LAFAYETTE, La. — The Bowling Green State University men’s basketball team completed the second leg of the MAC-Sun Belt Challenge on Sunday, falling on the road, 86-60, at Louisiana. It was the first ever meeting between the two programs.
Themus Fulks’ 17 points helped Louisiana. Fulks was 7-of-10 shooting and 3 of 4 from the free-throw line for the Ragin’ Cajuns (16-9, 8-4 Sun Belt Conference). Hosana Kitenge scored 16 points and added 10 rebounds and three steals. Joe Charles was 6-of-10 shooting (2 for 5 from 3-point range) to finish with 14 points.
Marcus Hill finished with 22 points and six rebounds for the Falcons (16-8, 7-4 Mid-American Conference). Bowling Green also got 14 points and seven rebounds from Rashaun Agee. Trey Thomas also had eight points.
The Falcons took the opening tip, but it was Louisiana to strike first with a layup to go up 2-0. Rashaun Agee hit a free throw for BGSU’s first point to make it a 2-1 tally.
The Ragin’ Cajuns added a jump shot before a Marcus Hill layup fell for the first BGSU field goal of the game. Agee followed to push the Falcons in front 5-4.
Bowling Green kept the offensive pressure on. Jason Spurgin kicked an assist out to Trey Thomas for the first three of the game and an 8-4 BGSU advantage.
Louisiana hit a layup, but Hill quickly answered with a driving layup of his own. Louisiana added a score for a 10-8 BGSU lead at the media timeout. The Ragin’ Cajuns added a basket out of the timeout to tie the game at 10-10.
Hill continued his response with a layup followed by back-to-back free throws to push the score back to 14-10. Louisiana again narrowed the gap to a 14-14 tie.
Hill added an elbow jumper before Da’Shawn Phillip hit a jumper of his own for a 4-0 burst to make it 18-14.
Louisiana recorded two before Agee spun through the paint for a layup. A three for Louisiana cut the score down to 20-19 at the media timeout.
A free throw out of the timeout by the Ragin’ Cajuns tied the game at 20-20 before Hill went coast-to-coast for a layup. A three for Louisiana pushed them in front 23-22, sparking a 7-0 run for a 27-22 lead. Each team added two for a 29-24 score at the next media break.
Louisiana added two more baskets out of the timeout to extend their lead to 33-24 before a 35-26 score at the media timeout.
An and-one opportunity for Trey Thomas cut into the lead for the Falcons, but Louisiana responded with a three and later a layup for a 40-29 lead. The two teams went to halftime with a 41-30 score.
Spurgin made a free throw for the first point of the second half, but a 7-0 run for Louisiana extended their lead to 48-31.
A layup by Phillip ended the run before the Ragin’ Cajuns and EJay Greer traded threes for a 51-36 score. The score moved to 56-38 at the under-12 media timeout.
Louisiana made a free throw before a Hill jump shot chipped away at the score. However, a 7-0 run for Louisiana made it a 64-40 score with a BGSU timeout.
Out of the timeout, PJ Edwards got a three to fall to cut into the score 64-43. Hill added a put back to make it a 66-45 score at the media timeout.
Spurgin got a layup to fall for the Falcons, but a three and two free throws for Louisiana made it a 71-47 tally.
A dunk under the basket for Agee sparked a back-and-forth with Thomas adding a layup for a 73-51 score.
A 5-0 burst for Louisiana stretched their lead 78-51 before a pair of Agee free throws. The two teams traded threes with Bowling Green’s coming from Edwards.
Agee added a second-chance layup and Hill did later in the same fashion to bring the score to 86-60 for the final.
The Falcons will return to Mid-American Conference play with two road contests up next. Bowling Green will first head to Eastern Michigan on Feb. 17 for a 3:30 p.m. start before going to Central Michigan on Feb. 20 for a 7 p.m. tip.
BGSU’s next home game is set for Friday, Feb. 23 with the Battle of I-75 against rival Toledo at 7 p.m. on ESPNU.
