Miami Blows Doors Off BG MBB

Ouch.  That was absolutely ugly yesterday.  And the result is that BG is now in real danger of not making it to Cleveland--and wouldn't if the tournament started today--and if they did would face UT or OU in the first round.

Playing like this, that's really not the point, though.  After the NIU win--a game BG should have won--you hoped to see some strong performances strung together.  Instead, BG has lost the next 2--both on the road.  At 5-9 in MAC play, they finish with 4 of 6 at home, but also UB, UT and OU in that 6.  A 7-13 MAC season is possible.  Of BG's 5 wins, 4 of them are against WMU, NIU and EMU.  The other one one is Miami in the first meeting.

The fate might have been sealed when Dalonte Brown was back.

Anyway.

BG came out playing pretty well.  With 9 minutes left in the first half, they were up 5. Then, the wheels fell off.  It was 24-19 for BG.  Miami reached a 99% win probability with 12 minutes to go.  In that 17 minutes of basketball, Miami outscored BG 51-19.  By the time there were 8 minutes left they had the lead over 30.  BG did rally at this point, eventually getting to the lead to 16, which was the final margin.

Let's not let that obscure the real story.  MU blew the doors off the Falcons.

The RedHawks had come into the game struggling to score.  Yes, they got a key player back for this one.  They scored 1.19 points per possession which is a winning number for the team that scores it.  They shot very well.  That's 64% on their 2FGs and 34% on 3FG.  The former number is really good.  It's the 4th time in MAC play BG has allowed 60%+ 2FG shooting.  Turnovers and offensive rebounds were a wash.  BG got to the line more but only made 59%, where as Miami was 15 of 17 at the line and ended up +2.

These are overall stats, which include BG's garbage time rally.  You can imagine what it might have looked like at the end of the Miami run.

BG scored .99 points per possession. BG shot 46% from 2FG and 30% from 3FG, neither of which is anything to brag about.

Dalonte Brown scored 14 on 2 of 2 and 2 of 4 shooting and added 4 rebounds in 17 minutes.  There was no point in pushing his ankle once the game was decided.

For BG, Myron Gordon had 20 on 4 of 8 and 1 of 2 shooting, made 9 of 14 FTs, had 5 assists over 2 turnovers and 4 steals. Trey Diggs had 11 but was 1 of 8 from 3FG.  He added 11 rebounds. Chander Turnver had 10.  Plowden scored 8 on a really rough shooting night.  It was the first time out of double figures since the OSU game.  He did have 9 rebounds.

Josiah Fulcher and Gabe O'Neal did not play.  Metheny missed his 11th straight game.

Very little redeeming in this game. UB comes to BG on Tuesday and then Ball State on Saturday.