Falcons Hold Off Eastern Michigan for Second Straight MAC Road Win

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Audio: Postgame Press Conference:
Huger | Parker | Alcegaire
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            1st half - Parker three-point field goal
                           Joseph steal & Alcegaire layup
   Denny bank three-ball
   Worrell and-1 basket
   Worrell breaks the rim on a slam
          2nd half - Joseph three ball
                          Parker on the rebound and put back
                          Parker and-1
                          Alcegaire with a second three-pointer
                          Denny three-pointer stops EMU run
                          Lillard put back slam
                          Final Call on the BGSU win
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Ypsilanti, Mich. – The Bowling Green State University men's basketball team improved to 12-5 overall and 3-1 in Mid-American Conference action with an 84-79 road victory at Eastern Michigan on Saturday afternoon inside the Convocation Center in Ypsilanti, Mich., in which the Falcons led by as much as 20 points in the second half of play.

The win was the Falcons' second straight MAC road win having upended Ohio in Athens, Ohio on Tuesday, Jan. 12.

BGSU was led offensively by senior Spencer Parker, who poured in 21 points, including 12 second-half points, as the forward was 7-of-12 from the field overall. Parker added seven rebounds which was tied for the team lead with Wes Alcegaire. Alcegaire had 17 points, scoring nine in a three-possession stretch to expand the Falcons lead in the second half. Junior Zack Denny tallied 20 points for BGSU in the win, including 13 in the first half, as the sharp-shooter was 5-of-8 from behind the three-point line.

Guard David Joseph chipped in with nine points, on 3-of-6 shooting, and a game-high seven assists, while he matched Denny with a team-high three steals apiece.

The Eagles were led by the trio of Raven Lee, James Thompson IV and Ty Toney who combined for 68 of the team's 79 points in the loss. Lee finished with a game-high 29 points, on 9-of-22 shooting, while Thompson IV posted a double-double with 21 points and 14 rebounds. Toney recorded 18 points and four rebounds, as he was 6-of-10 from the field overall.

Bowling Green shot 47.5 percent (28-of-59) overall for the game, including going 12-of-23 (52.2 percent) from long distance against the trademark Eastern Michigan 2-3 zone.

The BGSU defense held the Eagles to 44.1 percent (26-of-59) shooting for the game, but kept the Eagles in check from behind the three-point line at only 5-of-22 (22.7) from long range.

However, the Eagles battled back into the game shooting 53.3 percent (16-of-30) from the field overall in the second half and knocked down 22-of-25 (88 percent) from the charity stripe for the 40 minute contest.

The Falcons had perhaps their best first half of the season on Saturday afternoon, as BGSU tallied a season-high 44 points over the first 20 minutes of play as the visitors in orange jerseys shot 17-of-31 (54.8 percent) overall, including going 6-of-10 (60 percent) from behind the three-point arc.

Alcegaire got the Falcons on the scoreboard first in the cross-divisional contest with a three-ball just under a minute into the opening half to put the visitors on top at 3-0. The trey was the first of four quick buckets for BGSU, who flew out to a 10-4 lead on a three-pointer from Denny at the 17 minute mark of the first half of play.

After Eastern Michigan used a quick 6-0 run, with all six points coming from Ty Toney over a minute stretch, to close the gap to two at 14-12 at the 13:42 mark of the first period, the Orange and Brown got a jumper in the lane from Demajeo Wiggins, a trey from Parker and then turned a Denny steal into two free throws from Antwon Lillard to cap off a 7-0 spurt to push the Falcons' lead back out to eight at 20-12 with just over 12 minutes to play before the halftime break.

The Falcons continued to stay efficient on the offensive end, as EMU ended the 7-0 BGSU run with a free throw from Brandon Nazione, only to see BGSU respond with seven straight points once again, highlighted by back-to-back layups from Alcegaire and Joseph, to extend the Falcons' lead to double digits at 28-13 with 9:01 to play in the opening half.

During the Falcons two runs, BGSU was superb on the defensive end, as the Eagles were held without a field goal for a total of 5:55 during that span with their lone four points coming from the free throw line.

BGSU held EMU to 0-of-5 shooting and forced the Eagles into four turnovers over the close to six minute span midway through the first half, until a Tim Bond layup at the 7:47 mark ended the EMU field goal drought and put the score at 30-17 in favor of the visitors in orange.

