Chips Complete Sweep

CMU completed the sweep of the Falcons yesterday at McGuirk.  BG needed to slow down CMU's shooting performance compared to the Stroh and did, but BG matched it with a poor shooting performance on its end and really didn't give themselves a chance to win the game.  CMU won 77-65 in front of a really nice crowd of almost 3,800.

It is BG's first road loss in the MAC season, and puts them at 4-4.

The first 10 minutes were closely played--if by that you mean that both teams were having trouble getting on the board.  Mid-way through the half CMU led 16-13.  They went on a 3-minute 8-2 run, featuring 2 treys (BG had 2 for the entire game) and the lead was up to 11.  BG knocked the lead back to 5, but with less than 2 minutes left a Rayson 3 put the Chips up by 12 and they led by 9 at the half.

BG has been behind before on the road and at 9 down you still had to feel like our team had a shot.  You can chip away at a lead like that, you can make a run.  What you can't do is fall farther behind.  BG's starters came out of the locker room and for 3 minutes lost every battle with CMU, which scored the first 10 points of the half, putting CMU up 19 and essentially putting the game away.

Coach Huger substituted out his entire starting five, a move I applaud completely.  The new guys did better than the starters by keeping the score from getting any worse, but they didn't make a run, either.  Eventually BG got the lead to 10 twice, and you always feel like maybe if you can get it to single digits you might have some momentum, but that never happened.

Here you can see the story pretty clearly.  CMU didn't shoot great...44% and 41%.  However, BG was awful, shooting 37% and 17%.  Not going to win many like that.  BG also did a poor job with turnovers and nobody got to the line as the officials let the guys play in a way you'd never have expected to see in today's game.  BG did continue to be good on the offensive boards but seemed to have trouble converting the rebounds to baskets.

Chris Fowler, who torched BG for 42 last year in Mt. Pleasant, this time was held to 27 on 9 of 14 shooting.  Rayson had 19, but had to work a lot harder for it this time, launching 20 shots.

Spencer Parker led BG with 13 points on 4 of 8 shooting.  Rasheed Worrell probably had BG's top individual performance, however, with 12 points on 5 of 8 shooting, 7 rebounds and 3 blocks.  Zack Denny had 11, but he continues to struggle.  He shot 4 of 12 and 0 of 3...he also had 7 rebounds.

Down the line...Denny, Tisdale, Ali, Lillard and Fox were 9 of 31 collectively.

BG has Ball State at the Stroh.  The Cards are improved this year, but are 4-4 in the MAC and have lost 3 of their last 4.  BG needs to get well at home.