Falcons Show Depth In 85-40 Exhibition Win Over Tiffin

Saturday, November 5

Bowling Green, Ohio

2:00 pm

Bowling Green State University

Tiffin

Photo by: BGSU Photography

November 05, 2011 | Men's Basketball

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

Box Score
Photo Gallery
Jordon Crawford Postgame Audio
Louis Orr Postgame Audio

Bowling Green, Ohio – Fourteen different players scored and grabbed at least one rebound as the Bowling Green State University men's basketball team jumped out early and rolled to an 85-40 exhibition win over Tiffin Saturday at the Stroh Center.

The Falcons scored the first nine points of the game, led by 19 at the half, and outscored the Dragons 46-20 over the final 20 minutes, putting together a gritty defensive effort for the 45-point win. Bowling Green played exclusively man-to-man defense, diverging from the 2-3 zone it has featured for much of head coach Louis Orr's tenure.

Tiffin shot just 28 percent from the floor and made only 2-of-16 three-pointers as the Falcons forced 16 turnovers and held a 53-37 rebounding edge. Juniors Jordon Crawford and Luke Kraus paced Bowling Green with 14 and 11 points, respectively. Crawford added six assists and Kraus made three of the Falcons' eight three-pointers on the afternoon.

Bowling Green showed the three-pointer as a weapon more than it had in almost any game a year ago. The eight made long-range shots equaled the single-game high from 2010-11 and the 23 attempts were one more than the Falcons attempted in any game a year ago.

Senior Scott Thomas picked up where he left off a year ago as Mr. Versatility. In just 21 minutes, he had nine points, eight rebounds, three assists and a steal. Another senior, Torian Oglesby, had eight points and six rebounds in 19 minutes off the bench. His final bucket was a thunderous alley-oop on a fast break finishing off a pass from freshman Anthony Henderson. The final senior, Dee Brown, had seven points and four assists.

Junior A'uston Calhoun, the team's leading scorer from a year ago, had seven points and seven rebounds, while Henderson came off the bench to score eight and add four rebounds, three assists, a blocked shot and a steal in 12 minutes. The contributions continued as sophomore Cameron Black had four points, four rebounds and two assists in 15 minutes as the starting center, while freshman Chauncey Orr had five points and two rebounds off the bench. Sophomore Craig Sealey flashed his immense athleticism and finished with four points, five rebounds, and a steal.

Unlike some Bowling Green teams in past years, the Falcons were quick to push the ball in transition and had 17 fast-break points.

Bowling Green missed its first four shots but had seven consecutive defensive stops and broke into the scoring column on a Black jumper two minutes in. That started a 9-0 run that was capped off by a Crawford three-pointer.

Tiffin closed the gap to five points at 11-6 but the Falcons scored the next seven points and the Dragons never closed to within single digits the rest of the way. Kraus hit back-to-back three's to make it 26-10 and Brown's lay-up with 39 seconds left but the Falcons on top 39-20 at the half.

The Dragons tried to rally early in the second half, scoring the first four points, but Calhoun followed with a jumper and Crawford knocked down a three-pointer and the rout was on. An 11-0 run, capped by another Kraus bomb, made it 58-30 and Bowling Green's lead hit 30 on a Henderson free-throw.

The lead reached 40 on an Oglesby free-throw with 3:19 to play and the lead peaked at 47 on an Antonio Ferrell Jr. free-throw with 23 seconds left to make it 85-38. Tiffin's Cody Dennison closed out the scoring on a jumper with 11 seconds left.

Bowling Green will return to the court for the season opener Friday as the Falcons host Howard at 7 p.m. That game marks the first regular season game in the Stroh Center on 11/11/11.