BG MBB Goes 2-0

 BG came out hot, taking a 15-3 lead with 6 minutes gone in the first half.  The lead was solid and in that range.  With 7 left in the first half, BG was up 12.  Arkansas State went on a 13-0 run to take the lead with 1:32 left.  BG led by 3 at the half.

The second half was closely contested for the first 11 minutes.  With 9:11 left, ASU led by 1.  The Falcons then went on a 20-7 run that seemed decisive at +12 with 4 minutes left.  But the Red Wolves scored that next 9 and had it back to 3 with 2:07 left. 

Big possession for BG.  They run the clock to 1:40 before Marcus Hill made a layup, BG got a stop and then Hill scored again to make it a 7 point lead with :57.  Again, you'd think it would be over, but ASU got an and-one to make it 4.  BG missed the back end of a 1-1.  Spurgin got a block on the next possession but ASU nailed a 3 with :19 left to make the lead 2.  Humphrey was fouled and made both.  BG got a stop and Towns cleared the board and was fouled.  And then he made both FTs and it was an 81-75 final.

BG had a really good offensive game at 1.17 points per possession. ASU was also good offensively at 1.08 points per possession. The game had only 69 possessions, which was low given what we expected from these teams and their new coaches.

The shooting was almost identical.  BG shot 57% from 2FG and 33% from 3FG with 30% FGAs from 3FG..  Arkansas State shot 58% and 32% with 34% of their attempts from 3. That equals out to nearly identical EFG.  Rebounding was largely a wash.  The difference was turnovers and free throws.  BG had only 6 turnovers....ASU had only 10, but that's 4 extra possessions.  And BG was 15-20 at the line, and ASU was 4-9.  BG had 4 in garbage time.

Marcus Hill led BG in scoring.  He has 26 on 9 of 15 shooting from 2FG and 0-2 from 3FG.  He made key baskets at the end and in BG's big 2nd half run.  8-10 from the line, 5 rebounds and 4 assists over 1 TO.  If that might work for you.

DaJion Humphrey had 22 on 4-5 2FG shooting and 4 of 6 3FG shooting, 2-2 from the line.  And 4 rebounds.  No one else was in double figures.  Agee had 9 and 6...4 of 5 shooting. Spurgin had 9 points and 3 blocks. Towns had 7 rebounds.

So, BG goes to 2-0. This was a nice win over a team competitive with us.  BG has opened 2-0 in consecutive seasons for the first time in 39 seasons. 

On we go.  First road game of the Simon era against former Falcon Greg Kampe in the O Zone.