The Bobcats were able to limit Richaun Holmes in the first half, but as they came out after halftime down 18 points, it didn’t matter.
Amid a 15-3 run by Bowling Green in the first half, Ohio forward Antonio Campbell knocked down his second 3-pointer of the night.
He fell back after draining the shot and gave a sigh of relief from the frustration Ohio endured throughout its 76-65 loss on Tuesday at The Convo. The loss was the Bobcats’ fifth in a row — their longest losing streak since the 2003-04 season.
The Bobcats (9-17, 4-11 Mid-American Conference) came into the game with intensity, as Maurice Ndour knocked down his first three shots and gave them an early lead. But Ohio didn’t lead past the 12-minute mark of the first half and Bowling Green entered halftime with a 40-22 lead.
The biggest source of frustration for the Bobcats stemmed from their inability to contain the Falcons on the boards, especially on the defensive end.
Bowling Green (18-8, 10-5 MAC) finished with 45 rebounds, and Ohio had just 31. The Falcons also outscored the Bobcats in the paint 42-26.
“We were absolutely beasted in the paint. That put us in a monstrous hole,” said Ohio coach Saul Phillips. “It’s worse because you’re at home; you should be more competitive on your home floor.”
That lack of competitiveness was made worse when redshirt senior guard Javarez “Bean” Willis rolled his ankle during the first half. He left the game with what Phillips said looked to be a sprained ankle and sat on the bench in a boot during the second half.
Willis’ injury forced Ryan Taylor and Stevie Taylor to take extra minutes at the guard position. Willis played just nine minutes and finished with three points. Stevie Taylor scored 12, while Ryan Taylor finished with four.
“It’s unfortunate,” said Stevie, a senior guard. “I just try to be aggressive, and I only have one more time to play in this gym, so I just try to play hard and go out how I want to go out.”
Ohio’s main focus coming into the game was to limit Bowling Green forward Richaun Holmes’ presence in the paint. The Bobcats were able to do that in the opening half, as Holmes scored just two points before halftime.
But Holmes, a senior who has been touted as a possible NBA prospect, finished with 11 points and eight rebounds on 3-of-12 shooting.
“They were just more physical than us,” said senior forward Maurice Ndour.. “It takes all five guys to secure the ball and get the rebound. It’s something that we’ve got to work on.”
Ndour lead all scorers with 23 points and seven rebounds, in a game that he said he was “just trying to be aggressive.” Unlike the norm, he hit three 3-pointers on six attempts.
Despite the Bobcats’ sloppy play and missed shots, they were able to cut their deficit to single digits during the final minute of play, but it was already too late in the game to complete the comeback.
Campbell finished with his eighth double-double of the season with 14 points and 12 rebounds, and, along with Ndour and Stevie Taylor, was the only Bobcat with more than four points.
“Our defense wasn’t terrific tonight, period. I think our energy level on defense wasn’t good — particularly in the first half,” Phillips said. “That disappoints me. We came out with a different energy in the second half and all the sudden it’s a different basketball game.”
@Alex_Busch91
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