Last night, BGSU women’s basketball (1-1) suffered its first loss of the 2024-2025 basketball season at the hands of Detroit Mercy (1-0) by a score of 73-66.
The win snapped a 10-game losing streak that stretched back to 2003 for the Titans.
“We just couldn’t keep the ball in front of us and couldn’t contain,” assistant coach Lexus Graham-Blincoe said postgame. “Middle drives just killed us…our defense is what killed us this game.”
The Falcons started off the game strong and led 21-18 early in the second quarter, but a turnover-plagued second quarter allowed DMU to go on an 18-6 to close out the quarter, giving the Titans a 36-27 halftime lead.
From there, the Titans continued to build on their momentum out of the locker room and extended their lead to 16.
“We started off that 3rd quarter with a turnover, and we just tried to come from behind when we should have been playing defense and contesting shots,” coach Graham-Blincoe stated.
Senior guard Amy Velasco echoed this by saying, “We weren’t getting stops when we needed to, and that’s when they kind of pulled away.”
BGSU had a total of 19 turnovers occur throughout the game. Detroit Mercy was able to capture 20 points off of the turnovers they forced.
They saw a tremendous downtick in turnovers in the second half as they committed four in the third and five in the fourth.
The Falcons did not back down big in the third. To start the fourth, Amy Velasco knocked down a three to spark a 13-1 BGSU scoring run.
Velasco was responsible for nine of the 13 points, and an Erika Porter layup brought the Orange and Brown within one possession at 58-55.
However, a head coach, Kate Achter, timeout halted BG’s momentum and ignited the Titans to an 11-2 run.
Bowling Green did not back down, though. They continued to fight and cut the deficit to four points with 39 ticks on the clock; however, Detroit Mercy made clutch free throws to end the Falcon’s comeback hopes.
“I’m going to take on any role that coach gives me, and I think a big part of my role is the leadership role that you [interviewer Lucas Kleimeyer] mentioned,” Velasco said following the contest.
Velasco finished the game with 40 minutes of playing time, 20 points, and three assists. Porter finished right behind her with 14 points and five rebounds.
Sophomore forward Taya Ellis was again one rebound shy of a double-double, scoring 11 points and hauling in nine boards.
Detroit Mercy was led by junior guard Myonna Hooper, scoring 24 points across 34 minutes. Fifth-year guard Aaliyah McQueen scorched the floor, scoring 16 points and grabbing 12 rebounds.
The Falcon’s next contest will be against another Horizon League opponent, Cleveland State, next Tuesday, Nov. 12, at 7 p.m. on WBGU 88.1 FM.
