Falcons Dismantle Kent State For 70-55 Win

Wednesday, January 23

Bowling Green, Ohio

7:00 p.m.

Bowling Green State University

7-11 (2-3MAC)

Kent State

11-8 (2-3MAC)

Kent State

Bowling Green

Photo by: Brad Phalin, BGSU Marketing and Communications

January 23, 2013 | Men's Basketball

Box Score

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

Boxscore
Chauncey Orr Postgame Audio
Louis Orr Postgame Audio
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Bowling Green, Ohio – For once, it didn't come down to a last second shot. Chauncey Orr scored a career-high 18 points and the Bowling Green men's basketball team held Kent State to 36 percent shooting as the Falcons won 70-55 in Mid-American Conference action Wednesday night in the Stroh Center.

All of Bowling Green's first four Mid-American Conference games were decided in the final minute and the last three were decided on the final possession, but the Falcons pulled away down the stretch to put away Kent State Wednesday.

Orr made 4-of-5 three-pointers as the Falcons led for the final 32 minutes. Bowling Green used a 9-0 run at the end of the half to take a 13-point lead into the locker room and then never led by fewer than seven in the second half.

With the game tied at 8-8 early, Anthony Henderson and Orr connected on back-to-back three-pointers, followed by a Jordon Crawford jumper for a 16-8 lead. The Falcons pushed the lead to 10, but Kent State used a 6-0 run to get within four at 26-22.

After Crawford made a free-throw, Richaun Holmes scored on a putback and Orr added his second three-pointer of the game. A'uston Calhoun made a free-throw with 38 seconds left and Crawford's steal and lay-up with 12 seconds left put Bowling Green on top 35-22 at the break. It marked the Falcons' largest halftime lead of the season.

Kent State made a couple of runs in the second half, getting within seven at 47-40 and then again at 51-44 with 10:39 to play. But each time, Bowling Green had an answer. The Falcons put the game away with an 8-1 run after Kent State got within eight at 57-49. The final bucket, a Crawford jumper, made it 65-50 with 3:28 to play. From there, the Falcons used the shot clock and ran out the time.

Along with Orr's 18 points, both Crawford and Calhoun finished with 12 apiece. Crawford added six assists, four steal and three rebounds, while Calhoun posted his second double-double of the season with 13 rebounds. Holmes came off the bench for eight points, four rebounds and four blocked shots, while Cam Black had four points, five rebounds, two blocks and two assists. For Holmes, he now has 50 blocked shots on the season, the fourth-most in school history. He needs just two more to move into second place.

Bowling Green shot 45 percent from the game and made 6-of-14 (43 percent) three-pointers. The Falcons had 12 turnovers, just three in the second half, compared to 15 for Kent State. The Golden Flashes missed all eight of their first-half three-point attempts and ended 3-of-17 from long range.

The Falcons improve to 6-2 in the Stroh Center in 2012-13 and 18-6 all-time (8-2 in league games) in the two-year old facility. Bowling Green is 7-0 in the Stroh when reaching 70 points.

Bowling Green also won with a short bench as both Jehvon Clarke and James Erger missed the contest with sprained ankles. Head coach Louis Orr used nine players and eight scored at least four points.

With the loss, Kent State falls to 11-8 overall and 2-3 in Mid-American Conference play. Bowling Green improves to 7-11 overall and 2-3 in league play. The Falcons and Golden Flashes are in a logjam, tied for fourth place in the overall MAC standings.

Bowling Green will make the short trip north to face rival Toledo Saturday night at 7 p.m. The Rockets are another MAC team at 2-3 in the conference. The Falcons have won four consecutive meetings against Toledo.