Bowling Green State University Athletics
Wednesday, February 22
Mount Pleasant, Mich.
1:00 PM
Bowling Green State University
24-3,13-2MAC
80
at
72
Central Michigan
6-20,4-11MAC
1
2
3
4
F
Bowling Green
28
16
22
14
80
Central Mich.
16
18
15
23
72
Photo by: Sydney Kline, CMU Athletics
Falcons Earn a Wednesday-Afternoon Win at Central, 80-72
February 22, 2023 | Women's Basketball
BGSU builds an early lead en route to road win
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – The Bowling Green State University women's basketball team built an early lead, then kept Central Michigan University at arm's length en route to an 80-72 win on Wednesday afternoon (Feb. 22). The Mid-American Conference game was held at McGuirk Arena.
Allison Day had a game-high 20 points to pace four double-digit scorers for the Falcons (24-3, 13-2 MAC). Jocelyn Tate had 14 points, Elissa Brett 13 and Lexi Fleming 10 for the Falcons.
Tate had a game-high five steals, while Fleming added four. The Falcons withstood a hot-shooting CMU effort from the arc by forcing turnovers, and capitalizing off of those miscues.
The Chippewas (6-20, 4-11 MAC) made 11-of-18 shots from the arc, with Bridget Utberg going a perfect 4-for-4. Utberg led CMU with 19 points, while Sydney Harris added 14 and Karrington Gordon 13.
The Falcons forced 24 CMU turnovers, while committing just eight themselves. BGSU had a 28-8 advantage in points off turnovers.
BGSU took a 12-point lead after one quarter, and the Falcons led by as many as 21 early in the fourth period before Central cut into the deficit by hitting five three-pointers in the final quarter.
Nyla Hampton and Amy Velasco had seven points apiece, with Hampton adding a game-best six assists.
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NOTE OF THE DAY: ROAD WARRIORS
• The Falcons have broken the school record for road wins in a season. Following Wednesday's victory, BGSU is now 13-2 in true road games. That breaks the mark of 12 road victories set by the 1986-87 team (12-2) and matched by the 2005-06 (12-1) and 2007-08 (12-4) clubs.
QUOTING COACH ROBYN FRALICK
"I was proud of our team's toughness on the road today. I thought Central played well – they shot the ball really well – and we were able to withstand those runs and stretches. As a team, we did a great job in the areas of effort and hustle plays."
FIRST QUARTER
• The Falcons got off to a scorching start, making 11 of 12 shots to begin Wednesday's game. Nyla Hampton lobbed the ball inside fo Allison Day for a layup, and Jocelyn Tate grabbed a defensive rebound and fed Elissa Brett for a pull-up three-pointer. Less than one minute into the game, BGSU had a 5-0 lead.
• The Chippewas got on the board, but Hampton fired a long pass ahead to Lexi Fleming, who was cutting along the baseline for a layup and a 7-2 lead. Two minutes had not yet expired as the Chippewas used a timeout.
• Out of that break, the Falcons forced a shot-clock violation, then a traveling violation. Day made a reverse layup, and Tate drove and scored through contact. Her free throw completed the three-point play and gave BG a 12-2 lead.
• CMU scored twice, but the Falcons answered each time, as Sophie Dziekan grabbed a teammate's miss and put the ball back up and in, and Tate spotted Amy Velasco for a triple. Then, Fleming's steal led to a 2-on-1 break, with Tate and Fleming trading passes before Tate laid the ball up and in for a 19-6 lead.
• Sydney Harris knocked down a three-point try for the hosts, but Tate scored again. Moments later, Dziekan muscled her way in for a layup, and Hampton's pass resulted in a Fleming triple and a 26-11 Falcon lead.
• Central scored the next five points, with Bridget Utberg's long three-pointer cutting the BG lead to 26-16. After that 11-for-12 start, the Falcons then missed three-straight field-goal tries before Fleming's offensive board resulted into an open layup for Day in the final seconds of the period.
• BGSU shot 75% (12-of-16) from the floor, including a 3-for-4 effort from the arc, in the first period. CMU was 6-of-9 and 2-of-3, respectively, but had seven first-period turnovers.
