Falcons Drop Senior Day Contest To Akron

Saturday, February 27

Bowling Green, Ohio

2:30 PM

Bowling Green State University

Akron

Photo by: Doug Sampson

February 27, 2010 | Men's Basketball

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

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Erik Marschall Postgame Audio
Louis Orr Postgame Audio

ERIK MARSCHALL POSTGAME VIDEO

LOUIS ORR POSTGAME VIDEO

Bowling Green, Ohio – The Bowling Green men's basketball team was unable to overcome a 13-point halftime deficit, losing to Akron for Senior Day 75-69 Saturday. The game was the final regular season home game for Matt Karaffa, Marc Larson, Erik Marschall, and Otis Polk.

Bowling Green shot 56 percent from the field in the second half but the Falcons could not get closer than four points in the second half after trailing 40-27 at the break. It marked the seventh consecutive game in which the Falcons shot 55 percent or better for an entire half.

Akron's Brett McClanahan knocked down a long three-pointer as time expired in the first half to give the Zips a 40-27 lead but the Falcons whittled away at the lead throughout the final 20 minutes. Scott Thomas' lay-up with 17:32 to play got the Falcons within nine at 42-33 but Akron retained a lead of approximately nine points over the next seven minutes.

Finally, Dee Brown hit Bowling Green's first three-pointer of the game with 10:23 to go that made it 56-47 and started a 7-0 Falcons' run. Thomas completed a three-point play and then added a free-throw with 7:50 to play that made it 56-51. BGSU got the deficit down to four with 2:31 to play on a Brown jumper but Anthony Hitchens followed with a three-pointer that put the Falcons back behind by seven.

Joe Jakubowski answered with a three with 1:41 to play to make it 66-62 but Akron scored lay-ups on the team's next two trips down the floor and made free-throws the rest of the way to hold on.

Bowling Green's first-half struggles came mostly on the boards. Akron held a 22-9 rebounding edge, including 12 offensive boards, and outscored the Falcons 17-4 on second chance points. The Zips were held to just one second chance point in the second half and only three offensive rebounds.

After the Falcons built an early 12-7 lead, Akron went on a 15-2 run over the next seven minutes to take a 22-14 lead. The Falcons cut the deficit to three on a pair of Jakubowski free-throws but Akron scored the next eight points and led by 13 at the break.

Four different Bowling Green player scored in double-figures for the game, led by 17 from Polk, just one game after scoring a career-high 21. He has been 15-of-19 from the field over the past two contests. Thomas ended with 16 points, eight rebounds and five steals, going to the free-throw line 13 times, making eight. Brown had 12 points on 5-of-10 shooting and Marschall had 10 points, making 6-of-7 shots. Marc Larson came off the bench to have a productive 16 minutes, posting seven points and three rebounds. Jakubowski handed out five assists to go with his six points.

Akron improves to 22-8 overall and 12-3 in MAC play with the win. The Zips will play co-leader Kent State Friday to determine the MAC Champion and the No. 1 seed for the MAC Tournament. Bowling Green, now 14-14 overall and 6-9 in league play, will close out the regular season at Ohio Thursday night at 7 p.m. The Falcons will then play in the first round of the MAC Tournament Sunday at a location and against an opponent yet to be determined.