For a young team still trying to find its identity, any win is big. In the case of the Bowling Green men’s basketball team, a squad fighting inexperience and injury problems, a win against Northwestern Saturday would have been doubly big.
And as Wildcats point guard T.J. Parker drove to the hoop for the game-winning layup in Evanston, BG Coach Dan Dakich saw a win evaporate into a very tough loss to take.
“That was a tough one to lose,” Dakich said. “We lost our composure late in the game. We were planning on taking the last shot in overtime or regulation, and at least going into overtime. Ron was being aggressive, taking it to the basket, and made a left-hand layup. He was not being passive. It was a tough one to lose.
“You rationalize it that well, that was the first time in that situation, or we’re better than what we were two weeks ago,” Dakich said. “But the bottom line is that we had a game that has to go to overtime if we don’t win it in regulation.”
BG led the Wildcats by as many as 10 in the first half, and led 60-59 with under a minute to go, after point guard Jabari Mattox hit the first three-point field goal of his career. But, the Wildcats hit the line on their next possession, making one of two free throws to tie the game. On the ensuing Falcon possession, Ron Lewis drove to the hoop, but was bumped on his way in, and was whistled for traveling, setting the stage for Parker’s winner.
Kevin Netter, who scored 36 points in Wednesday’s 76-59 win over Buffalo, led BG again, this time tallying 20. John Reimold had yet another strong performance, scoring 17, including five three-point field goals. Lewis had 11 for the Falcons, who played just seven players.
Dakich said Netter has been practicing well, and it has carried over to his game performance.
“He’s been doing it in practice,” Dakich said. “The good stuff you do in practice, you do in a game, and Kevin has done an absolutely outstanding job in practice since practice started. He’s doing it now in the games — running and finishing around the basket. He’s worked hard with [assistant coach Andy Markowski]. … You can see that he’s going to be a player.”
Forward Josh Almanson’s injury has been diagnosed by a doctor at Ohio State as a small stress fracture of the left ankle. Dakich said Almanson, who had been playing on the ankle, will lay low the next few weeks.
“We’re going to sit on him, not let him do anything this week and next week maybe,” Dakich said. “Then we’ll try to see what he can tolerate. The goal is to have him back for Christmas time or shortly after that.”