SECOND QUARTER
• The teams traded points for much of the second period. Karrington Gordon hit a three from the top of the arc, but Fleming got her hands on a Gordon pass near midcourt and sailed in for a wide-open layup and a 30-19 lead. CMU would cut the lead to eight points on a Harris layup, before Dziekan powered her way around Rochelle Norris for a layup and a 33-23 lead.
• Hampton took a Velasco pass and hit a corner three, and Day scored twice, then blocked a shot at the other end of the court. But, Mikala Hall hit a three-pointer, then made a putback to cut BG's lead to 40-32.
• Brett hit a pull-up jumper in the final minute of the half, and after the Chippewas answered. Hampton took a Day pass and made a layup just before the buzzer to give the Falcons a 44-34 halftime lead.
• Both teams shot over 50% in the first half, with CMU going 14-for-25 (56%) and BGSU 19-for-37 (51.4%).
THIRD QUARTER
• Day hit a pair of free throws in the first minute of the half, but CMU responded with four-straight points, with a Harris layup cutting BG's lead to eight. But, the Falcons responded with a 6-0 run. Day lobbed the ball inside to Tate for a layup, and Tate scored again after another Day entry pass. Then, the Falcons' defense turned Central over, and Day's layup gave BG a 52-38 lead as CMU used a timeout.
• Out of the timeout, though, Tate came up with a steal that led to a tough banker by Day and a 54-38 advantage. After a CMU three, the Orange and Brown went on a 7-0 run. Olivia Hill made three free throws, while Day hit a foul-line jumper during that span. When Fleming knocked down a pair of shots from the stripe, the Falcons had a 61-41 lead.
• Harris hit a corner three, but Fleming responded with a corner three of her own. Utberg connected from the arc before Brett made two charity tosses.
FOURTH QUARTER
• Leading by 17 to begin the final period, BGSU got a stop before Tate hit two free throws, then got the ball back, with Velasco's fourth-chance driving layup giving the Falcons a 70-49 lead.
• But, back came the Chippewas, Central scored six-straight points, with Hall's triple making it a 15-point game. Brett's three-point try rattled in, and Day saved a deflected ball that led to a Velasco layup and a 75-58 lead.
• CMU responded with eight-straight points. Utberg hit a long three-pointer, and Gordon immediately stole the inbounds pass and laid it in. BG's lead was nine points, 75-66, and the Falcons used a timeout with just under three minutes left.
• The next possession, however, saw the Falcons hold onto the ball for nearly a minute's time. BG used nearly all of the shot clock before a three-pointer bounced off the rim. Hampton grabbed the rebound, however, and the visitors worked the clock once again. Day's baby hook at the shot-clock buzzer gave the Falcons a 77-66 lead with 2:08 to go.
• The Chippewas got a free throw, but BG forced a miss on Central's next possession. Gordon hit a three-point try to make it a seven-point game, but only 31 seconds remained. The Falcons were able to use some clock before Hampton was fouled with 19.7 seconds to go, and she hit both of her free throws to give BG a 79-70 advantage.
STATS, NOTES & NUMBERS
• The Chippewas shot 47.3% from the field to BGSU's 40% rate, and CMU went 11-for-18 (61.1%) from three-point range. The Falcons hit 6-of-19 long-distance tries.
• But, BGSU attempted 16 more shots than the Chippewas due to a +16 turnover differential. The Falcons had just eight turnovers while forcing Central into 24, and BG had a 28-8 lead in points off turnovers.
• The Falcons also had advantages in points in the paint (42-26), second-chance points (14-11) and fast-break points (15-0).
• After going 19-42 overall and 5-31 in MAC play in head coach Robyn Fralick's first two seasons at the helm, the Falcons are 62-27 overall and 37-16 in the league over the last two-plus years.
UP NEXT
• The Falcons return home for the next two contests. BGSU will battle Buffalo on Saturday afternoon (Feb. 25). That game begins at 1:00 p.m., with Senior Day festivities taking place prior to tipoff.
• Then, the Orange and Brown will begin the month of March by hosting Ball State next Wednesday (March 1). That game will begin at 5:00 p.m. at the Stroh, and will be televised nationally on ESPNU.
FOLLOW THE FALCONS
• For more information on all things BGSU women's basketball, follow the Falcons on...
