Falcons Fall On Road To MAC West Leader Eastern Michigan

Saturday, January 28

Ypsilanti, Mich.

6:00 pm

Bowling Green State University

9-11 (3-4MAC)

Eastern Michigan

10-11 (5-2MAC)

Bowling Green

Eastern Michigan

Photo by: Doug Sampson

January 28, 2012 | Men's Basketball

Box Score

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

Boxscore (.html)

Louis Orr Postgame Audio

Ypsilanti, Mich. – In a game with limited possessions, the Bowling Green State University men's basketball team turned the ball over 19 times and Mid-American Conference West Division leader Eastern Michigan capitalized for a 55-50 win Saturday night.

The Eagles lead the West with a 5-2 record despite reaching 60 points just once in any of those seven contests. With Eastern Michigan taking the air out of the ball, Bowling Green shot just 35 percent from the field and allowed the Eagles to score 18 points off of those 19 turnovers. Combining those factors together put the Falcons in too much of a hole to overcome.

Eastern Michigan used two extended runs, one in each half, to overcome a strong start by Bowling Green and then to build a lead late that was too much for the Falcons.

Bowling Green had the offense rolling early and the Falcons took a 17-11 lead with 10:52 to play in the first half on a Dee Brown three-point play. Brown, who went over 900 career points on an early three-pointer, was one of the Falcons' two double-figure scorers with 10 points.

Eastern Michigan's leading scorer, Darrell Lampley, had been held scoreless to that point but he tossed in seven during the ensuing 9-0 Eagles run that put the home team ahead. The Falcons answered back and tied the game at 25-25 at the break.

In the second half, another Brown three-pointer put Bowling Green ahead 32-29 but Eastern Michigan scored 10 straight over the next four minutes to go ahead by seven. The Falcons battled back by scoring the next six and eventually tied the game on a Jehvon Clarke three-pointer with 3:39 to go at 43-43.

On Eastern Michigan's next possession, Lampley quickly put his team back ahead with a three-pointer and the Falcons never got it tied again. J.R. Sims' lay-up with 1:03 left gave Eastern Michigan a 51-44 lead before Jordon Crawford connected for three to make it 51-47.

After Lampley made a pair of free-throws with 34 seconds left, Crawford was fouled attempting a three-pointer and he made all three free-throws.

At 53-50, Bowling Green sent Antonio Green to the free-throw line and he left the door open by missing on both attempts. The Falcons, though, had a pass tipped, which disrupted the offensive set and A'uston Calhoun's three-point attempt from the corner bounced off the rim. EMU made two free-throws to seal the win.

Calhoun led Bowling Green with 12 points and nine rebounds, blocking a shot as well. He had five of the Falcons' 13 offensive rebounds but the team was only able to convert those opportunities into six second-chance points.

Thomas had seven points, eight rebounds, three assists and a steal, while Crawford finished with eight points, six rebounds, and four assists. Torian Oglesby came off the bench for six points and four rebounds as Clarke had five points and two assists in 13 minutes.

Eastern Michigan improves to 10-11 on the year and 5-2 in MAC play with the win. Bowling Green falls to 9-11, with a 3-4 MAC record. The Falcons will be back on the road Wednesday to play at Western Michigan at 7 p.m.