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People's Choice Awards
People's Choice: Red Carpet
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People's Choice: Backstage
RedHawks rally falls short against Falcons
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
OXFORD — Bowling Green women's basketball coach Curt Miller said his team has generated such high expectations about their fans and themselves that they've gotten to the point where they can't enjoy a victory unless it's nearly flawless.
The Falcons sure weren't in the mood to celebrate Tuesday night after holding off the Miami RedHawks 64-56 at Millett Hall.
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The RedHawks rallied from a 15-point deficit with less than 4 minutes to play to slice the Falcons' lead to four points, 60-56, on a steal by Amanda Jackson and ensuing basket by Eve Pyle. Miami missed its next four shots, however, and was unable to pull off the upset.
"It says a lot about our character and about how much we wanted to win," said Jackson, who led all scorers with 21 points and also had four steals. "When we pressured them and they collapsed under the pressure, we were able to get turnovers and get off good shots."
Bowling Green (15-2, 5-0 in the Mid-American Conference) is ranked 18th in The Associated Press poll and 17th in the USA Today/ESPN coaches poll, the highest ranking of any MAC team in history. The Falcons have won 30 straight in the MAC.
"Our team is 43-5 over the last 48 games," Miller said. "This team finds ways to win ... People in our community have lost a little touch with reality. We've created a little bit of a monster. For the first time winning (in a game that wasn't a blowout) bothered us a little bit.
"This is a very big road win for us," he emphasized.
"Deep down, in a half hour, we're going to be ecstatic about this road win."
Miami coach Maria Fantanarosa was hardly ecstatic after watching her RedHawks (9-9, 3-2 MAC) lose their second straight. But she did have reason for hope.
"I'm disappointed," she said, "but we've played every one in the East Division now knowing that we're better than we've given ourselves credit for."
Miami struggled with its shooting, hitting only 32.4 percent from the floor and going 4-of-24 from the 3-point arc. But the Falcons did little better against a strong RedHawk defense that limited them to 39.3 percent shooting and a 3-for-15 performance from the arc.
"We didn't have to make a lot of adjustments on defense because (the game plan) worked," Fantanrosa said. "We're a team that's difficult for Bowling Green to match up with because of our up-tempo style of play and our ball screening."
Senior forward Ali Mann led the Falcons in scoring with 18 points, senior forward Amber Flynn added 14 points off the bench, and senior center Liz Honegger was a real headache, accounting for 11 points, 10 rebounds, four blocks, three assists and two steals.
Jenna Schone scored 18 points for Miami, including nine points (and two 3-point baskets) in the final 3 minutes. Pyle led all rebounders with 13, and Stephanie Ford had 10 rebounds and two blocks off the bench.
The RedHawks will face their second straight division leader Saturday at 3 p.m. when they play at Ball State, which sits atop the MAC West standings at 4-0, 13-2 overall.
