In the midst of a three game losing streak, the women’s basketball team entered Tuesday night’s game against Eastern Kentucky facing almost insurmountable odds.
Boasting a rather impressive streak of winning the last 12 out of the last 13 home openers, it would have appeared the Falcons would extend that streak. However, the Colonels’ full-court pressure and explosiveness proved to be too much as they handed BG its fourth consecutive loss, 83-63.
The Falcons began the game facing a rare full-court press, a press that led to 14 first-half turnovers. They also failed to connect on key opportunities in the paint, which lead to easy transition points for the Colonels.
Despite early turnover trouble, junior Megan Jerome’s lay-up with 6:05 left in the half ignited the team and propelled the Falcons to a 14-2 run to end the half. After one half, BG found themselves down only four points, 30-26, but only shot 38 percent from the field, and 0-for-9 from behind the arc.
Head Coach Curt Miller felt the team had some great opportunities in the first, but felt the absence of two key players led to the Falcons shooting a dismal 13-for-34 from the field in first half.
“We had very little time to prepare for this game coming back from the Coors Classic, and it showed in the way we shot tonight,” Miller said. “They also knew we were minus Pam Brown and Francine Miller, and that forced them to focus on our other shooters.”
At first glance it would have appeared that the second half was a microcosm of the first, and it was. The Colonels continued to pressure the Falcons into forcing turnovers early and often, which forced Miller to call a time-out only 53 seconds into the half. Junior guard Kim Greich, who led BG with 14 points, started a 7-0 run that brought the Falcons within 11 at 60-49. But that was as close as the Falcons would get, as the Colonels ended the game on a 23-14 run.
Other key contributors for the Falcons were Lindsay Austin, who had 12 points and four assists and Dana Western-Schuka with nine points and five rebounds.
Overall, the Falcons shot 37 percent for the game and had 26 turnovers.
Miller said he felt the team is still lacking an identity in the absence of Francine Miller.
“We are still lacking an identity, because Francine was our identity,” Miller said. “Her absence is allowing other teams to pressure our guards and focus in on Dana and Kim, and that is causing problems for us.” The Falcons (1-4) are back in action tomorrow night, as they play host to IPFW at 7 p.m.
