Bowling Green guard Morgan Sharps (0) looks to drive to the basket during the fourth quarter of a game on Saturday at the Stroh Center. Troy defeated Bowling Green 88-78. (Scott W. Grau|BGSU Athletics)
Morgan Sharps tied a school record on Saturday, but the Bowling Green State University women’s basketball team fell, 88-78, to Troy University.
The non-conference game, part of the MAC/Sun Belt Challenge, was held in front of 1.916 fans at the Stroh Center.
Sharps made eight three-point field goals, tying the school single-game record, en route to 28 points for the Falcons (12-10 [6-5 MAC]).
Erika Porter had 20 points, going 8-of-9 from the field, while Amy Velasco added 18 points and seven assists for the hosts.
The Trojans (13-10 [9-3 Sun Belt]) got 28 points from Ja’Mia Hollings, with Tai’Sheka Porchia and Nia Daniel adding 17 and 15, respectively.
Troy had a decisive 51-29 rebounding advantage on Saturday afternoon.
The game featured no fewer than 12 ties and 14 lead changes, and it was a 60-60 contest after three quarters. An Olivia Hill free throw gave the Falcons the lead early in the fourth period, but the Trojans went on a 6-0 run, beginning with back-to-back buckets by Shaulana Wagner, and the visitors never trailed again.
A three-pointer by Sharps – her eighth of the game – cut the BG deficit to three points midway through the quarter, but Daniel answered with a triple at the other end, and a pair of Hollings hoops enabled the Trojans to extend the lead to double digits for the first time in the game.
In addition to the Falcons’ three double-digit scorers, Paige Kohler had seven points along with seven assists, with Hill scoring five. Taya Ellis led the Falcons with nine rebounds off the bench.
BGSU is back at the Stroh Center next weekend, wrapping up a season-long three-game homestand with a game against arch-rival Toledo on Saturday (Feb. 17). That contest will begin at 6 p.m.
