MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. — The Bowling Green State University men’s basketball team went to overtime with Central Michigan for the second time this season Tuesday night, but this time it did not fare well for the Falcons.
After a slow start in the first half, the Falcons came out strong in the second half and closed the gap. The two teams went back-and-forth in the overtime period, but it was CMU who pushed ahead last for a 62-60 final.
Rashaun Agee topped the stat sheet for the Falcons, posting a double-double with 18 points and 11 rebounds to go along with three blocks, all three stats leading the team.
Sam Towns posted 11 rebounds as well while Da’Shawn Phillip tallied 10 to give BGSU three players with double-digit rebounds for the second time this season. As a team, the Falcons tallied 53 boards, tied for their most this season.
The first point of the game came at the free throw line with Agee hitting one at the line. CMU made the first field goal with a floater in the paint.
The floater sparked a 5-0 CMU run, but BGSU responded. Trey Thomas hit a floater before Agee used a spin move in the paint to tie it up at 5-5.
On the defensive end, Marcus Hill swatted away a CMU layup attempt to keep the 5-5 tie in place at the first media timeout.
Out of the media break, Agee hit two free throws to make it a 6-0 BGSU run with a 7-5 lead before CMU tied it at 7-7.
Back-to-back Central Michigan buckets swung the score to them with a 6-0 run and an 11-7 score at the under-12 media break.
Agee added two free throws to the BGSU tally, but the Central run stretched to 12-2 with a second 6-0 run and a 17-9 advantage.
Marcus Hill created a path through the defense to join the scoring and end the run with a 17-11 score.
Towns found a cutting EJay Greer under the basket for a layup, putting the CMU lead at 21-13 at the under-8 media break.
Hill hit two free throws out of the break, but a 5-0 CMU run extended their lead to 26-15 at the final media timeout of the first half.
Before the half, Hill made a second-chance bucket just before the buzzer to send the teams to the half with a 28-17 score.
Central Michigan made a layup to start the second half, but Hill snagged an offensive rebound and recorded a put back plus the foul. He added a layup soon after for a 5-0 run to bring it down to 30-22.
Hill added a pull up jumper to bring the score to 34-24 at the first media timeout of the second half.
Hill continued his scoring streak with a mid-range jumper. Towns followed on the next possession with a put back bucket to bring the score to 36-28.
CMU got a fast break layup off a steal before Da’Shawn Phillip drove and dished to Jason Spurgin for a layup. The 38-30 score carried into the under-12 media timeout.
Anthony McComb III hit a free throw after the timeout followed by two more from Thomas. Towns operated on the baseline with a hook shot before two more Thomas free throws made it a 9-0 BGSU run and 38-37 score.
Central Michigan connected for three to extend their lead to 41-37 at the under-8 media timeout.
Thomas hit a fadeaway elbow jumper late in the shot clock after the timeout followed by a Towns free throw for a 41-40 score.
The Chippewas had a layup, but the Falcons answered. Agee made two free throws before Thomas hit a three to put BGSU in front 45-43 and force a CMU timeout.
After the timeout, Central Michigan answered with back-to-back threes to reclaim the lead at 49-45.
After review a flagrant call went against Central Michigan on a rebound. Spurgin made one free throw before Agee made two off a shooting foul.
Out in transition off a rebound, Spurgin threw down a dunk for a BGSU 50-49 lead and a CMU timeout.
Out of the timeout, Agee got an and-one opportunity to push the Bowling Green lead to 52-49 with a 7-0 run. The foul was also the fifth for the defender, the second CMU player to foul out in the game.
Central Michigan closed the run with two free throws to bring it to a one-score game at 52-51. BGSU used a timeout with 43.9 seconds left on the clock.
After the timeout, Agee got a second-chance bucket and the foul to push the lead to 55-51 and a third CMU player fouling out.
Central Michigan banked in a three to narrow the gap to 55-54 with 11 seconds on the clock followed by a CMU timeout.
Spurgin hit a free throw, but the Chippewas made a bucket to tie the game and send it to overtime tied 56-56.
The first points of overtime came at the line with Central Michigan making two. Agee answered with two of his own to tie it at 58-58.
A turnaround jumper for CMU pushed them back in front 60-58.
Agee forced a turnover on the defensive end with Towns picking up the loose ball and finding Phillip down court for the tying layup, 60-60.
Central Michigan pushed into the lane for a layup to make it the 62-60 final.
The Falcons went 23-of-30 at the free throw line in the game, the most made and attempted since the last matchup with CMU when they finished 21-of-32 in double overtime.
The game marked the fourth time this season BGSU has gone to overtime and the second time against Central Michigan after playing a double overtime game in the first meeting. The four overtime games are the most for BGSU since having five in 2017-18.
The Falcons will return home to the Stroh Center for their next two games. On Friday, Bowling Green will host the season’s second edition of the Battle of I-75, taking on Toledo. The game against the rival Rockets is scheduled for a 7 p.m. tip and will be nationally televised on ESPNU.
