The Bowling Green men’s basketball team never seemed to get in a good shooting rhythm.
Despite a big day from Richaun Holmes, the Falcons’ shooting woes were too much to overcome as Miami [10-16, 5-8] defeated the Falcons 67-56.
The Falcons came in atop the Mid-American Conference standings, but their inabilty to get anybody besides Holmes going doomed them.
Holmes finished with 21 points, 12 rebounds, five blocks and two steals. No other Falcon scored more than seven points in the game.
With the loss the Falcons fall to 17-7 and 9-4 in MAC play. With wins from Central Michigan, Toledo and Kent State the Falcons are now in a four-way tie for first place.
The Falcons started the first half well, leading 22-13 with 6:16 to go, but then things swung in favor of Miami. The Redhawks went on an 11-2 run, behind a three point play, two three pointers and a Zach McCormick jumper.
“I felt like we had missed a golden opportunity in that first half,” Jans said.
The Falcons weathered the Redhawks storm and went into the half with a 33-31 lead. Holmes finished the half 17 points, six rebounds and
three blocks.
Holmes got just two more shots the entire game, however, and the Falcon offense struggled without his offensive production.
“They did a good job of game planning against him and us for that matter,” Jans said. “We’ve got to figure out a way when people do that to not get out of rhythm.”
The Redhawks adjusted their defense in the second half and began sending multiple people at Holmes when he got the ball as well as double teaming the guard on the wing before he could make the entry pass.
“We expected the change in defenses and different looks, and we certainly didn’t react to it very well,” Jans said.
Among the different looks that the Redhawks threw at the Falcons was their full court press. The press seemed to shake the Falcons in the second half as the Redhawks took the lead with 11:30 to go and never
looked back.
“We had a little bit of miscommunication down the stretch,” said senior guard Jehvon Clarke. “We just couldn’t make the shots we normally make and when you can’t make those shots it makes the game a lot harder to win.”
The Falcons will look to bounce back from this loss when they host Buffalo Saturday at 2 p.m.
