Meeting for the second time in nine days, the men’s basketball team (12-6, 6-4 in Mid-American Conference) is looking to pay back Ohio (12-7, 7-4) in Anderson Arena for a 72-69 loss in Athens, a game in which the Falcons led by as many as 12 points.
BG’s only game since was a heartbreaking 71-69 loss to Akron Thursday on Dru Joyce’s layup with 0.2 seconds remaining.
The Bobcats’ victory over BG was their second in a current four-game winning streak, their longest since the 1999-2000 season. Prior to BG, they beat Toledo and since have knocked off Buffalo and Western Michigan. The win over the Broncos Saturday was reminiscent of OU’s victory against BG as the Bobcats overcame a 12-point second half Western lead to win 89-85. Mychal Green scored a career-high 25 points and grabbed eight rebounds to guide the Bobcats.
In their last meeting with BG, the Bobcats found themselves trailing 23-11 early, but battled back and were led by a balanced scoring attack, receiving double digit efforts from all five starters. Green hit three three-pointers in the contest, his last tying the score at 66 and igniting an 11-3 run to finish the game.
“This was a tough game between two really, really tough teams and it came down to the end that they made a couple of very good plays to win the basketball game,” said Falcons’ head coach Dan Dakich after the matchup.
John Reimold led all scorers with 23 points and entered his name among the BG greats. He hit five three’s for the game, which gave him 201 in his BG career, setting a new school record as he surpassed Keith McLeod, 199, who currently plays for the NBA’s Utah Jazz.
It was another tough, close loss for the Falcons, who have had their last four games decided in the final minute.
As the Falcons, who lead the MAC shooting 50.1 percent from the field, try to get back on track after dropping two straight games and four of their last six, they have been struck hard by injury. Starting forward Germain Fitch is out for the remainder of the season, and possibly longer, with a torn ACL. The injury occurred during the post game celebration on January 22 after the Falcons beat arch rival Toledo when Fitch, who had a career-high 12 points and eight rebounds, was apparently hit in the back, causing him to fall awkwardly. Fitch’s only action since the injury was the last meeting against OU, but he played just over one minute before having to leave.
Entering this season, his junior year, Fitch had already had three knee surgeries to repair two torn ACL’s.
Tonight’s game is part of the Take a Kid To The Game Program, where all kids 12 and under receive free admission.
Tip off is at 8 p.m. and the game will also air on television on Fox Sports Ohio.
