It certainly wasn't a pretty effort out there last night, but it is the time of year when you are not looking for style points but rather for wins, and BG was playing a 11th place team in BG and it was a win you just have to be able to get, and they got it.
For a long period of the game, that did not appear to be a slam dunk, if you will pardon the phrase. The game was tight most of the way. In fact, Miami led by 9 late in the first half and by 7 at halftime. The Falcons had to have been very nervous in that locker room. It obviously hasn't been a great season, but if you were to finish in the #4 slot (#5 in the league overall with Toledo included) you have at least salvaged something.
And the Falcons delivered the victory they needed. First, they held Miami to 13 second half points. Even better, with 7:44 left, Miami led the game 44-42. From that point in, BG outscored them 12-2 to win by 8 points, 52-44. Everyone was critical of the defense Saturday in Fort Wayne, so you have to give credit in this game. They defended Miami very well. When you close a game out allowing one FG in 7:44 of play, that's solid basketball.
They were helped by Miami having an awful night at the line. They were 1-8 in the second half at the line and missed 6 free throws in that last 7:44 run.
BG didn't exactly have a stellar offensive night, at .88 points per possession. That's the 8th lowest average for any game this season and the second lowest winning average--BG beat EMU at .77 points per possession.
Miami, for all that, scored only .75 points per possession, which is the fourth best total of the season and well below their average of .97. It was their second worst offensive game of the season and the worst was when they played Louisville.
Add in that the game was very slow paced (59 possessions) and that's how you get the 1950s final score of 52-44.
BG shot 40% from the field and 33% from beyond the arc, which is not great at all. However, Miami shot 33% and 17% plus 40% from the line. Ouch.
Miami stayed in the game by having half as many turnovers as BG did. The Falcons dominated the offensive boards and had a +2 advantage in free throws and that was enough to get the win on this day.
Jordon Crawford had 19 points on 7 of 15 shooting, a very nice night for him. Remember, the team only scored 52. He carried the team offensively through a lot of possessions where there was nothing going on. A'uston Calhoun had 9 points (4 of 7 shooting) and 8 rebounds in 28 minutes due to foul trouble. He also had 5 of BG's 14 turnovers. If you were watching to see if he was different after the IPFW benching, he looked the same to me. He did take a lot of jumpers, but that might have been in the game plan this time.
Cam Black had 6 points and 9 rebounds and Chauncey Orr had 7 rebounds. Jehvon Clarke had 7 points as well and Craig Sealey had 5 rebounds in 12 minutes of play.
Orr and Kraus struggled with the shot, a collective 2-11.
And so it goes. BG, as it stands this morning, is #5 in the MAC and would head straight to the Q. The next two games are very tough--OU and @Kent. Each has hopeful elements--how does OU bounce back after a wrenching loss at home last night--and can BG win @Kent, who is not the normal Kent...but BG has yet to bring a big performance on the road.
Anyway, everyone else has the same or similar problems. BG needs the kind of game it brought against Detroit or WMU and maybe they have a shot at OU Saturday.
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