March 8, 2009
Final Stats
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - Two Ohio players had double-digit scoring efforts, and the Ohio men's basketball team moved up the single-season record books, but the Bowling Green Falcons would not be denied their chance at a MAC East title and defeated the Bobcats, 75-41, on Sunday afternoon at Anderson Arena.
Ohio has now drawn the ninth seed for this week's Mid-American Conference Tournament and will take on Western Michigan, the eighth seed, Tuesday at 4 p.m., or 30 minutes following the end of the previous game.
Ohio (14-16, 7-9 in the Mid-American Conference) moved into seventh place on the school's single-season made 3-pointers list with seven field goals from behind the arc. The Bobcats also showed their depth in the team's last regular season game, outscoring Bowling Green (18-12, 11-5) off the bench 23-19.
Senior forward Justin Orr (Cincinnati, Ohio) became the first Bobcat in the game to hit double figures, hitting the mark in the second half. He finished with a team-high 10 points, scoring them all in front of his uncle, Falcon head coach Louis Orr.
Bowling Green rode the hot hand of Nate Miller, who had double-double performance with 14 points and 11 rebounds. Darryl Clements scored a game-high 15 points, and two other Falcons joined Miller and Clements with at least 10 points.
Ohio's younger players offered a glimpse at a bright future for the Bobcats. Freshman guard Steven Coleman (Melbourne, Fla.) joined Orr in double digits, racking up 10 points in the effort as well. Coleman also grabbed nine rebounds, his second-best effort in that department this season. Freshman guard Stacey Waters (Detroit, Mich.) had a career day, reaching career-highs in points, assists, field goals and minutes. He tallied six points over 12 minutes on a 2-6 effort from the field, also sharing the ball for the first assist of his Ohio career.
Senior guard Michael Allen (Detroit, Mich.) exhibited his defensive prowess, registering his first block of the season. He has tallied a block in seven games over his career.
Bowling Green raced out of the gates from tip-off, building a 27-7 lead in the first 10 minutes of the contest. Steven Coleman's fast-break layup off of a steal helped Ohio regain composure and fueled a 9-0 Bobcat run pull within 11. Bowling Green controlled play until a DeVaughn Washington (Virginia Beach, Va.) dunk sent the teams to the locker rooms at the half with Bowling Green in front, 40-18.
Ohio made the first mark of the second stanza with a Jerome Tillman (Beavercreek, Ohio) free throw, putting him in position to overtake Gary Trent's mark of 163 makes from the stripe, a fifth-place single season record that he set in the 1994-95 season. He currently stands one away, and his career tally of 425 made free throws now stands just five shy of Geno Ford's fifth-place career mark of 430.
Bowling Green would hold its lead over the Green and White throughout the second half, despite more strong displays from Ohio's youth. Sophomore forward Adetunji Adedipe (Orange Valley, Ohio) entered the game late in the first but used the second half to grab five boards, a career high. Redshirt freshman center Zach Nagtzaam (Ayr, Ontario) recorded a steal and rebound over a career-best seven minutes.
Ohio will travel to Cleveland, Ohio to begin MAC Tournament play in Quicken Loans Arena. Tournament play begins Tuesday, March 10.