• Facebook | @BGWBB
• Twitter | @BGAthletics and @BGSUwbb
• Instagram | @bgsuwbasketball
• Snapchat | BGSU Falcons
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Allison Day had a game-high 20 points to pace four double-digit scorers for the Falcons (24-3, 13-2 MAC). Jocelyn Tate had 14 points, Elissa Brett 13 and Lexi Fleming 10 for the Falcons.
Tate had a game-high five steals, while Fleming added four. The Falcons withstood a hot-shooting CMU effort from the arc by forcing turnovers, and capitalizing off of those miscues.
The Chippewas (6-20, 4-11 MAC) made 11-of-18 shots from the arc, with Bridget Utberg going a perfect 4-for-4. Utberg led CMU with 19 points, while Sydney Harris added 14 and Karrington Gordon 13.
The Falcons forced 24 CMU turnovers, while committing just eight themselves. BGSU had a 28-8 advantage in points off turnovers.
BGSU took a 12-point lead after one quarter, and the Falcons led by as many as 21 early in the fourth period before Central cut into the deficit by hitting five three-pointers in the final quarter.
Nyla Hampton and Amy Velasco had seven points apiece, with Hampton adding a game-best six assists.
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NOTE OF THE DAY: ROAD WARRIORS
• The Falcons have broken the school record for road wins in a season. Following Wednesday's victory, BGSU is now 13-2 in true road games. That breaks the mark of 12 road victories set by the 1986-87 team (12-2) and matched by the 2005-06 (12-1) and 2007-08 (12-4) clubs.
QUOTING COACH ROBYN FRALICK
"I was proud of our team's toughness on the road today. I thought Central played well – they shot the ball really well – and we were able to withstand those runs and stretches. As a team, we did a great job in the areas of effort and hustle plays."
FIRST QUARTER
• The Falcons got off to a scorching start, making 11 of 12 shots to begin Wednesday's game. Nyla Hampton lobbed the ball inside fo Allison Day for a layup, and Jocelyn Tate grabbed a defensive rebound and fed Elissa Brett for a pull-up three-pointer. Less than one minute into the game, BGSU had a 5-0 lead.
• The Chippewas got on the board, but Hampton fired a long pass ahead to Lexi Fleming, who was cutting along the baseline for a layup and a 7-2 lead. Two minutes had not yet expired as the Chippewas used a timeout.
• Out of that break, the Falcons forced a shot-clock violation, then a traveling violation. Day made a reverse layup, and Tate drove and scored through contact. Her free throw completed the three-point play and gave BG a 12-2 lead.
• CMU scored twice, but the Falcons answered each time, as Sophie Dziekan grabbed a teammate's miss and put the ball back up and in, and Tate spotted Amy Velasco for a triple. Then, Fleming's steal led to a 2-on-1 break, with Tate and Fleming trading passes before Tate laid the ball up and in for a 19-6 lead.
• Sydney Harris knocked down a three-point try for the hosts, but Tate scored again. Moments later, Dziekan muscled her way in for a layup, and Hampton's pass resulted in a Fleming triple and a 26-11 Falcon lead.
• Central scored the next five points, with Bridget Utberg's long three-pointer cutting the BG lead to 26-16. After that 11-for-12 start, the Falcons then missed three-straight field-goal tries before Fleming's offensive board resulted into an open layup for Day in the final seconds of the period.
• BGSU shot 75% (12-of-16) from the floor, including a 3-for-4 effort from the arc, in the first period. CMU was 6-of-9 and 2-of-3, respectively, but had seven first-period turnovers.
SECOND QUARTER
• The teams traded points for much of the second period. Karrington Gordon hit a three from the top of the arc, but Fleming got her hands on a Gordon pass near midcourt and sailed in for a wide-open layup and a 30-19 lead. CMU would cut the lead to eight points on a Harris layup, before Dziekan powered her way around Rochelle Norris for a layup and a 33-23 lead.
• Hampton took a Velasco pass and hit a corner three, and Day scored twice, then blocked a shot at the other end of the court. But, Mikala Hall hit a three-pointer, then made a putback to cut BG's lead to 40-32.
• Brett hit a pull-up jumper in the final minute of the half, and after the Chippewas answered. Hampton took a Day pass and made a layup just before the buzzer to give the Falcons a 44-34 halftime lead.
