Denny, Falcons Dial in From Long Range in Win over Drake

Saturday, December 5

Bowling Green, Ohio

4:00 p.m.

Bowling Green State University

6-2

Drake

4-4

Drake

Bowling Green

Photo by: Larry Clapper

December 05, 2015 | Men's Basketball

Box Score

By: by Kevin Davis, BGSU Assistant Director for Athletic Communications

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Video: Postgame Press Conference: Huger | Denny
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BGSU Highlights

Coach Huger Postgame Press Conference

Denny Postgame Press Conference

Bowling Green, Ohio – The Bowling Green State University Falcons knocked down 11 three-pointers, led by junior guard Zack Denny's four three's and career-high 23 points, to outshoot the Drake Bulldogs in a 75-63 win at home on Saturday evening in the Stroh Center.

The win is the Falcons' fifth straight victory and marks the longest winning streak for BGSU since the Falcons won six straight games in 2008-09.

The Falcons shot 49.1 percent (26-of-53) overall from the field, including going 11-of-17 (64.7 percent) from behind the three-point line. BGSU also out-rebounded the bigger Bulldogs 37-29 for the game and held Drake to just 41.5 percent (22-of-53) shooting and 25 percent (6-of-24) from behind the three-point for the game, both well below the Bulldogs' season averages.

Denny led the Falcons with a career-high 23 points, as the junior was 9-of-13 overall and 4-of-5 from long range. He also added seven rebounds in 38 minutes of play. Senior forward Spencer Parker finished with a game-high nine boards and five assists, while guard junior guard Wes Alcegaire tallied 17 points. Senior guard David Joseph picked up a season-high 10 points and four assists in the win.

Drake's backcourt duo of Graham Woodward and Reed Timmer combined for 26 points, 13 points apiece, while Kale Abrahamson added eight points and five rebounds. Big man Dominik Olejniczak scored nine points and pulled in five boards, while C.J. Rivers finished with seven points, four assists and three rebounds for the visiting Bulldogs.

The two teams' went back and forth to start the contest, as the game saw one tie and eight lead changes when a three-pointer from Alcegaire from the wing proved to be the ninth lead change and put the home team in front by one at 18-17 just over eight minutes into the opening half.

On the next Drake offensive possession, the Bulldogs got a layup in the paint from Olejniczak for the first of three straight buckets from the 7-0 freshman and the first six points of a 7-0 run by the visitors in blue who took a six-point lead at 24-18 on a free throw from Timmer with 8:25 to go in the first half.

The Orange and Brown answered with layups down low from Parker and Antwon Lillard to jump-start a 9-0 scoring surge for the home team who retook the lead at 27-24 on a trey from Denny at the 5:38 mark of the opening frame.

A lead change and two ties later, BGSU used another mini-run, this time an 8-0 sprint over a two minute span, to take its largest lead of the first half at 38-30 on another three-ball from Alcegaire.

Drake outscored the Falcons 6-2 over the final 2:10 of the opening half, including two free throws from Woodward with 0.2 seconds to go before the halftime break, to close the gap to four at 40-36 heading into the halftime intermission.

Five quick points out of the break by the Bulldogs over the first two minutes of the second half gave the visitors a one-point lead at 41-40 with 18:03 to go in the game.

Undeterred, the Falcons locked down defensively to hold Drake scoreless over the next four minutes and used free throws from Rasheed Worrell, a three-pointer from Joseph and back-to-back baskets from Denny to storm back out in front by eight at 49-41 at the 14:53 mark of the second period.

The home team in white would not look back, as BGSU pushed the lead back out to eight on another three-pointer from Denny in transition at the 13:30 mark, before the Bulldogs scored six straight points to trim the Falcons' lead back to two at 52-50 with 11:09 to play on a three-pointer from Woodward.

Again the Falcons' defense took over, as BGSU held the Bulldogs to just one free throw over the next six minutes of play to take advantage of a layup from Ismail Ali, two free throws apiece from both JD Tisdale and Alcegaire, a three-ball from Denny and a fast break lay-in from Alcegaire to cap off an 11-0 run and give the home team a 12-point lead at 63-51 with six minutes left in regulation.

The 11-0 run proved to be the backbreaker, as the Falcons never looked back and pushed their lead out to as much as 15 points three different times over the final 2:42 of the contest on their way to a 75-63 double digit win over the Bulldogs.

Despite the Bulldogs outscoring BGSU 26-22 in points in the paint, 14-7 in points off turnovers and 12-9 in second chance points, BGSU totaled 33 points off of its 11 three-point field goals compared to just 18 points from behind the three-point line from Drake.

Bowling Green was 12-of-18 (66.7 percent) from the free throw line, while Drake was 13-of-20 (65 percent).

The Falcons have shot over 45 percent in each of their five wins over the current winning streak and have had three or more players scored in double figures in each game during the current span. Bowling Green has also scored over 70 points in all five wins as well.

Bowling Green (6-2) will be on the road for the remainder of the month and will tip-off the four game road swing at SEMO on Tuesday, Dec. 8, at 8 p.m. ET.

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Notes

Bowling Green is now 6-2 overall on the season and 4-1 at home in the Stroh Center.
BGSU has now won five straight games, its longest winning streak since the 2008-09 team registered six straight wins.
The Falcons are now 2-1 all-time versus Drake and have won two straight games over the Bulldogs.
Bowling Green is now 23-1 all-time in the Stroh Center when scoring 70 points or more.
BGSU is now 45-24 all-time in the Stroh Center (fifth season).
BGSU has scored 70 points or more in all five of its current five-game winning streak.
The Falcons have shot 45.5 percent or higher in each of their last five games, all wins for Bowling Green.
Over its five-game winning streak, BGSU has had three players or more score in double figures in each contest.
The Falcons are 6-0 this season when posting a better field goal percentage than their opponent for the game.
BGSU is also 6-0 this season when out-rebounding its opponent.
The Falcons are 5-0 this season when wearing their "classic" white uniforms.
Junior Zack Denny scored a career-high 23 points on 9-of-13 shooting in the win.
Senior David Joseph scored a season-high 10 point for the game.
Spencer Parker passed out a season-high five assists in the win.