BGSU women’s basketball (1-1) took their first loss of the season at the hands of the No. 2 South Carolina Gamecocks (2-0) on Friday night.  

The game marked the second meeting between Gamecock head coach Dawn Staley and her former assistant, Falcon head coach Fred Chmiel. 

Joniyah Bland-Fitzpatrick was the only Falcon to reach double figures in scoring, a first for her BG career, as the South Carolina defense was stalwart all game. 

By the end of the first quarter, Bowling Green had only scored 7 points against last year’s national runners-up. An early 15-0 run by the Gamecocks to open their own scoring effectively put the game in its place out of the gate. 

The deficit would only expand, as the Orange and Brown trailed 55-19 at halftime. The third quarter displayed the most points scored by the Falcons in a quarter, but their 16 couldn’t contest the Gamecocks’ 31. 

By the fourth quarter, the depth of the South Carolina coasted them to the finish line, ending the game 114-47. 

Returning Falcons also had strong contributions, with Paige Kohler adding seven points and five assists, while Johnea Donahue had four rebounds and five steals. 

The game also marked two significant milestones for the Falcons. The last time Bowling Green had played a top-two team in the nation was when the Gamecocks visited the Stroh Center in 2023, ranked No. 1 in the country. The crowd was also a story for the Falcons, as 16,649 is the most fans ever at a Bowling Green Women’s Basketball game, eclipsing the total at Carver Arena when the Falcons visited the No. 4 Iowa Hawkeyes in 2024. 

The Falcons continue their road trip with matchups against Wisconsin and Marquette on Wednesday and Friday, respectively.