• Both teams shot over 50% in the first half, with CMU going 14-for-25 (56%) and BGSU 19-for-37 (51.4%).
THIRD QUARTER
• Day hit a pair of free throws in the first minute of the half, but CMU responded with four-straight points, with a Harris layup cutting BG's lead to eight. But, the Falcons responded with a 6-0 run. Day lobbed the ball inside to Tate for a layup, and Tate scored again after another Day entry pass. Then, the Falcons' defense turned Central over, and Day's layup gave BG a 52-38 lead as CMU used a timeout.
• Out of the timeout, though, Tate came up with a steal that led to a tough banker by Day and a 54-38 advantage. After a CMU three, the Orange and Brown went on a 7-0 run. Olivia Hill made three free throws, while Day hit a foul-line jumper during that span. When Fleming knocked down a pair of shots from the stripe, the Falcons had a 61-41 lead.
• Harris hit a corner three, but Fleming responded with a corner three of her own. Utberg connected from the arc before Brett made two charity tosses.
FOURTH QUARTER
• Leading by 17 to begin the final period, BGSU got a stop before Tate hit two free throws, then got the ball back, with Velasco's fourth-chance driving layup giving the Falcons a 70-49 lead.
• But, back came the Chippewas, Central scored six-straight points, with Hall's triple making it a 15-point game. Brett's three-point try rattled in, and Day saved a deflected ball that led to a Velasco layup and a 75-58 lead.
• CMU responded with eight-straight points. Utberg hit a long three-pointer, and Gordon immediately stole the inbounds pass and laid it in. BG's lead was nine points, 75-66, and the Falcons used a timeout with just under three minutes left.
• The next possession, however, saw the Falcons hold onto the ball for nearly a minute's time. BG used nearly all of the shot clock before a three-pointer bounced off the rim. Hampton grabbed the rebound, however, and the visitors worked the clock once again. Day's baby hook at the shot-clock buzzer gave the Falcons a 77-66 lead with 2:08 to go.
• The Chippewas got a free throw, but BG forced a miss on Central's next possession. Gordon hit a three-point try to make it a seven-point game, but only 31 seconds remained. The Falcons were able to use some clock before Hampton was fouled with 19.7 seconds to go, and she hit both of her free throws to give BG a 79-70 advantage.
STATS, NOTES & NUMBERS
• The Chippewas shot 47.3% from the field to BGSU's 40% rate, and CMU went 11-for-18 (61.1%) from three-point range. The Falcons hit 6-of-19 long-distance tries.
• But, BGSU attempted 16 more shots than the Chippewas due to a +16 turnover differential. The Falcons had just eight turnovers while forcing Central into 24, and BG had a 28-8 lead in points off turnovers.
• The Falcons also had advantages in points in the paint (42-26), second-chance points (14-11) and fast-break points (15-0).
• After going 19-42 overall and 5-31 in MAC play in head coach Robyn Fralick's first two seasons at the helm, the Falcons are 62-27 overall and 37-16 in the league over the last two-plus years.
UP NEXT
• The Falcons return home for the next two contests. BGSU will battle Buffalo on Saturday afternoon (Feb. 25). That game begins at 1:00 p.m., with Senior Day festivities taking place prior to tipoff.
• Then, the Orange and Brown will begin the month of March by hosting Ball State next Wednesday (March 1). That game will begin at 5:00 p.m. at the Stroh, and will be televised nationally on ESPNU.
FOLLOW THE FALCONS
• For more information on all things BGSU women's basketball, follow the Falcons on...
• Facebook | @BGWBB
• Twitter | @BGAthletics and @BGSUwbb
• Instagram | @bgsuwbasketball
• Snapchat | BGSU Falcons
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Team Stats
BGSU
CMU
FG%
.408
.473
3FG%
.316
.611
FT%
.842
.643
RB
34
43
TO
8
24
STL
11
5
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
20
FGM
9
3FGM
0
FTM
2
Pts
14
FGM
5
3FGM
0
FTM
4
Pts
13
FGM
4
3FGM
3
FTM
2
Pts
10
FGM
3
3FGM
1
FTM
3
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's BasketballF
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's BasketballG/F
/ Women's Basketball
G
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