 60 percent from the field in the first half but Bowling Green's defense tightened up and held the Eagles to just 29 percent in the second half. The Falcons, on the other hand, shot 54 percent in the final 20 minutes and made 4-of-8 three-pointers. BGSU also held a 33-27 rebounding edge and had 10 steals, three from Jakubowski.

In all, Bowling Green had four players score in double-figures as Erik Marschall, Polk, and Crawford had 10 points each to follow Thomas' 18. Polk added seven rebounds and Jakubowski finished with nine points.

Eastern Michigan falls to 10-9 on the season and 2-4 in MAC play, while Bowling Green improves to 10-8 overall and 3-3 in league action. The Falcons will return home for two games in three days beginning when they host Central Michigan Saturday at 7 p.m. The team will then host rival Toledo Monday night at 7 p.m.