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Bowling Green State University Athletics
Bowling Green State University
Xavier
Falcons Push Xavier to the Limit in Overtime Loss
December 07, 2013 | Men's Basketball
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Coach Orr Postgame Audio
Cincinnati, Ohio – Junior forward Richaun Holmes recorded a career-high 26 points as the Bowling Green State University men's basketball team pushed the Xavier Musketeers to the limit in an 85-73 overtime loss on Saturday afternoon in the Cintas Center in Cincinnati, Ohio.
The game saw 10 lead changes and was tied on nine different occasions over the 45 minutes of play.
Xavier took control of the game in the overtime period, as the Musketeers were 4-of-7 (57.1 percent) from the floor and 7-of-8 (87.5 percent) from the charity stripe over the extra five minutes of play, while Bowling Green was only 1-of-6 (16.7 percent) and 2-of-4 (50 percent) from the free throw line during that span.
The loss drops BGSU to 3-5 on the season, while the Musketeers remain unbeaten at home this season and improve to 6-3 overall.
Along with his career-high 26 points, Holmes hauled in nine rebounds and registered five blocked shots in 39 minutes of play. Guards Anthony Henderson, who had to have stitches early in the first half due to a cut next to his right eye, and Jehvon Clarke chipped in with 13 points apiece, while Clarke also dished out a team-best five assists and picked up four steals. Senior forward Craig Sealey was 5-of-6 from the free throw line for the game and totaled seven points off the bench for the Falcons.
Xavier was led by Semaj Christon's 22 points, as he was 12-of-16 from the free throw line for the game. Forwards Isaiah Philmore and James Farr each totaled 15 points, with Farr nearly picking up a double-double with nine rebounds. Off the bench, Myles Davis poured in 14 points on 4-of-5 shooting from behind the three-point line.
In what was a tight game throughout, the Falcons and Musketeers went back-and-forth over the opening minutes of the contest, as the two teams traded the lead five times in the first five minutes of the game until a jump hook from the right baseline by Sealey put the visitors in front by one at 7-6 heading into the first media timeout.
After a put back layup by JD Tisdale minutes later put the Falcons on top 9-6, the Musketeers battled back to tie the score up at 9-9 on two straight free throws from Christon with 13:36 to go in the opening half.
The next four minutes saw two ties and yet another lead change, as a three-pointer from the right wing from Bowling Green's Damarkeo Lyshe knotted the score up once more at 17-17 with 8:59 before the halftime break.
With both teams halted by fouls, Xavier ran out to a 12-4 run over the next four minutes of action to take a 29-21 lead on a Farr reverse layup at the 4:45 mark.
That would be the last points for the home team for the remainder of the first half, as the Falcons' defense shut down the Musketeers and answered with a 12-0 run, highlighted by four points apiece from both Henderson and Holmes, to close the half out and take a 33-29 lead into the halftime break.
The contest remained tight to start the second half of play, as the Musketeers ended its scoring drought with a free throw from Christon and a layup from Matt Stainbrook to cut the Falcons' lead to one at 33-32 with over 19 minutes to go in the game.
Despite senior Cameron Black posting back-to-back post moves for scores over the next two BGSU offensive possessions, the Musketeers were able to string together buckets from Farr, Philmore and Davis to take a 44-40 lead with 14:50 remaining on the game clock.
After back-to-back baskets from Holmes tied the game up once more at 44-44, the home team retook the lead on two made free throws from Dee Davis on the ensuing possession and then pushed it out to double digits at 62-51 with an 18-7 run over the next nine minutes of play.
Refusing to quit, BGSU picked up a rebound and put back basket from Henderson, a steal and an old-fashion three-point play from Henderson, an offensive stick back from Spencer Parker, a three-pointer from the right wing from Clarke and another fast break layup from Henderson over the next 1:20 seconds to cut the Xavier lead back to one at 62-61 with just over four minutes to go in the contest.
Following a layup from the right block from Xavier's Philmore, BGSU's Holmes was able to get loose under the basket and slammed the ball through while drawing the foul to put the score at 64-63 in favor of the Musketeers at the 3:16 mark of regulation.
Holmes would hit the free throw to knot the score up at 64-64 to set up a dramatic down to the wire finish.
Xavier would get two free throws from Philmore over the next 30 seconds, yet again Holmes came through for the Falcons, this time with a made free throw and an alley-oop layup from Clarke on the next two possessions to put BGSU in front by one at 67-66 with just 1:19 to play.
With the one point lead, Henderson would get fouled with just 15 seconds to go and make 1-of-2 free throws to put the visitors in front by two at 68-67.
However, on the next possession Xavier's Christon drove the ball down the lane towards the basket and was rewarded with a foul call on BG, sending the guard to the free throw line with just six seconds to play.
After Christon calmly sank both free throws to tie the score up at 68-68, BGSU's last second heave from the top of the key would clang off the side of the rim to send the game into overtime.
Fatigue appeared to play a part in the extra period, as the Falcons, who had four players record over 30 minutes of game action on the day, took a 69-68 lead on a foul shot from Black early, only to see Xavier make a free throw to tie the game seconds later and then finish the game out on a 16-4 surge as BGSU missed on 4-of-5 shot attempts over the final two minutes of the overtime period.
Both teams were called for over 20 fouls each, while BGSU was 18-of-31 (58.1 percent) from the free throw line compared to Xavier's 23-of-33 (69.7 percent) for the game.
While BGSU was outscored 38-32 in points in the paint, the Falcons held a 19-2 advantage in second chance points and 18-14 in points off turnovers.
Yet the biggest difference came off the bench, as the Musketeers' bench outscored the Falcons' reserves 39-12 for the contest.
Bowling Green (3-5) will return home to host North Dakota on Wednesday night, Dec. 11, at 7 p.m. in the Stroh Center.
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