Falcons Come Up Short At Kent State

Tuesday, March 5

Kent, Ohio

7:00 p.m.

Bowling Green State University

12-18, 6-9MAC

Kent State

18-12, 8-7MAC

Bowling Green

Kent State

March 05, 2013 | Men's Basketball

Box Score

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

Boxscore
Louis Orr Postgame Audio

Kent, Ohio – The Bowling Green men's basketball team overcame a 17-point first half deficit to take a brief lead but Kent State closed with a 12-3 run to defeat the Falcons 69-61 Tuesday night in the M.A.C. Center.

The Golden Flashes jumped out to a 35-18 lead but the Falcons used a furious 11-0 run in the final two minutes of the first half to get back in striking distance. A Jordon Crawford steal led to a fastbreak lay-up by Craig Sealey to start the rally. Kent State missed shots on its next two possessions and Chauncey Orr answered with scores to make it 35-24. A bench technical turned into two Orr free-throws to get the Falcons within nine.

With just 16 seconds left, Spencer Parker got one of his game-high three steals and Sealey scored and was fouled, making the free-throw. That made the score 35-29 at the half.

Bowling Green added to the run to start the second half on a Cam Black free-throw and a Crawford lay-up but Kent State continued to hold onto the lead despite numerous Bowling Green runs. The Falcons got within one on an A'uston Calhoun dunk with 15:32 left but the Golden Flashes' Randal Holt hit a three-pointer 10 seconds later to keep the Falcons at bay.

Finally, after a Chris Evans lay-up gave Kent State a 57-52 lead with 9:18 to go, Bowling Green used a six-point spurt to take the lead. Crawford made a lay-up and Richaun Holmes poked away an entry pass that turned into a Jehvon Clarke lay-up with 8:39 to go.

After Darren Goodson missed a three-pointer, Sealey corralled a long rebound and went coast-to-coast for a dunk that gave the Falcons a 58-57 lead with 7:29 left. But from there, Bowling Green scored just three points the rest of the way and Kent State took control.

Crawford missed a three-pointer that would have put Bowling Green ahead by four and Goodson was fouled on the other end. He made two free-throws to put Kent State back on top for good. Mark Henniger took over inside, connecting on a three-point play and scoring on a lay-up to put the Golden Flashes ahead 64-58.

Holmes momentarily got the Falcons back within four as he caught an alley-oop pass from Crawford with 2:43 to play, but that was Bowling Green's last field goal. Kent State got a tough jumper from Kris Brewer and made just enough free-throws down the stretch for the 69-61 win.

The difference in the contest may have come from behind the arc as Kent State made 9-of-20 three-pointers. Bowling Green, on the other hand, missed all nine of its long range attempts. Both teams shot 43 percent from the field and grabbed 36 rebounds. BGSU had 14 turnovers, one more than Kent State.

Calhoun ended with 13 points, 11 in the second half, and seven rebounds. Crawford had 12 points, tied his season-high with eight assists, and added two steals. Bowling Green's bench was strong as Holmes finished with 11 points, six rebounds and three blocks. Sealey had seven points and three rebounds, while Clarke finished with six points and an assist.

Kent State improves to 18-12 overall and 8-7 in MAC play. Bowling Green falls to 12-18 overall and 6-9 in MAC play heading into Senior Night Friday against Buffalo at 6 p.m. in the Stroh Center. The Falcons can still earn the No. 5 seed for the MAC Tournament (and a bye to Cleveland) with a win Friday night, combined with losses by Eastern Michigan and Ball State. If that does not happen, the Falcons would host a MAC Tournament First Round contest Monday at 7 p.m. against an opponent to be determined.