The Falcon basketball team hosted the No. 20 ranked Michigan State Spartans for the first time since 1990 Tuesday night, but came up short in the second half, losing 64-53.
Sophomore Chauncey Orr was BG’s scoring machine against the Spartans. He went 6-7 and made all three of his three-point shots. He totaled 16 points on the night, which shattered his career high of seven points.
The “dynamic duo” of seniors A’uston Calhoun and Jordan Crawford was tamed tonight. They only put up 19 total points (nine and ten respectively) on the night. Calhoun made three of ten shots and Crawford made four of his fourteen shots.
Shooting percentage was an issue again for the Falcons. They shot 32.8 percent on the game and a mere 30.8 percent in the second half.
“I think Michigan State has proven to be a great second half team,” Calhoun said. “And I think that was their adjustment they made when they saw the plays we were running… and made us live or die by the jump shot.”
However, BG’s defense kept the game close. Sophomore Richaun Holmes had four big blocks against the Spartans and Crawford recorded two of the team’s five steals.
The Falcons forced Michigan State into making 15 turnovers during the game, which Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo said is his team’s biggest problem right now.
Michigan State defeated BG on the boards, 38-35, and put up 29 defensive rebounds against the Falcons.
The Falcons have played Michigan State in East Lansing, Mich. the past two years (both ended in losses).
This was the first time a nationally ranked men’s basketball opponent visited the Stroh Center since its opening last fall.
“It was a great atmosphere,” Head coach Louis Orr said. “I want to thank the fans for coming out. It was great to hear their voices and to see an enthusiastic, large crowd made a big difference… and our guys appreciated it.”
The official attendance for the game was 4,291, which puts it at the largest crowd this season, and the second largest crowd for a men’s basketball game in the Stroh Center’s short history. The only other game with a higher attendance was the game against Toledo last year, in which the attendance was recorded at 4,421.
“I thought it was a great crowd,” Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo said. “I think this is an incredible venue, to me one of the nicer venues I’ve been in as far as being friendly and the way it was. Hopefully it will help [BG].”
This was the last of the Falcons’ five game home stand and will begin a four game road trip to South Florida, North Dakota, Temple, and Central Michigan before returning to the Stroh Center on Jan. 12 to take on the Eastern Michigan Eagles.
