BGSU women’s basketball (14-12, 6-8) seeks revenge against the Toledo Rockets (14-10, 8-5) in this year’s final regular-season game in the battle of I-75 this upcoming Saturday afternoon.
Falcon Media Sports Network’s broadcast duo of Lucas Kleimeyer and Trey Kennedy will call the action, with the tipoff set for 2 p.m. in the heart of the Stroh Center on WBGU 88.1 FM.
MATCHUP HISTORY
Bowling Green enters Saturday’s game having lost the first matchup of the battle of I-75 this year on the last day of January by a score of 59-49.
To recall, the Orange and Brown were down a massive deficit at the conclusion of the first period, losing 23-9. However, the Falcons outscored UT 31-16 between the second and third quarters, holding a slim one-point lead entering the fourth quarter, 40-39. Despite that, the Rockets outscored BG 20-9 in the fourth quarter, winning 59-49.
Historically, these two rivals have gone back and forth in terms of winners each season. BGSU rolls into tomorrow’s contest having won 46-91 total meetings against Toledo. That being said, Bowling Green is 2-8 during the last 10 meetings, with their last win occurring last February at the Stroh Center, surging to an 81-72 victory.
BOWLING GREEN
The Falcons are fresh off a win against the Western Michigan Broncos this past Wednesday in a down-to-the-wire game, taking a 67-63 season sweep.
BG was led by junior guard Paige Kohler, junior forward Taya Ellis, and sophomore guard Johnea Donahue, who combined for 43 of the Orange and Brown’s 67 points.
Wednesday’s game marked Ellis’ second double-double of her season, finishing with 13 points and 10 rebounds on the night.
Kohler finished the night with 16 points on 5-11 shooting, including 3-5 from deep. She also tallied four rebounds and three assists on the night.
Although the Falcons were able to prevail against the Broncos, the Orange and Brown sputtered on offense, finishing the action shooting 37% from the court. Meanwhile, Western Michigan did shoot more efficiently from the floor with a 42% field goal percentage on the night.
Entering tomorrow’s action, Bowling Green is averaging 70 points per game (PPG), while their opponents are eclipsing 66 points per contest.
On the other hand, BG is shooting 1.7% lower from the floor in comparison to their opposition this season. BGSU is shooting 39.7% from the hardwood this year, while their counterparts are shooting 41.4% from the court.
TOLEDO
The Rockets are in the midst of a two-game winning streak entering tomorrow’s battle of I-75 showdown against the Falcons. UT defeated Eastern Michigan this past Saturday, 62-51, largely due to sophomore guard Faith Fedd-Robinson and junior guard Kendall Carruthers, who together accounted for 29 of Toledo’s 62 points.
Most recently, the Rockets defeated the Massachusetts Minutewomen this past Wednesday, 60-52 in Amherst, Massachusetts. Graduate student guard Patricia Anumgba led UT with 22 points scored on the night.
The Rockets shot 42% from the floor against UMass and held the Minutewomen to 29% from the floor.
Although Toledo came away with the win, they did turn the ball over 21 times this past Wednesday. The last time BGSU and UT squared off this year, the Falcons did coerce the Rockets into 25 total turnovers. This season, the Rockets are registering 18.4 miscues a game, which is 1.2 more turnovers committed than Bowling Green, which is averaging 17.2 turnovers per game.
FALCON FOUR PLAYERS TO WATCH
Johnea Donahue (Bowling Green No. 3 sophomore guard)
Donahue is coming off a performance in which she sealed the victory with a crucial steal in the final minute of the game against Western Michigan, assisting BG to victory. She finished the night with 14 points off 3-9 shooting, while also going an impressive 7-7 from the free-throw line. Not to mention, she had six rebounds and six steals against the Broncos.
Paige Kohler (Bowling Green No. 10 junior guard)
Kohler leads Bowling Green in points scored per game, averaging 14.6 points per game. The Falcons go as far as Kohler goes each game, no question being the face of the team. She’s led the team in scoring the past three outings, which goes all the way back to the Falcons’ game against the Buffalo Bulls in which she scored 26 points with an efficient 6-7 from distance.
Faith Fedd-Robinson (Toledo Rockets No. 2 sophomore guard)
Robinson is tied with graduate student guard Patricia Anumgba and junior guard Kendall Carruthers, who all lead the team, averaging 11.7 points per matchup. However, Fedd-Robinson leads the team, posting seven rebounds a night.
Miriam Diala (Toledo Rockets No. 21, sophomore forward)
Diala averages 7.5 points per game, which is the fifth most points per game on UT’s team. Having said that, she is also shooting a 55.6% field goal percentage this season, which places second on the team. In her last game against UMass, she scored six points, six rebounds, and two assists.
