DEKALB, Ill. — The Bowling Green Falcon men’s basketball team forced overtime Monday in the first round
of the Mid-American Conference tournament.
However, Northern Illinois was able to prevail, 54-51 to end the Falcons’ season.
‘‘This is another example of how we have had some close, tough games where we came up just short,’’ said
BG head coach Louis Orr. ‘‘When you get two teams like us and Northern playing defense, every possession
is crucial.’’
BG’s Jehvon Clarke hit a 3-pointer with 1.5 seconds left in regulation to force overtime. Richaun Holmes
had shot a 3-pointer from the top of the key with just under six seconds remaining. The ball hit the
front of the rim, and Cameron Black tipped the ball out to Clarke on the right wing and he converted.
‘‘After that shot, we were in a good position to win it in overtime. It gave us the adrenaline and
momentum going into overtime,’’ Clarke said. ‘‘We just couldn’t capitalize in overtime, and make the
necessary plays to win the game.’’
After Clarke’s basket, NIU took a time out. The Huskies tried to throw the ball the length of the court,
but it bounced and rolled out of bounds untouched to give the Falcons possession under their own basket,
still with 1.5 seconds left in regulation.
BG’s Spencer Parker threw a lob pass into the lane to Holmes, who leaped to catch the ball and take a
quick shot, but the shot was off the mark.
In overtime, a Falcon turnover led to an easy transition bucket for NIU, which scored four quick points
to take a 53-49 lead with 3:05 left.
Clarke hit a runner in the lane at the 2:44 mark to cut the NIU lead to 53-51, but the Falcons didn’t
score again.
The Falcons were hurt by 22 turnovers, which NIU turned into 27 points. The Huskies had 17 steals.
‘‘The difference in the game was our turnovers,’’ Orr said. ‘‘They scored half of their points off our
turnovers.’’
Bowling Green was also only 6-of-11 from the free-throw line.
Clarke led the Falcons with 15 points, but had seven turnovers. Holmes finished with his eighth
double-double of the season with 10 points and 14 rebounds, and Black had 10 points.
Clarke credited the Huskies with playing good defense in the game.
‘‘Any time a team can sink in and stop penetration, it makes it tough for any point-guard,’’ Clarke said.
‘‘That was the main point of this game, I wasn’t able to make the plays that I wanted to. And the plays
I did make I was surprised I made them.’’
The Falcons finish 12-20 overall, having lost their last four games of the season and 11 of their final
14 games.
‘‘I appreciated the efforts of these young men and the coaching staff, because they didn’t quit and they
let us coach them,” Orr said.
NOTES: NIU is 15-16 overall and plays Eastern Michigan Wednesday in Cleveland … Holmes blocked two
shots in the game and now holds the BG career school record with 161 blocks.
N. ILLINOIS 54, BOWLING GREEN 51, OT
BOWLING GREEN (12-20)
Henderson 1-3 0-0 2, Parker 3-7 0-0 7, Clarke 6-12 2-5 15, Holmes 4-12 1-2 10, Black 4-11 2-3 10, Tisdale
0-1 0-0 0, Sealey 3-5 1-1 7, Lyshe 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 21-52 6-11 51.
N. ILLINOIS (15-16)
Baker 0-5 2-4 2, Bowie 4-6 1-4 9, Aari. Armstead 5-12 1-3 12, Bolin 2-6 0-0 4, Threloff 5-9 3-5 13, Aaro.
Armstead 3-7 1-1 7, Christian 0-1 0-0 0, Balls 2-5 0-0 5, Kev. Gray 1-1 0-0 2, Cravatta 0-2 0-0 0.
Totals 22-54 8-17 54.
Halftime—N. Illinois 30-26. End Of Regulation—Tied 49. 3-Point Goals—Bowling Green 3-14 (Clarke 1-3,
Parker 1-3, Holmes 1-4, Lyshe 0-1, Sealey 0-1, Henderson 0-2), N. Illinois 2-14 (Balls 1-2, Aari.
Armstead 1-3, Cravatta 0-1, Christian 0-1, Aaro. Armstead 0-1, Bolin 0-3, Baker 0-3). Fouled
Out—Henderson. Rebounds—Bowling Green 37 (Holmes 14), N. Illinois 34 (Threloff 9). Assists—Bowling Green
8 (Clarke, Parker 2), N. Illinois 7 (Baker, Bowie 3). Total Fouls—Bowling Green 17, N. Illinois 12.
A—941.
