Falcons Snap Akron’s 17-Game Winning Streak Over BGSU With Thrilling 66-65 Victory

Tuesday, February 21

Bowling Green, OH

9:00 PM

Bowling Green State University

12-16 (6-9)

Akron

22-6 (12-3)

Akron

Bowling Green

Falcons Snap Akron’s 17-Game Winning Streak Over BGSU With Thrilling 66-65 Victory

February 22, 2017 | Men's Basketball

Box Score

By: by James Nahikian, BGSU Athletic Communications

Game Highlights: BGSU vs. Akron
Post-Game Video: Coach Huger | Alcegaire, Wes
Post-Game Audio: Coach Huger With Todd Walker
Todd Walker Radio Calls: Wes Scores Across 14-0 Run | Frye Gives BG 3-Point Lead With 6:45 To Go
More Calls: Clutch #DeepFrye | HUGE Three For Wes | Denny Gives BG The Lead With 20 Seconds Left
Final Calls: Wes Draws Foul | Wes Gives BG 66-65 With 2.4 Seconds Left | BGSU WINS!!!!
Final Statistics: PDF | HTML

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – Senior Wes Alcegaire hit two free throws with 2.4 seconds left in regulation to lift the Bowling Green State University men's basketball team to a thrilling 66-65 victory over MAC-leading University of Akron on Tuesday (Feb. 21) evening at the Stroh Center. The win, which snapped Akron's 17-game winning streak over the Falcons, marked BGSU's first victory over Akron since March 1, 2009.

The win was BG's first over Akron in Bowling Green, Ohio since Jan. 28, 2003. Prior to the game, Akron had won 12-straight games over the Falcons in Bowling Green, Ohio. BGSU, which had never beaten Akron inside of the Stroh Center prior to tonight, dealt UA head coach Keith Dambrot his first-ever loss in a game played against the Falcons on the BGSU campus. Dambrot entered the game with an overall record of 25-1 versus BG as the Zips' head man.

With the victory, Bowling Green, which gave Akron back-to-back losses for the first time this season with the win, improves to 12-16 overall and 6-9 in the Mid-American Conference play. Bowling Green has now surpassed its MAC win total from head coach Michael Huger's first season in 2015-16, as BGSU went 5-13 within the conference last season.

Bowling Green led for a total of 31:20, but the final 2:26 of regulation saw six lead changes. Akron's Isaiah Johnson, who finished the game with 11 points and 14 rebounds, scored an and-one layup with 2:26 to go to give the Zips the lead. He hit the free throw to put Akron on top, 61-59.

On Bowling Green's ensuing possession, freshman Rodrick Caldwell found Alcegaire, who finished with nine points and two rebounds, at the right wing, and the senior nailed a cold-blooded triple to give the Falcons a 62-61 advantage with 2:09 remaining.

Senior Zack Denny then recorded a steal, and was immediately fouled with 1:51 to go. Denny finished with the game with 20 points, 10 rebounds, four steals and two assists. The double-double was Denny's 10th of his career, and second of the season. His four steals moved him into 10th place all-time on the program's steals list with 149 steals.

Denny, however, missed the front end of the one-and-one after being fouled, and Johnson made another layup with 1:32 on the clock, giving Akron a 63-62 lead in the process.

Dylan Frye, who finished with a game-high 22 points, launched a three-ball that popped out, and Akron pulled down the rebound and dribbled the ball up the court with less than a minute remaining.

Frye went 9-for-12 from the field, matching his career high for made field goals in a game. The freshman has now scored 20-plus points three times in 2016-17. He also went 3-for-5 on #DeepFrye attempts, marking the ninth time this season he's made multiple three-balls, and seventh time he's made at least three three-pointers.

With possession of the ball and a one-point lead following Frye's miss, Akron could possibly ice the game with a made field goal. However, Denny forced a steal with 47 seconds to go, and Bowling Green called a timeout with 39 seconds left after advancing the ball past half court.

Alcegaire drove the rim, but his shot was blocked by UA's Kwan Cheatham. Sophomore Demajeo Wiggins, who finished with seven points, nine rebounds and a career-high four blocks, pulled down the offensive rebound, and kicked it over to a wide-open Denny, who nailed a jumper along the base line with 20 seconds left in regulation. The jumper gave Bowling Green a 64-63 lead.

Akron answered again, as Johnson drove left from the left elbow, and scored on a layup with seven seconds on the clock. Akron now led, 65-64. With timeouts remaining, Bowling Green elected to not allow Akron to set up its defense.

Alcegaire took the ball coast-to-coast, and drew a blocking foul with 2.4 seconds left in the ballgame. Alcegaire, a 58.0 percent free throw shooter, hit the first to tie the game at 65-65. Akron then called a timeout, but Alcegaire was not fazed, as he swished the second free throw to give BGSU the lead. Akron threw the ball past half court, and called a timeout with under two seconds to play.