Bowling Green was able to push the lead out to as much as 17 at 36-19 on a three-pointer from Joseph, only to see the home standing Eagles' Lee run off five straight points to put his team down just 12 at 36-24.

The Falcon defense then clamped down once again and fed their offense, as BGSU held EMU scoreless over the next three minutes of play to aid in a 6-0 surge to put the Falcons lead at 42-26 with 3:14 to go before the halftime intermission.

However, EMU wrapped up the first half with a 5-2 advantage in points over the final three minutes of the opening half to cut into the BGSU lead and put the score at 47-31 in favor of the Falcons at the halftime intermission.

Alcegaire and the Falcons kicked off the second half the same way they started the first with a three-ball from the junior guard, the first of two three-point baskets from the Falcons to open up the final 20 minutes of play, to give the visitors a 19-point lead at 50-31 with 18:55 to go in regulation.

The Falcons steadily stayed out in front of the Eagles for the next several minutes of play and picked up a 20-point lead at 57-37 on an old-fashion three-point play from Parker at the 16:19 mark of the second half.

BGSU weathered an EMU run over the next five minutes of action, as the Eagles got to within 12 at 57-45 with 11:47 left on the game clock on two straight free throws from Toney, only to see the Orange and Brown use two three-pointers from Alcegaire, a free throw from Rasheed Worrell and three more foul shots from Alcegaire to push the lead back out to 18 at 67-49.

After a layup in the paint from Lillard at the 9:09 mark put the Falcons up by 17, EMU refused to throw in the white towel, as the Eagles got hot on the offensive end to storm back into the contest with an 18-2 run to come within one score of BGSU at 69-67 on eight straight points from Lee.

With the lead gone, BGSU's Denny hit a three-pointer from the right wing to give the visitors breathing room at 72-67 with 5:08 to go in the game.

The Eagles' answered with a tip-in basket from Thompson IV to get within three at 72-69, yet Denny struck again for the Falcons, draining another three-pointer at the four minute mark to keep the visitors in front at 75-69.

Four straight free throws and a layup from Lee over the next 1:30 of play tied the score up at 75-75, the first tie of the game.

The next minute of the contest would see a strong layup down low on the block from Parker, two free throws from EMU's Lee and a big time tip-in dunk from Lillard to put the Orange and Brown on top at 79-77 with 1:27 left in the contest.

BGSU picked up two straight defensive stops and got one free throw apiece from leaders Parker and Denny to go ahead by four at 81-77 with 30 seconds on the game clock.

Lee would cut the Falcons' lead to two at 81-79 on two more free throws from Lee with 21 seconds to play, yet BGSU finished the game out on a high not going 3-of-4 from the free throw line and making the Eagles' Lee take a long contested three-point shot to try to tie the game late to escape with the 84-79 road win.

BGSU outscored the Eagles 32-28 in points in the paint and 17-12 in fast break points. The Falcons also out-rebounded EMU 38-34 for the contest.

The Falcons (12-5, 3-1 MAC) return home to host the Toledo Rockets in the Battle of I-75 on Tuesday, Jan. 19, at 7 p.m. inside the Stroh Center.

###

Notes

BGSU is now 12-5 overall on the season, matching last year's mark over the first 17 games.
The Falcons are now 3-1 to start the MAC slate for the second straight year.
Coach Huger's squad improved to 5-2 overall on the season in true road contests.
With the win over the Eagles, the Falcons snap a two-game losing streak to EMU.
With the win, BGSU has now won back-to-back true road contests for the first time this season.
BGSU has now won back-to-back MAC road games with a win at Ohio on Jan. 12 and the win today at Eastern Michigan.
The 44 points by the Falcons in the first half was a season-high for BGSU.
The Falcons, who shot 47 percent in the win, has now shot 44 percent in all 12 of their wins this season.
BGSU is now a perfect 11-0 on the season when grabbing the same number or more rebounds than its opponent for the contest.
BGSU's 12 made three's in the win on Saturday are the second most treys in a game this season for the Falcons, as BGSU had 14 three-point field goals in the home win over Urbana.
With Parker and Denny both scoring over 20 points in the win on Saturday, the duo became the first pair of Falcons to score 20 points or more in the same game since BGSU's Anthony Henderson and Jehvon Clarke each poured in 23 points at Toledo on Feb. 5, 2014.

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