Falcons Make It Four In A Row With 69-54 Win Over Ohio

Final Statistics: Box Score (PDF) | Box Score (HTML)
Video: Game Highlights
Video: Highlights of Holmes' Three Dunks #SCTop10 Nominees
Video: Postgame Interview with Todd Walker and Coach Jans
Audio: Postgame Interview with Todd Walker and Coach Jans
Video Postgame Press Conference:
Jans, Chris | Holmes, Richaun
Audio Postgame Press Conference:
Jans, Chris | Holmes, Richaun
Radio Calls by Todd Walker:
First Half - Holmes slam | Parker layup | Holmes 3-pointer
Second Half - Holmes fast break dunk | Henderson 3-pointer | Holmes two-handed slam | Holmes block | Fox 3-pointer

Bowling Green, Ohio – The Bowling Green State University men's basketball team pushed its winning streak out to four games with a 69-54 home win over the Ohio Bobcats on Saturday evening in the Stroh Center.

The Falcons led from start to finish in the double digit win, pushing Bowling Green out to a 2-0 start in MAC play for the first time since the 2004-05 season.

"I was surprised when someone told me we led from start to finish. We couldn't get that run. We couldn't shake them and they kept hanging around. They weren't going to go anywhere that first half and we talked about that at halftime," commented head coach Chris Jans. "I was proud of our guys in the second half. I thought they matured as a team. I thought they got the defense into the game and took hold of it there in the second half. We settled in nicely and got on a couple of runs and were able to get some separation from them."

With the win, BGSU improved to 10-3 overall, 2-0 in league play and 6-1 at home in the Stroh Center on the year. The loss drops Ohio to 5-8 overall and 0-2 in conference action.

Senior forward Richaun Holmes led the Falcons with 18 points and 12 rebounds, along with five blocked shots, for his second double-double of the season and 10th of his career. Guard Zack Denny chipped in with 11 points and nine rebounds, while Anthony Henderson and Spencer Parker added 10 and nine points apiece, respectively. Junior guard Jovan Austin dished out a game-high six assists, the second straight game he has reached that mark.

"I was trying to be aggressive and help my teammates on defense the same way they help me when I get beat. Just trying to do the best I can to be in the right spot and I was able to block a few shots tonight that helped us out defensively. But I think collectively we all did a great job on the defensive end – especially in the second half," said Holmes. "I think that Kent kind of beat up on us a little bit, especially on the offensive glass and tonight we just wanted to be kind of like the hit first guy. I think we did a good job of that, you know, upping our physicality and stepping up to the challenge."

Ohio was led by Ryan Taylor's 16 points, as he was 3-of-4 from long range, and Maurice Ndour's 10 points and nine rebounds.

Just 15 seconds into the game, Holmes would drill a jump shot from 15 feet out on the right wing to put the Falcons up 2-0 to start the contest. The jumper seemed to be contagious , as BGSU continued its hot offense by outscoring the Bobcats 7-2 over the next three minutes of play to take a 9-2 lead on a three-pointer from Denny at the 16:36 mark of the opening frame.

Ohio refused to go away and went on a 7-2 surge during a two minute stretch to cut the BGSU lead to two points at 11-9 on a jumper from Stevie Taylor. Yet, the Orange and Brown would not relinquish the lead, as Parker would score five straight points to push the Falcons' lead back out to seven at 16-9 on a three-ball from the top of the key with 13:43 to go in the first half.

However, the Falcons would let the Bobcats hang around for most of the first half, as Ohio cut the lead to two at 16-14 before Bowling Green used a jumper by Denny at the 5:42 mark to retake a seven-point lead at 25-18.

Again Ohio would claw back to within two points at 31-29 on a three-pointer from Treg Setty with 1:46 on the game clock, only to see the Falcons answer with a three-pointer as the shot clock was winding down from Holmes to send the game to the halftime break at 34-29 in favor of the home team in white.

Ohio opened the second half up with a jumper from Ndour to get within three of the Falcons at 34-31. However, that would be as close as the visitors in black and green would get for the remainder of the contest, as BGSU got a layup from Denny, a three-pointer from Henderson and a huge one-handed tomahawk slam from Holmes on a fast break give from Austin over the next three minutes to take a 10-point lead at 41-31 with 17 minutes to go in the game.

Following an Ohio timeout, the Falcons answered every Bobcat basket with a basket of their own, which included another two-handed throw down from Holmes on the low block over an Ohio defender, to keep the score at 46-38 in favor of the home team with 12:19 to play.

BGSU then looked to close the game out early, using a 13-3 run over the next five minutes of play, to take an 18-point lead at 59-41 on a two-handed dunk from Holmes along the right side of the lane with 7:43 to go in regulation.

Two made free throws from JD Tisdale and a five straight points from Delvin Dickerson pushed the Falcons lead out to 21 at 66-45 with three minutes remaining in the contest.

Freshman Matt Fox capped off the win with a three-pointer, his second of the game, as the Falcons led from start to finish in the 69-54 home conference win.

The Falcons shot 48.3 percent (14-of-29) in the second half overall, but more importantly BGSU held Ohio to just 29.6 percent shooting (8-of-27) over the final 20 minutes of play.

BGSU was also strong from the free throw line, as the Falcons were 9-of-11 (81.8 percent) compared to the Bobcats' 8-of-11 (72.7 percent).

Coach Jans' squad out-rebounded Ohio 41-34 for the game and outscored the Bobcats 30-14 in points in the paint.

Bowling Green (10-3, 2-0 MAC) will return to the road in MAC play next week, as the Falcons will take on the Akron Zips on Wednesday night, Jan. 14, at 7 p.m. at the J.A.R. in Akron, Ohio.

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Notes
* The Falcons improve to 10-3 overall on the season. BGSU had just 12 wins all of last year.
* BGSU starts MAC play off at 2-0 for the first time since the 2004-05 season.
* Bowling Green moves to 6-1 at home in the Stroh Center this season.
* The win gives the Falcons four straight victories, tying the longest winning streak of the season.
* It was the first win over Ohio at home since a 67-57 win at the Stroh over the Bobcats on Jan. 7, 2012.
* First year head coach Chris Jans picked up the first MAC home win of his career.
* Richaun Holmes recorded his second double-double of the season and the 10th of his career with 18 points and 12 rebounds.
* Holmes' five blocks is tied for the most in a single game for a BGSU player this season (Holmes has done it four times)
* Matt Fox scored his first career points as a Falcon and finished with six points overall.
* BGSU moves to 9-0 on the season when shooting the same or more free throws than their opponent.
* The Falcons move to 9-1 on the year when scoring 60 points or more.

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Richaun Holmes

Zack Denny

Anthony Henderson

Spencer Parker

Players Mentioned

Jovan Austin

Zack Denny

Delvin Dickerson

Matt Fox

Anthony Henderson

Richaun Holmes

Spencer Parker

JD Tisdale

Players Mentioned

Jovan Austin

Zack Denny

Delvin Dickerson

Matt Fox

Anthony Henderson

Richaun Holmes

Spencer Parker

JD Tisdale

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