BGSU men’s basketball (11-5, 2-2) came up just short against Kent State (12-3, 3-0) at the M.A.C. Center in Kent, Ohio, falling 96-93 in a game defined by roster limitations and late-game execution.
The Falcons entered the contest shorthanded, playing without Javon Ruffin and with Justin Thomas returning from injury after missing Bowling Green’s previous game against UMass. Thomas logged 24 minutes but finished with a limited stat line.
“No Javon Ruffin and we had Justin Thomas just getting back, and he hadn’t practiced at all,” head coach Todd Simon said. “It was rough.”
Matters worsened when starter Sam Towns was limited by foul trouble. Towns logged 20 minutes before fouling out, forcing Bowling Green to rely on a shortened rotation for much of the night.
Despite the adversity, the Falcons stayed competitive throughout a back-and-forth contest that featured 22 lead changes and 17 ties.
Javontae Campbell led the Falcons with 28 points and nine assists while playing all 40 minutes, continuing his recent scoring surge.
“He’s a very special player,” Simon said. “He’s great in transition and was tremendous today.”
Bowling Green had a chance to tie the game in the final seconds after trailing by three. The Falcons found an open look from Mayar Wol behind the defense, but the potential game-tying three fell short as time expired.
“It was a good look,” Simon said. “It just didn’t fall.”
The loss marked Kent State’s 13th consecutive win over Bowling Green and secured head coach Rob Senderoff’s 300th career victory. Despite the result, the Falcons once again showed how well they can compete against the MAC’s top programs, even when shorthanded.
Bowling Green returns to action Friday, Jan. 9, at 8:00 pm, against the Akron Zips back home in the Stroh Center.
Listen to the call of the game from Tyler Kavalecz and Artie Abrego on Falcon Radio and find additional coverage and postgame content at bgfalconmedia.com.
