Calhoun’s Second-Half Explosion Not Enough To Lead BG Past WMU

Saturday, February 5

Bowling Green, Ohio

5 pm

Bowling Green State University

Western Michigan

February 05, 2011 | Men's Basketball

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

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Bowling Green, Ohio – Redshirt sophomore A'uston Calhoun scored 21 second-half points but the Bowling Green State University men's basketball team was unable to overcome a 19-point deficit in a 75-61 loss to Western Michigan Saturday. The defeat dropped the Falcons out of first place in the Mid-American Conference and into a four-way tie for second.

Calhoun finished with 23 points and seven rebounds on the evening but he made 8-of-14 shots in the final 20 minutes, including 2-of-3 three-pointers, to help Bowling Green get as close as five late in the contest. After trailing by 19 in the first half and by 16 at the break, the Falcons trailed just 60-55 with 3:50 to go. But Western Michigan made 16-of-17 free-throws on the night and made nine in a row down the stretch to ice the contest.

Bowling Green actually outshot Western Michigan as the Falcons shot 44 percent from the field and held the Broncos to 41 percent shooting but a massive 44-25 rebounding advantage helped WMU overcome the disparity.

Things started slowly for Bowling Green as Western Michigan made 6-of-9 three-pointers in the first half and scored 14 in a row during one stretch. The Broncos were up 22-18 with 7:54 to play but made their next five shots, including four three-pointers to double-up the Falcons 36-18.

WMU's Demetrius Ward canned a three-pointer with eight seconds left in the first half to give the Broncos their largest lead of the contest at 41-22 but Dee Brown answered with a three as the half ran out to make it a 16-point halftime deficit.

The Falcons used an early 10-point run in the second half, getting a Brown jumper, back-to-back three-pointers from Calhoun and then a baseline jumper from him to make it 46-38 with 14:34 to go. But Western Michigan settled down and kept Bowling Green from getting closer than seven until a late run.

The Broncos led 60-51 with 5:28 to go but Calhoun scored on a lay-up and Western Michigan was unable to convert on its offensive end. A foul sent Scott Thomas to the line and he made both free-throws to make it 60-55 with 3:50 to go. But the Broncos scored the next three point and then made free-throws down the stretch for the victory.

Thomas ended with 15 points, five assists, three rebounds and a pair of steals, while Danny McElroy came off the bench to post 12 points and three blocked shots. Jordon Crawford added a team-high six assists and had no turnovers in 30 minutes at the point guard position.

Western Michigan improves to 12-9 overall and 5-3 in MAC play with the win as Bowling Green falls to 11-12 overall and 6-3 in conference action. The Falcons will host another 6-3 team Wednesday night, playing Ball State at 7 p.m.