Bowling Green came back from a nine point deficit to win 60-50 against University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee to get their second win of the season.
The game had a very different feel from the last time these teams matched up when Bowling Green won in the Stroh Center 87-64 last year.
Both teams struggled on the offensive end all through the first half. Only a combined 29 points was scored and the Panthers shot 23.1 percent from the floor while the Falcons shot 18.8 percent.
“I don’t know if you want to call this a tale of two halves, a roller-coaster ride or whatever you want to call it,” BG head coach Jennifer Roos said. “I thought we played really well defensively in the first half, and we were only down by three because of that defensive effort.”
Ashley Green, who was averaging 33 points a game for the Panthers coming into the game, continued her high-scoring season to fluster BG on defense. Green was the only person on her team to score double digits with 23 points.
Green also lead her team in percentages shooting 75 percent from the floor and 100 percent from the free throw line.
On the other end, Bowling Green had balanced scoring as their line up continues to fluctuate. Sophomore Rachel Konieczki, junior Miriam Justinger, and redshirt junior Erica Donovan each scored double digits to lead their team to the win.
Donovan neared a double-double with nine rebounds in the game to add to the team total 46. The Falcons were able to capitalize on a lot of those rebounds with 18 second chance points, 14 of those points coming in the second half.
Turnovers also played a big part in the game as Milwaukee gave the ball up 24 times. Bowling Green was aggressive off the break, scoring 25 points from those turnovers.
The Falcons found themselves down by nine late in the second half before Roos called a timeout. Out of that break Bowling Green rallied behind a pair of Konieczki three pointers. The sophomore was 3-for-6 on the night behind the arc.
“We had a lot of good looks throughout the entire game, but it felt like there was a lid on the basket for many kids,” Roos said. “But, Rachel Konieczki really led the way in our comeback.”
Three of Donovan’s 14 points also came big late in the game after connecting on a contact lay-up and converting the and-one to put the Falcons up 5. Bowling Green lead for the rest of the game for a comfortable win.
The team will be back in play Nov. 28 when they go against UC Irvine in Los Angeles.
