Santoro Shines, But Falcons Fall, 57-55

Friday, November 11

Richmond, KY

5:30 PM

Bowling Green State University

0-1

Eastern Kentucky

1-0

Bowling Green State

Eastern Kentucky

Carly Santoro v Ferris State - Nov 5 2016 - Christine Nelson photo

Carly Santoro had a career night, but BG fell just short at EKU (Christine Nelson photo)

Photo by: Christine Nelson, BGSU Marketing & Communications

November 11, 2016 | Women's Basketball

Box Score

Sophomore posts a double-double with career scoring & rebounding bests

By: RICHMOND, Ky. (BGSU Athletic Communications)

Sophomore Carly Santoro had the best game of her young career, posting her first collegiate double-double, but the Bowling Green State University women's basketball team came up just short on Friday night (Nov. 11). The Falcons fell to host Eastern Kentucky University, 57-55, in the regular-season opener for both teams at McBrayer Arena.

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Santoro exploded for 20 points and 12 rebounds on Friday night, posting career-high totals in each category. The double-double was the first of her BG career. Santoro doubled her previous career rebounding best (6), and she nearly doubled her previous scoring high (11).

Santoro's 20 points led all players on both teams, and she tied for game honors in the rebounding department. In addition, she handed out a career-best three assists to tie for game honors in that category as well.

But, two EKU players had double-doubles to lead the hosts to the narrow win. Shavontae Naylor had 15 points and 12 assists, while Jalen O'Bannon had 13 points and 10 boards. Mariah Massengill was the only other player in double digits, with 12 points.

Falcon freshman Andrea Cecil had seven points in her collegiate debut. Cecil was a perfect 3-for-3 from the field and added three rebounds in just five minutes of action.

Three other Falcons -- senior Abby Siefker, junior Rachel Myers and freshman Clare Glowniak -- had six points apiece. Siefker added eight rebounds, as she (4) and Santoro (6) combined for 10 offensive boards. BG had 16 offensive rebounds in the game, as the Falcons held an overall 47-40 advantage on the glass.

After taking a nine-point lead early in the third quarter, however, the Falcons scored just two points over the final 6:48 of that period. The Colonels ended the third stanza on an 8-0 run, and after a Santoro jumper began the fourth-quarter scoring, the hosts scored the next five points to take the lead for good.

Santoro scored nine points in the first quarter alone, as BG took a 15-9 lead after 10 minutes. Both teams shot the ball well in the second period, which ended with the Falcons holding a 32-29 advantage.

Alexus Cooper began the second-half scoring with a three-pointer for the hosts, but sophomore Sydney Lambert and Myers hit triples on back-to-back possessions, and a Santoro putback made it a 40-32 BG lead three minutes into the half.

After the Colonels got a Madison Wood layup, Siefker answered with an offensive rebound and a putback as she was fouled. The senior hit the ensuing free throw for a 43-34 lead. Midway through the period, Siefker's baseline drive resulted in a reverse layup and a 45-36 advantage. But, the hosts slowly crept back, scoring the final eight points of the period.

Santoro's driving layup with a minute gone in the fourth quarter made it a three-point BG lead, but Massengill's jumper cut it to one, and her layup gave the home team the lead with 6:18 to go. Those two Massengill buckets began a 12-1 run for EKU.

After the second hoop, senior Ashley Tunstall split a pair of free throws, but O'Bannon hit jumpers on back-to-back trips down the floor, giving EKU a 53-48 lead with 3:55 on the clock.

Neither team would score again until just over a minute remained, when EKU went up by eight. Myers took a Siefker pass and drained a three-point try, cutting the Falcons' deficit to five points. Santoro converted a putback with under 20 seconds remaining, and a Cecil steal gave the ball back to BG. Cecil would hit a jumper in the final seconds, but it was not enough, and the Falcons fell by two points.

BG shot 32.3 percent from the field in the game, to 36.2% for the Colonels. BG hit five three-pointers to EKU's four, and both teams struggled from the foul line. BGSU went 10-of-18 from the stripe, while the hosts were just 11-of-22.

Bowling Green will open the home portion of the regular season on Tuesday (Nov. 15), hosting the University of Cincinnati in a 12:00 p.m. start at the Stroh Center.