Georgia Holds Off Upset-Minded Falcons

Sunday, November 13

Athens, GA

6:00 pm

Bowling Green State University

1-1

Georgia

2-0

Bowling Green

Georgia

November 13, 2011 | Men's Basketball

Box Score

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

Louis Orr Postgame Audio
Boxscore (.html)/Boxscore (enhanced)

Athens, Ga. – The Bowling Green State University men's basketball team battled back from a 16-point second half deficit to get within five points but Georgia made just enough shots down the stretch to hold off a late charge Sunday night, 63-54. The game was part of the Progressive College Basketball Experience (CBE) Tournament.

Playing its first Southeastern Conference opponent since 2002, Bowling Green dominated on the boards and got strong individual performances from seniors Scott Thomas and Dee Brown. Thomas helped the team navigate through a poor-shooting first half and Brown led the comeback attempt in the second half.

After being outrebounded by Howard in the season opener, the Falcons used a strong effort on the glass for a 43-28 edge. The +15 rebounding margin represented the best team effort on the boards since having an identical +15 mark against Kent State during the 2009-10 season. Bowling Green had 19 offensive rebounds compared to just four for Georgia and had a 16-2 scoring advantage on second chance points.

After being within one point midway through the first half, Bowling Green scored just five points in the final nine minutes of the period as Georgia took a 33-22 lead into the half. Thomas kept the Falcons within striking distance by scoring nine points and grabbing eight rebounds in that first 20 minutes. After scoring just three points in the opening 20 minutes, Brown scored 12 in the second half to share game-high scoring honors with Georgia's Gerald Robinson.

Georgia came out of the break with that 11-point lead and quickly extended it to 16 on a Marcus Thornton lay-up and a Dustin Ware three-pointer. But the Falcons answered with a 14-6 run to get back to within single digits.

Bowling Green continued to close the gap and got within five on Brown's jumper with 7:17 to play that made it 48-43. The Falcons had chances to close the gap even more over the next 90 seconds but were unable to get any of three shots to fall and Georgia pushed the lead back to double-digits.

Again, the Falcons fought back and got within five on Brown's three-point play with 2:49 to go. After a Georgia turnover, Bowling Green had a chance to make it a one-possession game but a turnover ended the threat. The Bulldogs made just enough free-throws down the stretch to get the win.

Thomas ended with another solid game, finishing with 11 points, eight rebounds, four assists and three steals. Brown had six rebounds, just one shy of his career-high, to go with his game-high 15 points. Craig Sealey came off the bench to post 10 points and grab five rebounds. With 13 points in the season opener against Howard, it is Sealey's first back-to-back double-digit scoring games of his career.

Jordon Crawford ended with nine points and A'uston Calhoun had 11 rebounds, six on the offensive glass, but scored only three points.

Georgia improves to 2-0 with the win. Bowling Green, now 1-1, is off for eight days before hosting six games over three days for the Progressive CBE Classic in the Stroh Center. The Falcons will play Austin Peay on Nov. 21 at 7:30 pm and Detroit on Nov. 22 at 7:30 pm. The next night, Bowling Green will host George Washington at 7:30 pm.