Falcons Close Strong To Upset Temple

Sunday, November 27

Bowling Green, Ohio

2:00 pm

Bowling Green State University

4-2

Temple

3-2

Temple

Bowling Green

Photo by: Doug Sampson

November 27, 2011 | Men's Basketball

Box Score

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

Boxscore
Louis Orr Postgame Audio
Jordon Crawford Postgame Audio
A'uston Calhoun Postgame Audio

Bowling Green, Ohio – Junior point guard Jordon Crawford made three big plays down the stretch and the Bowling Green State University men's basketball team outscored Temple 7-1 for a 67-64 upset over the Owls Sunday afternoon in the Stroh Center. Temple is receiving votes in both the Associated Press and ESPN/USA Today Coaches polls.

Crawford hit arguably the biggest three-pointer of his collegeiate career with 30 seconds remaining and only four seconds left on the shot clock to put Bowling Green on top 65-63. After Temple made 1-of-2 free-throws eight seconds later, Crawford added to his end-of-game heroics by single-handedly breaking the Owls' press and finding teammate A'uston Calhoun under the basket for a dunk with 13 seconds left.

Calhoun's jam put Bowling Green on top 67-64 and Temple called timeout to set up one final play. Crawford harassed Ramone Moore and blocked his three-point attempt with four seconds remaining. The carom fell to T.J. DiLeo, but his prayer was not close and the Falcons pulled off the upset.

Bowling Green's offensive performance was strong throughout and the Falcons shot 55.8 percent for the game, the best team effort since shooting 59 percent against Western Michigan on March 7, 2010. The Falcons scored in double-figures, with A'uston Calhoun leading the way with 16, while Scott Thomas and Dee Brown had 11 each. The combined 38 points from the trio was just one less than the entire team scored in a 63-39 loss to Temple two years ago and signaled a statement win for the program.

The Falcons led for much of the second half after using a 6-0 run to take a 48-44 lead with 12:26 to play. Craig Sealey's lay-up with 8:39 to play put Bowling Green up by six points, its biggest lead of the game, and BGSU did not trail until Khalif Wyatt's lay-up with 5:03 to play put Temple on top 57-56. A'uston Calhoun's jumper with 3:36 left tied the score at 60-60, but Wyatt knocked down a three-pointer with 2:50 left to put Temple on top 63-60. That would prove to be the final Temple field goal of the game.

Scott Thomas made two free-throws with 1:30 left and Temple missed a lay-up 31 seconds later to set up Crawford's three-pointer for the lead.

Crawford came off the bench for the first time this season after sustaining a leg bruise in practice during the week. He played just 15 minutes but finished with nine points, an assist and his first career blocked shot. Calhoun made 7-of-13 shots and added seven rebounds and three blocks. Thomas had eight rebounds, three assists, two steals and a block to go with his 11 points.

Brown, who had eight assists and no turnovers in Tuesday's win over Detroit, dished out six assists without a turnover in his first career start at point guard. Cameron Black added seven points, three rebounds, and three blocked shots, while Luke Kraus had five points in his first start of the season.

Temple scored at will against Bowling Green's man defense in the early going, building a 13-7 lead less than five minutes into the contest. After allowing baskets on six of Temple's first seven possessions, the Falcons switched to a zone defense and the Owls struggled to attack.

Bowling Green quickly battled back to take a 19-17 lead on a Craig Sealey jumper with 11:18 left in the first and the lead teetered back-and-forth until Temple's Juan Fernandez hit a three-pointer and DiLeo scored on a three-point play to give the Owls a 36-33 halftime lead.

The Falcons played strong on the glass, holding a 31-26 edge in rebounds with both teams grabbing nine offensive boards. Each team had 11 turnovers but Temple had eight steals compared to just three for Bowling Green.

Temple falls to 3-2 on the year and Bowling Green improves to 4-2 for the first time since the 2007-08 season. The Falcons will look to move to 5-2 for the first time since 2004-05 when the team plays at Western Kentucky Sunday at 2 pm.