INDIANAPOLIS, Ind – The Bowling Green State University women’s basketball team saw the 2023-24 season come to a close Thursday night as the Falcons fell to Butler University, 75-63, in WNIT first round action at Hinkle Fieldhouse.
Erika Porter led all players in both scoring and rebounding with a career-high 32 points and a game-best nine rebounds for the Falcons (16-15). Amy Velasco joined Porter in double figures in the scoring column, with 13 points.
For the Bulldogs (15-16), Caroline Strande had 24 points to pace three double-digit scorers. A total of seven players had six or more points for the hosts.
The Falcons shot nearly 49% from the field, while BU shot just under 46%. But, the Bulldogs made nine three-point field goals to the Falcons’ two, and BU committed just five turnovers compared to 18 for the Falcons.
Porter, one of the nation’s leaders in field goal percentage, went 12-of-19 from the floor, and also was 8-of-11 from the free-throw line vs. the Bulldogs.
The Falcons never led in the contest. It was tied, 2-2, after a Velasco pull-up jumper, but the Bulldogs then scored 12-straight points before a Velasco three-point play with just over four minutes gone.
After that 12-0 Butler run, Velasco’s three-point play began an 11-1 surge for the Falcons, with a Porter layup cutting the BU lead to two. Strande, however, made back-to-back jumpers, and after Velasco answered the first one with a floater, the second Strande shot started a 9-0 run that pushed the lead back out to double digits.
The Falcons cut the deficit to nine points on several occasions, but could draw no closer.
