After two straight tough losses, Bowling Green began a key stretch last night in Athens, Ohio against the Ohio Bobcats.
Another classic game was added to the rivalry last night in Athens, as BG erased another big deficit on its way to a 66-60 victory at the Convo, improving their record to 6-3 in the Mid-American Conference with the win.
Ohio led by 12 late in the second half, but the Falcons used a 12-0 run to tie the game at 55 with just three minutes left. OU point guard Zach Kiekow drove and kicked the ball to Bobcat freshman Jeff Halbert, who gave the hosts a 58-55 lead with under a minute to go.
BG’s John Reimold, though, hit a three to tie the game and send the teams to overtime. Both teams struggled in overtime, and after the teams traded baskets, Kevin Netter hit two free throws to give BG their first lead since Reimold hit the opening three of the game. Netter then dunked and hit two more free throws to round out the scoring.
Netter led BG with 23 and grabbed ten rebounds. Ron Lewis had 13 points and 11 rebounds. Brandon Hunter scored 26 points for the Bobcats, but committed seven turnovers.
BG head coach Dan Dakich praised Lewis’ work after the game.
“Ron Lewis’ 41 minutes, 13 points and 11 rebounds with only one turnover was big,” Dakich told play-by-play announcer Dave Horger after the game. “We put a big emphasis on Ron before the game, and I’ve been really hard on him. He’s our guy who can put the ball on the floor and create baskets.”
Dakich also had nothing but praise of the effort of his entire squad.
“This win had zero to do with me,” Dakich said. “We have Eyink and Netter throwing up in buckets, and we had four doing that during practice. This group is just amazing, what they do. During parts of the game, we played so tentative and sloppy, and then in the second half they just do it. Everyone had a part in it.” According to Dakich, the key to the win was his team’s defense in the second half.
“The key to the thing was our defense,” he said. “They got right baskets in 25 minutes in the second half and overtime. We just scrapped and clawed there.”