Noah Robotham of Akron in-bounded the ball on the sideline, but Wiggins stepped in front of the pass intended for Johnson, and recorded the game-sealing steal. Redshirt-sophomore Rasheed Worrell, who had four points and two rebounds, threw the ball towards the rafters in celebration.

Bowling Green held Akron to 35.9 percent (23-of-64) shooting for the game, including an anemic 29.4 percent (10-of-34) in the first half. BGSU also held the Zips to a 9-fo-30 (30.0 percent) mark on three-point attempts. Akron went a perfect 10-for-10 from the charity stripe.

The Falcons shot 53.6 percent (15-of-28) in the first half, but shot 30.3 percent (10-of-33) in the second half to finish the game 25-of-61 (41.0 percent). Bowling Green went 6-for-19 (31.6 percent) from downtown, and 10-for-14 from the free throw line.

Bowling Green will finish the week with a trip to Oxford on Saturday (Feb. 25) to face the Miami RedHawks. Tip-off from Millett Hall is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.

BGSU Men's Basketball Post-Game Notes vs. Akron
• The win snaps Akron's 17-game winning streak over Bowling Green, which was the longest winning streak over an opponent within the conference.
• The win marked Bowling Green's first over Akron since March 1, 2009.
• The win marked BGSU's first over Akron in Bowling Green, Ohio since Jan. 28, 2003.
• The win snapped Akron's 12-game winning streak over BG in games played in Bowling Green, Ohio.
• The win is BGSU's first over Akron at the Stroh Center.
• The victory was BGSU's first over Akron in the Michael Huger era.
• Prior to the game, no player on BGSU's roster had beaten Akron.
• The win for BGSU's 25th over Akron. The victory narrows Akron's all-time series lead to 36-25.
• The victory gives BGSU six MAC wins on the season, which surpasses last year's total of five MAC wins.
• The win moves Bowling Green to 10-6 in 2016-17 at the Stroh Center. The Falcons last won double-digit game at the Stroh Center in 2014-15, as BG finished that season with an 11-6 home record.
• The win snapped Bowling Green's three game losing streak, and moved the Falcons to 3-3 in the month of February
• With the win, BGSU dealt Akron head coach Keith Dambrot his first-ever loss to the Falcons in Bowling Green, Ohio. Dambrot entered the game with a 25-1 overall record against BG as Akron's head coach.
• The win for BGSU gave Akron back-to-back losses for the first time this season. Akron last loss consecutive regular-season games during the 2015-16 season, when the Zips lost to Kent State (Feb. 19, 2016) and Miami (Feb. 23, 2016).
• In consecutive games, Akron has seen two remarkable streaks come to an end, as the Zips lost to Kent State on Feb. 17, which ended the program's 30-game home winning streak.
• The Falcons have now won their last three games by a combined six points, as BGSU beat Kent State (Feb. 7), 84-83, and Toledo (Feb. 4), 104-100.
• Freshman Dylan Frye scored a game-high 22 points, marking the third time this season that he's scored 20-plus points.
• Frye went 9-for-12 from the field, which tied his career high for made field goals in a single game. He went 9-for-17 versus Ohio on Jan. 28.
• Frye went 3-for-5 from downtown, which marks the ninth time this season that he's made multiple three-balls in a single contest. He's made at least three three-pointers in a total of seven games. He's shot at least 50.0 from deep in a game a total of 12 times.
• Zack Denny recorded his 10th-career double-double in the victory, as he finished with 20 points and 10 rebounds. It was also Denny's second double-double of the season. His other double-double on the season came against UMKC on Nov. 19 (12 points, 13 rebounds).
• Denny's 20 points marked just the second time this season that he's scored 20-plus points. He scored a career-high 30 points against Toledo on Feb. 4. Denny now has six 20-point games in his career.
• With his four steals in the game, Denny moved into 10th place all-time on the program's career steals list with 149 steals.
• BGSU had two players score 20-plus points – Frye (22) and Denny (20) – for only the second time this season. Wes Alcegaire (25 points) and Denny (30 points) each scored 20-plus points in BG's victory over Toledo on Feb. 4.
• BG held Akron to a 35.9 field goal percentage, which is the lowest total for a BG opponent in a MAC game this season.
• Bowling Green forced 14 Akron turnovers, marking the seventh-straight game that Bowling Green has forced its opponent into at least 14 turnovers.
• Bowling Green led the game for a total of 31:20.
• The Falcons won despite shooting 30.3 percent in the second half, and scoring just 30 second-half points.
• BGSU improves to 9-2 this season when leading at the half.
• The Falcons improve to 11-3 on the season when leading with five minutes remaining, while improving to 10-1 on the year when leading with two minutes remaining.
• BGSU has now had 12 games decided by two possessions or fewer, including four one-point games. Six games of those 12 games have been decided by one possession.
• Wes Alcegaire hit the game-winning free throw with 2.4 seconds left. Bowling Green has played in four games this year where the winning points have been totaled with less than three seconds remaining in regulation/overtime.