The Bowling Green women’s basketball team played about as well as it can play but still came up short against Duqesne Saturday in Pittsburgh.
The Falcons had their opportunities to win the game, but it was Duqesne that came out victorious, winning 68-63. The game moved both teams to 1-2 on the season.
“It was a disappointing loss,” said BG head coach Curt Miller in a Sunday interview. “We just watched films and we had nine opportunities in the second half to tie or take the lead.”
The momentum the Falcons were never able to gain proved to be the difference.
The Falcons’ main problem was not execution, as they were able to get open looks, but rather capitalizing on the open looks. The Falcons shot just 30.9 percent from the floor and saw just three of their players shoot 50 percent or better on the game.
They also had trouble scoring from the free throw line, where the Falcons shot a respectable 67 percent but failed to make them when they counted.
“On top of the shooting we had a disappointing night from the foul line,” Miller said. “Some of our misses were the front ends of one and ones.”
But even though it was a loss, there were some bright spots for a young BG squad.
The point guard position showed up big for the Falcons, as senior Tene Lewis and freshman Kate Achter combined for 15 points, four rebounds and four assists.
On top of that, forward Ali Mann put up 23 points to go with her six rebounds and was consistently looking for ways to help her team win.
“Ali Mann really wanted the ball in crunch time,” Miller said. “I like to see that.”
The game against Duqesne was just part of the team’s plan to play a tougher non-conference schedule. This year’s non-MAC games have been some of the toughest BG has played in years, according to Miller. And the team is hoping to build on these games for future successes.
“We probably played well enough to win on the road against a quality Atlantic 10 opponent,” Miller said.
Playing quality opponents on the road is something the Falcons are going to have to get used to. Their next game is at home against Youngstown State and is one of two home games BG will play in the 2004 portion of the season.
The Falcons and the Penguins are building a small out-of- conference rivalry. The last two seasons have seen Youngstown beat the Falcons. Two years ago was YSU coach Tisha Hill’s first season as head coach of the Penguins and her first win came against the Falcons. Then last season, it was a loss to the Penguins that more than likely kept the Falcons from playing in the postseason WNIT.
“I won’t have to give much of a pep talk,” Miller said.
The Falcons will host budding rival Youngstown State at Anderson Arena tonight at 7.
